diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
index 66a354964144..168b751013b4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/contour.py
@@ -1493,9 +1493,26 @@ def _contour_args(self, args, kwargs):
         else:
             raise TypeError("Too many arguments to %s; see help(%s)" %
                             (fn, fn))
+
+        # Check for vmin and vmax values and max out z values accordingly
+        # want zmax and zmin to be able to be outside data range, according to input vmin/vmax
+        if 'vmax' in kwargs:
+            vmax = kwargs['vmax']
+            ind = z > vmax
+            z[ind] = vmax
+            self.zmax = kwargs['vmax']
+        else:  
+            self.zmax = ma.maximum(z)
+        if 'vmin' in kwargs:
+            vmin = kwargs['vmin']
+            ind = z < vmin
+            z[ind] = vmin
+            self.zmin = kwargs['vmin']   
+        else:
+            self.zmin = ma.minimum(z)
+
         z = ma.masked_invalid(z, copy=False)
-        self.zmax = ma.maximum(z)
-        self.zmin = ma.minimum(z)
+
         if self.logscale and self.zmin <= 0:
             z = ma.masked_where(z <= 0, z)
             warnings.warn('Log scale: values of z <= 0 have been masked')
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_contour/contour_vmax_over_colorbar_range.png b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_contour/contour_vmax_over_colorbar_range.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..09ddfe1f6fb9
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_contour/contour_vmax_over_colorbar_range.png differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_contour/contour_vmax_under_colorbar_range.png b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_contour/contour_vmax_under_colorbar_range.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..a36043f609db
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_contour/contour_vmax_under_colorbar_range.png differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_contour.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_contour.py
index 120b4843e436..ebbad2e8e9b0 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_contour.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_contour.py
@@ -177,6 +177,30 @@ def test_given_colors_levels_and_extends():
         plt.colorbar()
 
 
+@image_comparison(baseline_images=['contour_vmax_over_colorbar_range'],
+                  extensions=['png'])
+def test_vmax_over_colorbar_range():
+    xvec = np.linspace(0, 10)
+    yvec = np.linspace(0, 20)
+    X, Y = np.meshgrid(xvec, yvec)
+    Z = X**2 + Y**2
+
+    plt.contourf(X, Y, Z, cmap='pink_r', vmax=700)
+    plt.colorbar()
+
+
+@image_comparison(baseline_images=['contour_vmax_under_colorbar_range'],
+                  extensions=['png'])
+def test_vmax_under_colorbar_range():
+    xvec = np.linspace(0, 10)
+    yvec = np.linspace(0, 20)
+    X, Y = np.meshgrid(xvec, yvec)
+    Z = X**2 + Y**2
+
+    plt.contourf(X, Y, Z, cmap='pink_r', vmax=300)
+    plt.colorbar()
+
+
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     import nose
     nose.runmodule(argv=['-s', '--with-doctest'], exit=False)