diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/_pylab_helpers.py b/lib/matplotlib/_pylab_helpers.py
index 57e6d985af22..98e7b0ecf405 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/_pylab_helpers.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/_pylab_helpers.py
@@ -97,6 +97,19 @@ def get_active(cls):
         """Return the active manager, or *None* if there is no manager."""
         return next(reversed(cls.figs.values())) if cls.figs else None
 
+    @classmethod
+    def _set_new_active_manager(cls, manager):
+        """Adopt *manager* into pyplot and make it the active manager."""
+        if not hasattr(manager, "_cidgcf"):
+            manager._cidgcf = manager.canvas.mpl_connect(
+                "button_press_event", lambda event: cls.set_active(manager))
+        fig = manager.canvas.figure
+        fig.number = manager.num
+        label = fig.get_label()
+        if label:
+            manager.set_window_title(label)
+        cls.set_active(manager)
+
     @classmethod
     def set_active(cls, manager):
         """Make *manager* the active manager."""
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index be08bb36d85e..04a828de6a33 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -2009,24 +2009,9 @@ def __setstate__(self, state):
             allnums = plt.get_fignums()
             num = max(allnums) + 1 if allnums else 1
             mgr = plt._backend_mod.new_figure_manager_given_figure(num, self)
-
-            # XXX The following is a copy and paste from pyplot. Consider
-            # factoring to pylab_helpers
-
-            if self.get_label():
-                mgr.set_window_title(self.get_label())
-
-            # make this figure current on button press event
-            def make_active(event):
-                pylab_helpers.Gcf.set_active(mgr)
-
-            mgr._cidgcf = mgr.canvas.mpl_connect('button_press_event',
-                                                 make_active)
-
-            pylab_helpers.Gcf.set_active(mgr)
-            self.number = num
-
+            pylab_helpers.Gcf._set_new_active_manager(mgr)
             plt.draw_if_interactive()
+
         self.stale = True
 
     def add_axobserver(self, func):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
index fa7112788927..300563ee5184 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/pyplot.py
@@ -520,28 +520,17 @@ def figure(num=None,  # autoincrement if None, else integer from 1-N
                                         frameon=frameon,
                                         FigureClass=FigureClass,
                                         **kwargs)
-
+        fig = figManager.canvas.figure
         if figLabel:
-            figManager.set_window_title(figLabel)
-            figManager.canvas.figure.set_label(figLabel)
-
-        # make this figure current on button press event
-        def make_active(event):
-            _pylab_helpers.Gcf.set_active(figManager)
+            fig.set_label(figLabel)
 
-        cid = figManager.canvas.mpl_connect('button_press_event', make_active)
-        figManager._cidgcf = cid
-
-        _pylab_helpers.Gcf.set_active(figManager)
-        fig = figManager.canvas.figure
-        fig.number = num
+        _pylab_helpers.Gcf._set_new_active_manager(figManager)
 
         # make sure backends (inline) that we don't ship that expect this
         # to be called in plotting commands to make the figure call show
         # still work.  There is probably a better way to do this in the
         # FigureManager base class.
-        if matplotlib.is_interactive():
-            draw_if_interactive()
+        draw_if_interactive()
 
         if _INSTALL_FIG_OBSERVER:
             fig.stale_callback = _auto_draw_if_interactive