diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/text.py b/lib/matplotlib/text.py
index 92f17a4c9f8f..2ae52c51aea9 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/text.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/text.py
@@ -240,7 +240,8 @@ def update(self, kwargs):
         """
         bbox = kwargs.pop('bbox', None)
         super(Text, self).update(kwargs)
-        self.set_bbox(bbox)  # depends on font properties
+        if bbox:
+            self.set_bbox(bbox)  # depends on font properties
 
     def __getstate__(self):
         d = super(Text, self).__getstate__()