diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py b/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py
index bca46679d5f8..3d0e9f583319 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backend_bases.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@
 from six.moves import xrange
 
 from contextlib import contextmanager
+from functools import partial
 import importlib
 import io
 import itertools
@@ -2833,6 +2834,13 @@ def __init__(self, canvas):
         self.mode = ''  # a mode string for the status bar
         self.set_history_buttons()
 
+        @partial(canvas.mpl_connect, 'draw_event')
+        def define_home(event):
+            self.push_current()
+            # The decorator sets `define_home` to the callback cid, so we can
+            # disconnect it after the first use.
+            canvas.mpl_disconnect(define_home)
+
     def set_message(self, s):
         """Display a message on toolbar or in status bar."""
 
@@ -2982,11 +2990,6 @@ def press_pan(self, event):
             return
 
         x, y = event.x, event.y
-
-        # push the current view to define home if stack is empty
-        if self._views.empty():
-            self.push_current()
-
         self._xypress = []
         for i, a in enumerate(self.canvas.figure.get_axes()):
             if (x is not None and y is not None and a.in_axes(event) and
@@ -3022,11 +3025,6 @@ def press_zoom(self, event):
             return
 
         x, y = event.x, event.y
-
-        # push the current view to define home if stack is empty
-        if self._views.empty():
-            self.push_current()
-
         self._xypress = []
         for i, a in enumerate(self.canvas.figure.get_axes()):
             if (x is not None and y is not None and a.in_axes(event) and
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/qt_editor/figureoptions.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/qt_editor/figureoptions.py
index 9b34f2251da6..af9feaf5e5c6 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/qt_editor/figureoptions.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/qt_editor/figureoptions.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ def figure_edit(axes, parent=None):
     sep = (None, None)  # separator
 
     # Get / General
+    # Cast to builtin floats as they have nicer reprs.
     xmin, xmax = map(float, axes.get_xlim())
     ymin, ymax = map(float, axes.get_ylim())
     general = [('Title', axes.get_title()),
@@ -177,6 +178,9 @@ def prepare_data(d, init):
 
     def apply_callback(data):
         """This function will be called to apply changes"""
+        orig_xlim = axes.get_xlim()
+        orig_ylim = axes.get_ylim()
+
         general = data.pop(0)
         curves = data.pop(0) if has_curve else []
         images = data.pop(0) if has_image else []
@@ -248,6 +252,8 @@ def apply_callback(data):
         # Redraw
         figure = axes.get_figure()
         figure.canvas.draw()
+        if not (axes.get_xlim() == orig_xlim and axes.get_ylim() == orig_ylim):
+            figure.canvas.toolbar.push_current()
 
     data = formlayout.fedit(datalist, title="Figure options", parent=parent,
                             icon=get_icon('qt4_editor_options.svg'),