diff --git a/geoviews/tests/plotting/mpl/test_chart.py b/geoviews/tests/plotting/mpl/test_chart.py
index ed3d11a1..d80b8593 100644
--- a/geoviews/tests/plotting/mpl/test_chart.py
+++ b/geoviews/tests/plotting/mpl/test_chart.py
@@ -4,12 +4,12 @@
 
 from geoviews.element import WindBarbs
 
-from holoviews.tests.plotting.matplotlib.test_plot import TestMPLPlot
 from holoviews.tests.plotting.utils import ParamLogStream
 
 from geoviews import Store
 
-gv.extension("matplotlib")
+from test_plot import TestMPLPlot
+
 mpl_renderer = Store.renderers["matplotlib"]
 
 
diff --git a/geoviews/tests/plotting/mpl/test_plot.py b/geoviews/tests/plotting/mpl/test_plot.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8322f118
--- /dev/null
+++ b/geoviews/tests/plotting/mpl/test_plot.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
+import pyviz_comms as comms
+
+from geoviews import Store
+from geoviews.element.comparison import ComparisonTestCase
+from geoviews.plotting.mpl import ElementPlot
+from param import concrete_descendents
+
+mpl_renderer = Store.renderers['matplotlib']
+
+
+class TestMPLPlot(ComparisonTestCase):
+
+    def setUp(self):
+        self.previous_backend = Store.current_backend
+        self.comm_manager = mpl_renderer.comm_manager
+        mpl_renderer.comm_manager = comms.CommManager
+        Store.set_current_backend('matplotlib')
+        self._padding = {}
+        for plot in concrete_descendents(ElementPlot).values():
+            self._padding[plot] = plot.padding
+            plot.padding = 0
+
+    def tearDown(self):
+        Store.current_backend = self.previous_backend
+        mpl_renderer.comm_manager = self.comm_manager
+        plt.close(plt.gcf())
+        for plot, padding in self._padding.items():
+            plot.padding = padding