matplotlib
diff --git a/‎lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
Lines changed: 12 additions & 5 deletions b/‎lib/matplotlib/__init__.py
Lines changed: 12 additions & 5 deletions
diff --git a/‎lib/matplotlib/style/core.py
Lines changed: 3 additions & 2 deletions b/‎lib/matplotlib/style/core.py
Lines changed: 3 additions & 2 deletions
@@ -906,7 +906,7 @@ def _open_file_or_url(fname):
 _error_details_fmt = 'line #%d\n\t"%s"\n\tin file "%s"'
 
 
-def rc_params_in_file(fname, fail_on_error=False):
+def _rc_params_in_file(fname, fail_on_error=False):
     """Return :class:`matplotlib.RcParams` from the contents of the given file.
 
     Unlike `rc_params_from_file`, the configuration class only contains the
@@ -973,7 +973,7 @@ def rc_params_in_file(fname, fail_on_error=False):
     return config
 
 
-def rc_params_from_file(fname, fail_on_error=False):
+def rc_params_from_file(fname, fail_on_error=False, use_default_template=True):
     """Return :class:`matplotlib.RcParams` from the contents of the given file.
 
     Parameters
@@ -982,12 +982,19 @@ def rc_params_from_file(fname, fail_on_error=False):
         Name of file parsed for matplotlib settings.
     fail_on_error : bool
         If True, raise an error when the parser fails to convert a parameter.
+    use_default_template : bool
+        If True, initialize with default parameters before updating with those
+        in the given file. If False, the configuration class only contains the
+        parameters specified in the file. (Useful for updating dicts.)
     """
+    config_from_file = _rc_params_in_file(fname, fail_on_error)
 
-    config = RcParams([(key, default)
-                       for key, (default, _) in six.iteritems(defaultParams)])
+    if not use_default_template:
+        return config_from_file
 
-    config.update(rc_params_in_file(fname, fail_on_error))
+    iter_params = six.iteritems(defaultParams)
+    config = RcParams([(key, default) for key, (default, _) in iter_params])
+    config.update(config_from_file)
 
     verbose.set_level(config['verbose.level'])
     verbose.set_fileo(config['verbose.fileo'])
 
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 
 import matplotlib as mpl
 from matplotlib import cbook
+from matplotlib import rc_params_from_file
 
 
 __all__ = ['use', 'context', 'available', 'library', 'reload_library']
@@ -49,7 +50,7 @@ def use(name):
 
     for style in name:
         if is_style_file(style):
-            settings = mpl.rc_params_in_file(style)
+            settings = rc_params_from_file(style, use_default_template=False)
             mpl.rcParams.update(settings)
         elif style not in library:
             msg = ("'%s' not found in the style library. "
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ def read_style_directory(style_dir):
     """Return dictionary of styles defined in `style_dir`."""
     styles = dict()
     for path, name in iter_style_files(style_dir):
-        styles[name] = mpl.rc_params_in_file(path)
+        styles[name] = rc_params_from_file(path, use_default_template=False)
     return styles