diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
index 47645f94c1fa..a4541503d9a0 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_axes.py
@@ -509,6 +509,7 @@ def legend(self, *args, **kwargs):
             raise TypeError('Invalid arguments to legend.')
 
         self.legend_ = mlegend.Legend(self, handles, labels, **kwargs)
+        self.legend_._remove_method = lambda h: setattr(self, 'legend_', None)
         return self.legend_
 
     def text(self, x, y, s, fontdict=None,
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index 34f529ecb044..c6730642b3c5 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -1166,6 +1166,7 @@ def legend(self, handles, labels, *args, **kwargs):
         """
         l = Legend(self, handles, labels, *args, **kwargs)
         self.legends.append(l)
+        l._remove_method = lambda h: self.legends.remove(h)
         return l
 
     @docstring.dedent_interpd
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_legend.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_legend.py
index 15dadeb6c75f..d4eeae2e34f1 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_legend.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_legend.py
@@ -80,21 +80,21 @@ def test_framealpha():
     plt.legend(framealpha=0.5)
 
 
-@image_comparison(baseline_images=['scatter_rc3','scatter_rc1'], remove_text=True)
+@image_comparison(baseline_images=['scatter_rc3', 'scatter_rc1'], remove_text=True)
 def test_rc():
     # using subplot triggers some offsetbox functionality untested elsewhere
     fig = plt.figure()
-    ax =  plt.subplot(121)
+    ax = plt.subplot(121)
     ax.scatter(list(xrange(10)), list(xrange(10, 0, -1)), label='three')
     ax.legend(loc="center left", bbox_to_anchor=[1.0, 0.5],
-                title="My legend")
+              title="My legend")
 
     mpl.rcParams['legend.scatterpoints'] = 1
     fig = plt.figure()
-    ax =  plt.subplot(121)
+    ax = plt.subplot(121)
     ax.scatter(list(xrange(10)), list(xrange(10, 0, -1)), label='one')
     ax.legend(loc="center left", bbox_to_anchor=[1.0, 0.5],
-                title="My legend")
+              title="My legend")
 
 
 @image_comparison(baseline_images=['legend_expand'], remove_text=True)
@@ -113,6 +113,19 @@ def test_legend_expand():
         ax.legend(loc=3, mode=mode, ncol=2)
 
 
+@cleanup
+def test_legend_remove():
+    fig = plt.figure()
+    ax = fig.add_subplot(1, 1, 1)
+    lines = ax.plot(range(10))
+    leg = fig.legend(lines, "test")
+    leg.remove()
+    assert_equal(fig.legends, [])
+    leg = ax.legend("test")
+    leg.remove()
+    assert ax.get_legend() is None
+
+
 class TestLegendFunction(object):
     # Tests the legend function on the Axes and pyplot.
 
@@ -154,8 +167,8 @@ def __call__(self, legend, orig_handle, fontsize, handlebox):
                        handler_map={None: AnyObjectHandler()})
 
         warn.assert_called_with(u'Legend handers must now implement a '
-                                 '"legend_artist" method rather than '
-                                 'being a callable.',
+                                '"legend_artist" method rather than '
+                                'being a callable.',
                                 MatplotlibDeprecationWarning,
                                 stacklevel=1)