diff --git a/lib/mpl_toolkits/axes_grid1/parasite_axes.py b/lib/mpl_toolkits/axes_grid1/parasite_axes.py
index 1241c93a0d67..85c5a7b05585 100644
--- a/lib/mpl_toolkits/axes_grid1/parasite_axes.py
+++ b/lib/mpl_toolkits/axes_grid1/parasite_axes.py
@@ -484,20 +484,48 @@ def host_subplot_class_factory(axes_class):
 
 
 def host_axes(*args, **kwargs):
+    """
+    Create axes that can act as a hosts to parasitic axes.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    figure : `matplotlib.figure.Figure`
+        Figure to which the axes will be added. Defaults to the current figure
+        `pyplot.gcf()`.
+
+    *args, **kwargs :
+        Will be passed on to the underlying ``Axes`` object creation.
+    """
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
     axes_class = kwargs.pop("axes_class", None)
     host_axes_class = host_axes_class_factory(axes_class)
-    fig = plt.gcf()
+    fig = kwargs.get("figure", None)
+    if fig is None:
+        fig = plt.gcf()
     ax = host_axes_class(fig, *args, **kwargs)
     fig.add_axes(ax)
     plt.draw_if_interactive()
     return ax
 
 def host_subplot(*args, **kwargs):
+    """
+    Create a subplot that can act as a host to parasitic axes.
+
+    Parameters
+    ----------
+    figure : `matplotlib.figure.Figure`
+        Figure to which the subplot will be added. Defaults to the current
+        figure `pyplot.gcf()`.
+
+    *args, **kwargs :
+        Will be passed on to the underlying ``Axes`` object creation.
+    """
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
     axes_class = kwargs.pop("axes_class", None)
     host_subplot_class = host_subplot_class_factory(axes_class)
-    fig = plt.gcf()
+    fig = kwargs.get("figure", None)
+    if fig is None:
+        fig = plt.gcf()
     ax = host_subplot_class(fig, *args, **kwargs)
     fig.add_subplot(ax)
     plt.draw_if_interactive()