diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
index 24c2d48f9871..14c7deea568b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes/_base.py
@@ -1096,6 +1096,7 @@ def cla(self):
 
         self.stale = True
 
+    @property
     @cbook.deprecated("2.1", alternative="Axes.patch")
     def axesPatch(self):
         return self.patch
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
index 8d4273cfe1b8..eb13d2e5f6dd 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/figure.py
@@ -369,6 +369,7 @@ def __init__(self,
         self.clf()
         self._cachedRenderer = None
 
+    @property
     @cbook.deprecated("2.1", alternative="Figure.patch")
     def figurePatch(self):
         return self.patch
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
index c0f2c728742d..7d9b5d8639f0 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_axes.py
@@ -5319,3 +5319,12 @@ def test_barh_signature(args, kwargs, warning_count):
 def test_zero_linewidth():
     # Check that setting a zero linewidth doesn't error
     plt.plot([0, 1], [0, 1], ls='--', lw=0)
+
+
+def test_patch_deprecations():
+    fig, ax = plt.subplots()
+    with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as w:
+        assert ax.patch == ax.axesPatch
+        assert fig.patch == fig.figurePatch
+
+    assert len(w) == 2