diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py
index 771db39e3c32..915ad597bd6b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_pgf.py
@@ -638,7 +638,7 @@ def draw_text(self, gc, x, y, s, prop, angle, ismath=False, mtext=None):
         # prepare string for tex
         s = common_texification(s)
         prop_cmds = _font_properties_str(prop)
-        s = r"{%s %s}" % (prop_cmds, s)
+        s = r"%s %s" % (prop_cmds, s)
 
 
         writeln(self.fh, r"\begin{pgfscope}")
@@ -652,6 +652,7 @@ def draw_text(self, gc, x, y, s, prop, angle, ismath=False, mtext=None):
             writeln(self.fh, r"\definecolor{textcolor}{rgb}{%f,%f,%f}" % rgb)
             writeln(self.fh, r"\pgfsetstrokecolor{textcolor}")
             writeln(self.fh, r"\pgfsetfillcolor{textcolor}")
+            s = r"\color{textcolor}" + s
 
         f = 1.0 / self.figure.dpi
         text_args = []
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_pdflatex.pdf b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_pdflatex.pdf
index f6991520b56a..5a73f2ca920a 100644
Binary files a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_pdflatex.pdf and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_pdflatex.pdf differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_rcupdate1.pdf b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_rcupdate1.pdf
index e35457a69eaa..5d1082ad1b07 100644
Binary files a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_rcupdate1.pdf and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_rcupdate1.pdf differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_rcupdate2.pdf b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_rcupdate2.pdf
index f64b4114d33b..fa7c7e1c1b87 100644
Binary files a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_rcupdate2.pdf and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_rcupdate2.pdf differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_xelatex.pdf b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_xelatex.pdf
index abd2a7970538..9f45fa87d2ad 100644
Binary files a/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_xelatex.pdf and b/lib/matplotlib/tests/baseline_images/test_backend_pgf/pgf_xelatex.pdf differ
diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_pgf.py b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_pgf.py
index 2fbbea02d036..82833fbb6411 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_pgf.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/tests/test_backend_pgf.py
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ def create_figure():
     plt.plot([0.9], [0.5], "ro", markersize=3)
     plt.text(0.9, 0.5, 'unicode (ü, °, µ) and math ($\\mu_i = x_i^2$)',
              ha='right', fontsize=20)
-    plt.ylabel('sans-serif with math $\\frac{\\sqrt{x}}{y^2}$..',
-               family='sans-serif')
+    plt.ylabel('sans-serif, blue, $\\frac{\\sqrt{x}}{y^2}$..',
+               family='sans-serif', color='blue')
 
 
 # test compiling a figure to pdf with xelatex