diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/markers.py b/lib/matplotlib/markers.py
index a039f2246ee6..b038d7ae8f53 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/markers.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/markers.py
@@ -45,6 +45,8 @@
 ""                             nothing
 ``'$...$'``                    render the string using mathtext.
 `verts`                        a list of (x, y) pairs used for Path vertices.
+                               The center of the marker is located at (0,0) and
+                               the size is normalized.
 path                           a `~matplotlib.path.Path` instance.
 (`numsides`, `style`, `angle`) see below
 ============================== ===============================================
@@ -269,7 +271,7 @@ def _set_custom_marker(self, path):
         verts = path.vertices
         rescale = max(np.max(np.abs(verts[:, 0])),
                       np.max(np.abs(verts[:, 1])))
-        self._transform = Affine2D().scale(1.0 / rescale)
+        self._transform = Affine2D().scale(0.5 / rescale)
         self._path = path
 
     def _set_path_marker(self):
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_axes/vertex_markers.png b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_axes/vertex_markers.png
index 538c07ec5aec..49348ebe6ef6 100644
Binary files a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_axes/vertex_markers.png and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_axes/vertex_markers.png differ