diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/lines.py b/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
index e12bcd879c7a..10541c78b170 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/lines.py
@@ -1160,7 +1160,8 @@ def set_markeredgecolor(self, ec):
         """
         if ec is None:
             ec = 'auto'
-        if self._markeredgecolor is None or self._markeredgecolor != ec:
+        if self._markeredgecolor is None or \
+           np.any(self._markeredgecolor != ec):
             self.stale = True
         self._markeredgecolor = ec
 
@@ -1184,7 +1185,7 @@ def set_markerfacecolor(self, fc):
         """
         if fc is None:
             fc = 'auto'
-        if self._markerfacecolor != fc:
+        if np.any(self._markerfacecolor != fc):
             self.stale = True
         self._markerfacecolor = fc
 
@@ -1196,7 +1197,7 @@ def set_markerfacecoloralt(self, fc):
         """
         if fc is None:
             fc = 'auto'
-        if self._markerfacecoloralt != fc:
+        if np.any(self._markerfacecoloralt != fc):
             self.stale = True
         self._markerfacecoloralt = fc
 
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_lines.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_lines.py
index 2adef4d1abae..83939cfce0a7 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_lines.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_lines.py
@@ -143,7 +143,8 @@ def test_set_line_coll_dash_image():
 @image_comparison(baseline_images=['marker_fill_styles'], remove_text=True,
                   extensions=['png'])
 def test_marker_fill_styles():
-    colors = itertools.cycle(['b', 'g', 'r', 'c', 'm', 'y', 'k'])
+    colors = itertools.cycle([[0, 0, 1], 'g', '#ff0000', 'c', 'm', 'y',
+                              np.array([0, 0, 0])])
     altcolor = 'lightgreen'
 
     y = np.array([1, 1])