diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.py b/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.py
index d4eecaf4b5a2..ee045ced315e 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/gridspec.py
@@ -419,6 +419,8 @@ def get_subplot_params(self, figure=None):
         - non-*None* attributes of the GridSpec
         - the provided *figure*
         - :rc:`figure.subplot.*`
+
+        Note that the ``figure`` attribute of the GridSpec is always ignored.
         """
         if figure is None:
             kw = {k: mpl.rcParams["figure.subplot."+k]