diff --git a/GPy/kern/_src/kern.py b/GPy/kern/_src/kern.py
index 506d32e6..57b2bff5 100644
--- a/GPy/kern/_src/kern.py
+++ b/GPy/kern/_src/kern.py
@@ -132,13 +132,20 @@ class Kern(Parameterized):
         """
         raise NotImplementedError
 
-    def plot(self, *args, **kwargs):
+    def plot(self, x=None, fignum=None, ax=None, title=None, plot_limits=None, resolution=None, **mpl_kwargs):
         """
-        See GPy.plotting.matplot_dep.plot
+        plot this kernel.
+        :param x: the value to use for the other kernel argument (kernels are a function of two variables!)
+        :param fignum: figure number of the plot
+        :param ax: matplotlib axis to plot on
+        :param title: the matplotlib title
+        :param plot_limits: the range over which to plot the kernel
+        :resolution: the resolution of the lines used in plotting
+        :mpl_kwargs avalid keyword arguments to pass through to matplotlib (e.g. lw=7)
         """
         assert "matplotlib" in sys.modules, "matplotlib package has not been imported."
         from ...plotting.matplot_dep import kernel_plots
-        kernel_plots.plot(self,*args)
+        kernel_plots.plot(self, x, fignum, ax, title, plot_limits, resolution, **mpl_kwargs)
 
     def plot_ARD(self, *args, **kw):
         """
diff --git a/GPy/plotting/matplot_dep/kernel_plots.py b/GPy/plotting/matplot_dep/kernel_plots.py
index c2bd7d38..1e15f224 100644
--- a/GPy/plotting/matplot_dep/kernel_plots.py
+++ b/GPy/plotting/matplot_dep/kernel_plots.py
@@ -99,7 +99,26 @@ def plot_ARD(kernel, fignum=None, ax=None, title='', legend=False, filtering=Non
     return ax
 
 
-def plot(kernel, x=None, plot_limits=None, resolution=None, *args, **kwargs):
+
+def plot(kernel,x=None, fignum=None, ax=None, title=None, plot_limits=None, resolution=None, **mpl_kwargs):
+    """
+    plot a kernel.
+    :param x: the value to use for the other kernel argument (kernels are a function of two variables!)
+    :param fignum: figure number of the plot
+    :param ax: matplotlib axis to plot on
+    :param title: the matplotlib title
+    :param plot_limits: the range over which to plot the kernel
+    :resolution: the resolution of the lines used in plotting
+    :mpl_kwargs avalid keyword arguments to pass through to matplotlib (e.g. lw=7)
+    """
+    fig, ax = ax_default(fignum,ax)
+
+    if title is None:
+        ax.set_title('%s kernel' % kernel.name)
+    else:
+        ax.set_title(title)
+
+
     if kernel.input_dim == 1:
         if x is None:
             x = np.zeros((1, 1))
@@ -117,10 +136,10 @@ def plot(kernel, x=None, plot_limits=None, resolution=None, *args, **kwargs):
 
         Xnew = np.linspace(xmin, xmax, resolution or 201)[:, None]
         Kx = kernel.K(Xnew, x)
-        pb.plot(Xnew, Kx, *args, **kwargs)
-        pb.xlim(xmin, xmax)
-        pb.xlabel("x")
-        pb.ylabel("k(x,%0.1f)" % x)
+        ax.plot(Xnew, Kx, **mpl_kwargs)
+        ax.set_xlim(xmin, xmax)
+        ax.set_xlabel("x")
+        ax.set_ylabel("k(x,%0.1f)" % x)
 
     elif kernel.input_dim == 2:
         if x is None:
@@ -142,11 +161,11 @@ def plot(kernel, x=None, plot_limits=None, resolution=None, *args, **kwargs):
         Xnew = np.vstack((xx.flatten(), yy.flatten())).T
         Kx = kernel.K(Xnew, x)
         Kx = Kx.reshape(resolution, resolution).T
-        pb.contour(xx, xx, Kx, vmin=Kx.min(), vmax=Kx.max(), cmap=pb.cm.jet, *args, **kwargs) # @UndefinedVariable
-        pb.xlim(xmin[0], xmax[0])
-        pb.ylim(xmin[1], xmax[1])
-        pb.xlabel("x1")
-        pb.ylabel("x2")
-        pb.title("k(x1,x2 ; %0.1f,%0.1f)" % (x[0, 0], x[0, 1]))
+        ax.contour(xx, xx, Kx, vmin=Kx.min(), vmax=Kx.max(), cmap=pb.cm.jet, **mpl_kwargs) # @UndefinedVariable
+        ax.set_xlim(xmin[0], xmax[0])
+        ax.set_ylim(xmin[1], xmax[1])
+        ax.set_xlabel("x1")
+        ax.set_ylabel("x2")
+        ax.set_title("k(x1,x2 ; %0.1f,%0.1f)" % (x[0, 0], x[0, 1]))
     else:
         raise NotImplementedError, "Cannot plot a kernel with more than two input dimensions"