diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 0354378dfc7a..369ec9acd3f7 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ install:
       cp .travis/setup.cfg .
     fi;
 
-  - python setup.py install
+  - pip install -ve ./
   - |
 
 script:
diff --git a/doc/api/api_changes.rst b/doc/api/api_changes.rst
index ca523a94ad72..0d603d0a9703 100644
--- a/doc/api/api_changes.rst
+++ b/doc/api/api_changes.rst
@@ -201,6 +201,20 @@ replaced by ``nipy_spectral`` and ``nipy_spectral_r`` since matplotlib
 raised a warning. As of matplotlib 2.0.0, using the old names raises a
 deprecation warning. In the future, using the old names will raise an error.
 
+Default install no longer includes test images
+----------------------------------------------
+
+To reduce the size of wheels and source installs, the tests and
+baseline images are no longer included by default.
+
+To restore installing the tests and images, use a `setup.cfg` with ::
+
+   [packages]
+   tests = True
+   toolkit_tests = True
+
+in the source directory at build/install time.
+
 Changes in 1.5.3
 ================
 
diff --git a/doc/devel/contributing.rst b/doc/devel/contributing.rst
index 8ddb927db44f..d9d1112e39fb 100644
--- a/doc/devel/contributing.rst
+++ b/doc/devel/contributing.rst
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ the env ``MPLLOCALFREETYPE`` as::
 
   export MPLLOCALFREETYPE=1
 
-or copy :file:`setup.cfg.template` to :file:`setup.cfg` and edit to contain ::
+or copy :file:`setup.cfg.template` to :file:`setup.cfg` and edit it to contain ::
 
   [test]
   local_freetype = True
@@ -80,9 +80,15 @@ Alternatively, if you do ::
 
 all of the files will be copied to the installation directory however,
 you will have to rerun this command every time the source is changed.
+Additionally you will need to copy :file:`setup.cfg.template` to
+:file:`setup.cfg` and edit it to contain ::
 
+  [test]
+  local_freetype = True
+  tests = True
 
-You can then run the tests to check your work environment is set up properly::
+In either case you can then run the tests to check your work
+environment is set up properly::
 
   python tests.py
 
diff --git a/doc/devel/testing.rst b/doc/devel/testing.rst
index f08199810aa1..dc4cb8a65feb 100644
--- a/doc/devel/testing.rst
+++ b/doc/devel/testing.rst
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ matplotlib source directory::
 
   [test]
   local_freetype = True
+  tests = True
 
 or by setting the ``MPLLOCALFREETYPE`` environmental variable to any true
 value.
diff --git a/setup.cfg.template b/setup.cfg.template
index e64a9248111f..d2e7db4bd534 100644
--- a/setup.cfg.template
+++ b/setup.cfg.template
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Rename this file to setup.cfg to modify matplotlib's
+# Rename this file to setup.cfg to modify Matplotlib's
 # build options.
 
 [egg_info]
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 #basedirlist = /usr
 
 [test]
-# If you plan to develop matplotlib and run or add to the test suite,
+# If you plan to develop Matplotlib and run or add to the test suite,
 # set this to True.  It will download and build a specific version of
 # FreeType, and then use that to build the ft2font extension.  This
 # ensures that test images are exactly reproducible.
@@ -21,11 +21,11 @@
 #suppress = False
 
 [packages]
-# There are a number of subpackages of matplotlib that are considered
-# optional.  They are all installed by default, but they may be turned
-# off here.
+# There are a number of subpackages of Matplotlib that are considered
+# optional. All except tests are installed by default, but that can
+# be changed here.
 #
-#tests = True
+#tests = False
 #sample_data = True
 #toolkits = True
 # Tests for the toolkits are only automatically installed
@@ -36,10 +36,10 @@
 # Matplotlib supports multiple GUI toolkits, including
 # GTK, MacOSX, Qt4, Qt5, Tk, and WX. Support for many of
 # these toolkits requires AGG, the Anti-Grain Geometry library,
-# which is provided by matplotlib and built by default.
+# which is provided by Matplotlib and built by default.
 #
 # Some backends are written in pure Python, and others require
-# extension code to be compiled. By default, matplotlib checks for
+# extension code to be compiled. By default, Matplotlib checks for
 # these GUI toolkits during installation and, if present, compiles the
 # required extensions to support the toolkit.
 #
diff --git a/setupext.py b/setupext.py
index fc1bc0cafabb..381963624725 100644
--- a/setupext.py
+++ b/setupext.py
@@ -532,6 +532,7 @@ class OptionalPackage(SetupPackage):
     optional = True
     force = False
     config_category = "packages"
+    default_config = "auto"
 
     @classmethod
     def get_config(cls):
@@ -541,7 +542,7 @@ def get_config(cls):
         insensitively defined as 1, true, yes, on for True) or opted-out (case
         insensitively defined as 0, false, no, off for False).
         """
-        conf = "auto"
+        conf = cls.default_config
         if config is not None and config.has_option(cls.config_category, cls.name):
             try:
                 conf = config.getboolean(cls.config_category, cls.name)
@@ -712,6 +713,7 @@ def get_namespace_packages(self):
 class Tests(OptionalPackage):
     name = "tests"
     nose_min_version = '0.11.1'
+    default_config = False
 
     def check(self):
         super(Tests, self).check()