diff --git a/trains/binding/matplotlib_bind.py b/trains/binding/matplotlib_bind.py
index ad1dc21f..5da8d363 100644
--- a/trains/binding/matplotlib_bind.py
+++ b/trains/binding/matplotlib_bind.py
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ class PatchedMatplotlib:
     _patched_original_plot = None
     _patched_original_figure = None
     _patched_original_savefig = None
-    _patched_original_savefig_plt_pylab = None
     __patched_original_imshow = None
     __patched_original_draw_all = None
     __patched_draw_all_recursion_guard = False
@@ -51,6 +50,9 @@ class PatchedMatplotlib:
         # only once
         if PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_plot is not None:
             return True
+        # make sure we only patch once
+        PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_plot = False
+
         # noinspection PyBroadException
         try:
             # we support matplotlib version 2.0.0 and above
@@ -70,26 +72,29 @@ class PatchedMatplotlib:
                 matplotlib.pyplot.switch_backend('agg')
             import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
             import matplotlib.figure as figure
-            import matplotlib.pylab as plt_pylab
-            from matplotlib import _pylab_helpers
             if six.PY2:
                 PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_plot = staticmethod(plt.show)
                 PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_imshow = staticmethod(plt.imshow)
                 PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_figure = staticmethod(figure.Figure.show)
-                PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_savefig = staticmethod(plt.savefig)
-                PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_savefig_plt_pylab = staticmethod(plt_pylab.savefig)
+                PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_savefig = staticmethod(figure.Figure.savefig)
             else:
                 PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_plot = plt.show
                 PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_imshow = plt.imshow
                 PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_figure = figure.Figure.show
-                PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_savefig = plt.savefig
-                PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_savefig_plt_pylab = plt_pylab.savefig
+                PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_savefig = figure.Figure.savefig
 
+            try:
+                import matplotlib.pylab as pltlab
+                if plt.show == pltlab.show:
+                    pltlab.show = PatchedMatplotlib.patched_show
+                if plt.imshow == pltlab.imshow:
+                    pltlab.imshow = PatchedMatplotlib.patched_imshow
+            except:
+                pass
             plt.show = PatchedMatplotlib.patched_show
             figure.Figure.show = PatchedMatplotlib.patched_figure_show
             sys.modules['matplotlib'].pyplot.imshow = PatchedMatplotlib.patched_imshow
-            sys.modules['matplotlib'].pyplot.savefig = PatchedMatplotlib.patched_savefig
-            sys.modules['matplotlib'].pylab.savefig = PatchedMatplotlib.patched_savefig_pylab
+            sys.modules['matplotlib'].figure.Figure.savefig = PatchedMatplotlib.patched_savefig
             # patch plotly so we know it failed us.
             from plotly.matplotlylib import renderer
             renderer.warnings = PatchedMatplotlib._PatchWarnings()
@@ -145,7 +150,8 @@ class PatchedMatplotlib:
         if PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_plot is not None:
             PatchedMatplotlib._current_task = task
         # if matplotlib is not loaded yet, get a callback hook
-        elif not running_remotely() and 'matplotlib.pyplot' not in sys.modules:
+        elif not running_remotely() and \
+                ('matplotlib.pyplot' not in sys.modules and 'matplotlib.pylab' not in sys.modules):
             PatchedMatplotlib._current_task = task
             PostImportHookPatching.add_on_import('matplotlib.pyplot', PatchedMatplotlib.patch_matplotlib)
             PostImportHookPatching.add_on_import('matplotlib.pylab', PatchedMatplotlib.patch_matplotlib)
@@ -167,31 +173,19 @@ class PatchedMatplotlib:
         return ret
 
     @staticmethod
-    def patched_savefig(*args, **kw):
-        ret = PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_savefig(*args, **kw)
-        PatchedMatplotlib._report_savefig_figure()
-        return ret
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def patched_savefig_pylab(*args, **kw):
-        ret = PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_savefig_plt_pylab(*args, **kw)
-        PatchedMatplotlib._report_savefig_figure()
-        return ret
-
-    @staticmethod
-    def _report_savefig_figure():
+    def patched_savefig(self, *args, **kw):
+        ret = PatchedMatplotlib._patched_original_savefig(self, *args, **kw)
         tid = threading._get_ident() if six.PY2 else threading.get_ident()
         if not PatchedMatplotlib._recursion_guard.get(tid):
             PatchedMatplotlib._recursion_guard[tid] = True
             # noinspection PyBroadException
             try:
-                figures = PatchedMatplotlib._get_output_figures(None, all_figures=True)
-                for figure in figures:
-                    if figure.canvas.figure:
-                        PatchedMatplotlib._report_figure(stored_figure=figure)
+                PatchedMatplotlib._report_figure(specific_fig=self, set_active=False)
             except Exception:
                 pass
-        PatchedMatplotlib._recursion_guard[tid] = False
+            PatchedMatplotlib._recursion_guard[tid] = False
+
+        return ret
 
     @staticmethod
     def patched_figure_show(self, *args, **kw):