diff --git a/contextily/plotting.py b/contextily/plotting.py
index b5e62a50..b316b1e6 100644
--- a/contextily/plotting.py
+++ b/contextily/plotting.py
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 
 def add_basemap(ax, zoom=ZOOM, url=sources.ST_TERRAIN, 
 		interpolation=INTERPOLATION, attribution = ATTRIBUTION, 
-                **extra_imshow_args):
+                reset_extent=True, **extra_imshow_args):
     """
     Add a (web/local) basemap to `ax`
     ...
@@ -38,6 +38,10 @@ def add_basemap(ax, zoom=ZOOM, url=sources.ST_TERRAIN,
     attribution         : str
                           [Optional. Defaults to standard `ATTRIBUTION`] Text to be added at the
                           bottom of the axis.
+    reset_extent        : Boolean
+                          [Optiona. Default=True] If True, the extent of the
+                          basemap added is reset to the original extent (xlim,
+                          ylim) of `ax`
     **extra_imshow_args : dict
                           Other parameters to be passed to `imshow`.
 
@@ -68,11 +72,12 @@ def add_basemap(ax, zoom=ZOOM, url=sources.ST_TERRAIN,
     >>> plt.show()
 
     """
+    xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax = ax.axis()
+    
     # If web source
     if url[:4] == 'http':
         # Extent
-        left, right = ax.get_xlim()
-        bottom, top = ax.get_ylim()
+        left, right, bottom, top = xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax
         # Zoom
         if isinstance(zoom, str) and (zoom.lower() == 'auto'):
             min_ll = _sm2ll(left, bottom)
@@ -92,8 +97,13 @@ def add_basemap(ax, zoom=ZOOM, url=sources.ST_TERRAIN,
     # Plotting
     ax.imshow(image, extent=extent, 
               interpolation=interpolation, **extra_imshow_args)
+
+    if reset_extent is True:
+        ax.axis((xmin, xmax, ymin, ymax))
+
     if attribution:
         add_attribution(ax, attribution)
+
     return ax
 
 def add_attribution(ax, att=ATTRIBUTION):
diff --git a/tests/test_ctx.py b/tests/test_ctx.py
index 639d30a7..ee588591 100644
--- a/tests/test_ctx.py
+++ b/tests/test_ctx.py
@@ -154,11 +154,13 @@ def test_add_basemap():
     ax.set_ylim(y1, y2)
     ax = ctx.add_basemap(ax, zoom=10)
 
-    ax_extent = (-11740727.544603072, -11662456.027639052,
-                  4852834.0517692715, 4891969.810251278)
-    assert_array_almost_equal(ax_extent, ax.images[0].get_extent())
-    assert ax.images[0].get_array().sum() == 75853866
-    assert ax.images[0].get_array().shape == (256, 512, 3)
+    ax_extent = (x1, x2, y1, y2)
+
+    # ensure add_basemap did not change the axis limits of ax
+    assert ax.axis() == ax_extent
+
+    assert ax.images[0].get_array().sum() == 75687792
+    assert ax.images[0].get_array().shape == (256, 511, 3)
     assert_array_almost_equal(ax.images[0].get_array().mean(),
                               192.90635681152344)