diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
index 6db9f897315e..ab7ffe4ee7b1 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
@@ -1230,6 +1230,7 @@ def tk_window_focus():
     'matplotlib.tests.test_spines',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_streamplot',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_subplots',
+    'matplotlib.tests.test_table',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_text',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_ticker',
     'matplotlib.tests.test_tightlayout',
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/table.py b/lib/matplotlib/table.py
index 7d3a6813dee2..226ce5993d21 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/table.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/table.py
@@ -177,7 +177,7 @@ class Table(Artist):
     FONTSIZE = 10
     AXESPAD = 0.02    # the border between the axes and table edge
 
-    def __init__(self, ax, loc=None, bbox=None):
+    def __init__(self, ax, loc=None, bbox=None, **kwargs):
 
         Artist.__init__(self)
 
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ def __init__(self, ax, loc=None, bbox=None):
         self._autoRows = []
         self._autoColumns = []
         self._autoFontsize = True
+        self.update(kwargs)
 
         self.set_clip_on(False)
 
@@ -453,7 +454,8 @@ def table(ax,
     cellLoc='right', colWidths=None,
     rowLabels=None, rowColours=None, rowLoc='left',
     colLabels=None, colColours=None, colLoc='center',
-    loc='bottom', bbox=None):
+    loc='bottom', bbox=None,
+    **kwargs):
     """
     TABLE(cellText=None, cellColours=None,
           cellLoc='right', colWidths=None,
@@ -517,7 +519,7 @@ def table(ax,
         cellColours = ['w' * cols] * rows
 
     # Now create the table
-    table = Table(ax, loc, bbox)
+    table = Table(ax, loc, bbox, **kwargs)
     height = table._approx_text_height()
 
     # Add the cells
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_table/table_zorder.png b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_table/table_zorder.png
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..21d4537c18fc
Binary files /dev/null and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_table/table_zorder.png differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_table.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_table.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6c173e8087ef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_table.py
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import numpy as np
+from matplotlib.testing.decorators import image_comparison
+
+
+@image_comparison(baseline_images=['table_zorder'],
+                  extensions=['png'],
+                  remove_text=True)
+def test_zorder():
+    data = [[  66386,  174296,],
+            [  58230,  381139,]]
+
+    colLabels = ('Freeze', 'Wind')
+    rowLabels = ['%d year' % x for x in (100, 50)]
+
+
+    cellText = []
+    yoff = np.array([0.0] * len(colLabels))
+    for row in reversed(data):
+        yoff += row
+        cellText.append(['%1.1f' % (x/1000.0) for x in yoff])
+
+    t = np.linspace(0, 2*np.pi, 100)
+    plt.plot(t, np.cos(t), lw=4, zorder=2)
+
+    plt.table(cellText=cellText,
+              rowLabels=rowLabels,
+              colLabels=colLabels,
+              loc='center',
+              zorder=-2,
+              )
+
+    plt.table(cellText=cellText,
+              rowLabels=rowLabels,
+              colLabels=colLabels,
+              loc='upper center',
+              zorder=4,
+              )
+    plt.yticks([])