diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
index 56ff935e7a29..f9013257ce30 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_gtk3.py
@@ -359,15 +359,17 @@ def __init__(self, canvas, num):
 
         self.window = Gtk.Window()
         self.set_window_title("Figure %d" % num)
-        if (window_icon):
-            try:
-                self.window.set_icon_from_file(window_icon)
-            except:
-                # some versions of gtk throw a glib.GError but not
-                # all, so I am not sure how to catch it.  I am unhappy
-                # diong a blanket catch here, but an not sure what a
-                # better way is - JDH
-                verbose.report('Could not load matplotlib icon: %s' % sys.exc_info()[1])
+        try:
+            self.window.set_icon_from_file(window_icon)
+        except (SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt):
+            # re-raise exit type Exceptions
+            raise
+        except:
+            # some versions of gtk throw a glib.GError but not
+            # all, so I am not sure how to catch it.  I am unhappy
+            # doing a blanket catch here, but am not sure what a
+            # better way is - JDH
+            verbose.report('Could not load matplotlib icon: %s' % sys.exc_info()[1])
 
         self.vbox = Gtk.Box()
         self.vbox.set_property("orientation", Gtk.Orientation.VERTICAL)
@@ -562,12 +564,15 @@ def configure_subplots(self, button):
 
 
         window = Gtk.Window()
-        if (window_icon):
-            try: window.set_icon_from_file(window_icon)
-            except:
-                # we presumably already logged a message on the
-                # failure of the main plot, don't keep reporting
-                pass
+        try: 
+            window.set_icon_from_file(window_icon)
+        except (SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt):
+            # re-raise exit type Exceptions
+            raise
+        except:
+            # we presumably already logged a message on the
+            # failure of the main plot, don't keep reporting
+            pass
         window.set_title("Subplot Configuration Tool")
         window.set_default_size(w, h)
         vbox = Gtk.Box()
@@ -963,7 +968,6 @@ def get_active_line(self):
         line = self.lines[ind]
         return line
 
-
     def get_active_linestyle(self):
         'get the active lineinestyle'
         ind = self.cbox_linestyles.get_active()
@@ -997,8 +1001,6 @@ def _update(self):
 
         line.figure.canvas.draw()
 
-
-
     def on_combobox_lineprops_changed(self, item):
         'update the widgets from the active line'
         if not self._inited: return
@@ -1044,17 +1046,14 @@ def on_dialog_lineprops_okbutton_clicked(self, button):
     def on_dialog_lineprops_cancelbutton_clicked(self, button):
         self.dlg.hide()
 
-# set icon used when windows are minimized
-try:
 
-    if sys.platform == 'win32':
-        icon_filename = 'matplotlib.png'
-    else:
-        icon_filename = 'matplotlib.svg'
-    window_icon = os.path.join(rcParams['datapath'], 'images', icon_filename)
-except:
-    window_icon = None
-    verbose.report('Could not load matplotlib icon: %s' % sys.exc_info()[1])
+# Define the file to use as the GTk icon
+if sys.platform == 'win32':
+    icon_filename = 'matplotlib.png'
+else:
+    icon_filename = 'matplotlib.svg'
+window_icon = os.path.join(matplotlib.rcParams['datapath'], 'images', icon_filename)
+
 
 def error_msg_gtk(msg, parent=None):
     if parent is not None: # find the toplevel Gtk.Window
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
index 2ac741896bf3..ac21bb094cf4 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
@@ -78,6 +78,23 @@ def new_figure_manager(num, *args, **kwargs):
     FigureClass = kwargs.pop('FigureClass', Figure)
     figure = FigureClass(*args, **kwargs)
     window = Tk.Tk()
+ 
+    if Tk.TkVersion >= 8.5:
+        # put a mpl icon on the window rather than the default tk icon. Tkinter
+        # doesn't allow colour icons on linux systems, but tk >=8.5 has a iconphoto
+        # command which we call directly. Source:
+        # http://mail.python.org/pipermail/tkinter-discuss/2006-November/000954.html
+        icon_fname = os.path.join(rcParams['datapath'], 'images', 'matplotlib.gif')
+        icon_img = Tk.PhotoImage(file=icon_fname)
+        try:
+            window.tk.call('wm', 'iconphoto', window._w, icon_img)
+        except (SystemExit, KeyboardInterrupt):
+            # re-raise exit type Exceptions
+            raise
+        except:
+            # log the failure, but carry on
+            verbose.report('Could not load matplotlib icon: %s' % sys.exc_info()[1])
+            
     canvas = FigureCanvasTkAgg(figure, master=window)
     figManager = FigureManagerTkAgg(canvas, num, window)
     if matplotlib.is_interactive():
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
index bca5066819d8..c70b25e78bb5 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_wx.py
@@ -1,8 +1,5 @@
 from __future__ import division, print_function
 """
-
- backend_wx.py
-
  A wxPython backend for matplotlib, based (very heavily) on
  backend_template.py and backend_gtk.py
 
@@ -18,14 +15,17 @@
 
 """
 
-cvs_id = '$Id$'
+import sys
+import os
+import os.path
+import math
+import StringIO
+import weakref
+import warnings
 
-
-import sys, os, os.path, math, StringIO, weakref, warnings
 import numpy as np
 
 
-
 # Debugging settings here...
 # Debug level set here. If the debug level is less than 5, information
 # messages (progressively more info for lower value) are printed. In addition,
@@ -188,7 +188,6 @@ def __init__(self, parent, *args, **kwargs):
 
      # Unbinding causes Wx to stop for some reason. Disabling for now.
 #    def __del__(self):
-#        import wx
 #        TimerBase.__del__(self)
 #        self.parent.Bind(wx.EVT_TIMER, None, self._timer)
 
@@ -410,7 +409,6 @@ def get_gc(self):
         assert self.gc != None, "gc must be defined"
         return self.gc
 
-
     def get_wx_font(self, s, prop):
         """
         Return a wx font.  Cache instances in a font dictionary for
@@ -448,7 +446,6 @@ def get_wx_font(self, s, prop):
 
         return font
 
-
     def points_to_pixels(self, points):
         """
         convert point measures to pixes using dpi and the pixels per
@@ -456,6 +453,7 @@ def points_to_pixels(self, points):
         """
         return points*(PIXELS_PER_INCH/72.0*self.dpi/72.0)
 
+
 class GraphicsContextWx(GraphicsContextBase):
     """
     The graphics context provides the color, line styles, etc...
@@ -627,6 +625,7 @@ def get_wxcolour(self, color):
             a *= 255
             return wx.Colour(red=int(r), green=int(g), blue=int(b), alpha=int(a))
 
+
 class FigureCanvasWx(FigureCanvasBase, wx.Panel):
     """
     The FigureCanvas contains the figure and does event handling.
@@ -1421,7 +1420,7 @@ def _create_wx_app():
         # retain a reference to the app object so it does not get garbage
         # collected and cause segmentation faults
         _create_wx_app.theWxApp = wxapp
-
+        
 
 def draw_if_interactive():
     """
@@ -1512,6 +1511,15 @@ def __init__(self, num, fig):
         self.Fit()
 
         self.canvas.SetMinSize((2, 2))
+        
+        # give the window a matplotlib icon rather than the stock one.
+        # This is not currently working on Linux and is untested elsewhere.
+        #icon_path = os.path.join(matplotlib.rcParams['datapath'],
+        #                         'images', 'matplotlib.png')
+        #icon = wx.IconFromBitmap(wx.Bitmap(icon_path))
+        # for xpm type icons try:
+        #icon = wx.Icon(icon_path, wx.BITMAP_TYPE_XPM)
+        #self.SetIcon(icon)
 
         self.figmgr = FigureManagerWx(self.canvas, num, self)
 
@@ -1559,6 +1567,7 @@ def Destroy(self, *args, **kwargs):
             wxapp.Yield()
         return True
 
+
 class FigureManagerWx(FigureManagerBase):
     """
     This class contains the FigureCanvas and GUI frame
@@ -1566,8 +1575,6 @@ class FigureManagerWx(FigureManagerBase):
     It is instantiated by GcfWx whenever a new figure is created. GcfWx is
     responsible for managing multiple instances of FigureManagerWx.
 
-    NB: FigureManagerBase is found in _pylab_helpers
-
     public attrs
 
     canvas - a FigureCanvasWx(wx.Panel) instance
@@ -1599,7 +1606,6 @@ def destroy(self, *args):
         DEBUG_MSG("destroy()", 1, self)
         self.frame.Destroy()
         #if self.tb is not None: self.tb.Destroy()
-        import wx
         #wx.GetApp().ProcessIdle()
         wx.WakeUpIdle()
 
@@ -1939,11 +1945,6 @@ def set_history_buttons(self):
 
 class NavigationToolbarWx(wx.ToolBar):
     def __init__(self, canvas, can_kill=False):
-        """
-        figure is the Figure instance that the toolboar controls
-
-        win, if not None, is the wxWindow the Figure is embedded in
-        """
         wx.ToolBar.__init__(self, canvas.GetParent(), -1)
         DEBUG_MSG("__init__()", 1, self)
         self.canvas = canvas
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/matplotlib.gif b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/matplotlib.gif
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..202bd81c2921
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/matplotlib.gif differ
diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index cfc27b9d9b36..f7bf886e2990 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@
                               'mpl-data/fonts/ttf/RELEASENOTES.TXT',
                               'mpl-data/images/*.xpm',
                               'mpl-data/images/*.svg',
+                              'mpl-data/images/*.gif',
                               'mpl-data/images/*.png',
                               'mpl-data/images/*.ppm',
                               'mpl-data/example/*.npy',