diff --git a/src/args.jl b/src/args.jl
index b655863e..9d718559 100644
--- a/src/args.jl
+++ b/src/args.jl
@@ -199,7 +199,7 @@ _plotDefaults[:size]              = (600,400)
 _plotDefaults[:pos]               = (0,0)
 _plotDefaults[:windowtitle]       = "Plots.jl"
 _plotDefaults[:show]              = false
-_plotDefaults[:layout]            = nothing
+_plotDefaults[:layout]            = :auto
 _plotDefaults[:n]                 = -1
 _plotDefaults[:nr]                = -1
 _plotDefaults[:nc]                = -1
diff --git a/src/backends/pyplot.jl b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
index 3370e3e0..3b040d95 100644
--- a/src/backends/pyplot.jl
+++ b/src/backends/pyplot.jl
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ supportedArgs(::PyPlotBackend) = [
     :polar,
     :normalize, :weights, :contours, :aspect_ratio,
     :match_dimensions,
+    :subplot,
   ]
 supportedAxes(::PyPlotBackend) = _allAxes
 supportedTypes(::PyPlotBackend) = [
@@ -333,7 +334,8 @@ end
 # each backend should set up the subplot here
 function _initialize_subplot(plt::Plot{PyPlotBackend}, sp::Subplot{PyPlotBackend})
     fig = plt.o
-    ax = fig[:add_axes]([0,0,1,1])
+    # add a new axis, and force it to create a new one by setting a distinct label
+    ax = fig[:add_axes]([0,0,1,1], label = string(gensym()))
     for axis in (:xaxis, :yaxis)
         ax[axis][:_autolabelpos] = false
     end
diff --git a/src/plot.jl b/src/plot.jl
index 0fa292d7..3f3814ef 100644
--- a/src/plot.jl
+++ b/src/plot.jl
@@ -60,7 +60,9 @@ function plot(args...; kw...)
 
     plt.layout, plt.subplots, plt.spmap = build_layout(pop!(d, :layout, :auto))
     for sp in plt.subplots
+        @show sp.o
         _initialize_subplot(plt, sp)
+        @show sp.o
     end
 
     # now update the plot
@@ -275,12 +277,12 @@ function _plot!(plt::Plot, d::KW, args...)
     # merge plot args... this is where we combine all the plot args from the user and
     # from the recipes... axis info, colors, etc
     # TODO: why do i need to check for the subplot key?
-    if !haskey(d, :subplot)
+    # if !haskey(d, :subplot)
         for kw in vcat(kw_list, d)
             _add_plotargs!(plt, kw)
         end
         handlePlotColors(plt.backend, plt.plotargs)
-    end
+    # end
 
     # for kw in kw_list
     #     @show typeof((kw[:x], kw[:y], kw[:z]))
@@ -334,10 +336,10 @@ function _plot!(plt::Plot, d::KW, args...)
 
     # add title, axis labels, ticks, etc
     # TODO: do we really need this subplot check?
-    if !haskey(d, :subplot)
+    # if !haskey(d, :subplot)
         # merge!(plt.plotargs, d)  # this shouldn't be needed since we merged the keys earlier
         _update_plot(plt, plt.plotargs)
-    end
+    # end
 
     current(plt)
 
diff --git a/src/series_new.jl b/src/series_new.jl
index 07752e40..36d2f2fc 100644
--- a/src/series_new.jl
+++ b/src/series_new.jl
@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ function _add_defaults!(d::KW, plt::Plot, commandIndex::Int)
         setDictValue(d, d, k, commandIndex, _seriesDefaults)
     end
 
-    if d[:subplot_index] == :auto
+    if d[:subplot] == :auto
         # TODO: something useful
-        d[:subplot_index] = 1
+        d[:subplot] = 1
     end
 
     aliasesAndAutopick(d, :axis, _axesAliases, supportedAxes(pkg), plotIndex)
@@ -66,7 +66,7 @@ function _add_defaults!(d::KW, plt::Plot, commandIndex::Int)
         label = string(label, " (R)")
     end
     d[:label] = label
-    
+
     d
 end
 
diff --git a/src/subplots.jl b/src/subplots.jl
index 4042ecc1..ae21be79 100644
--- a/src/subplots.jl
+++ b/src/subplots.jl
@@ -149,16 +149,22 @@ function update_bboxes!(layout::GridLayout) #, parent_bbox::BoundingBox = Boundi
 
     # TODO: this should really track used/free space for each row/column so that we can align plot areas properly
 
-    l, b = 0.0, 0.0
+    # l, b = 0.0, 0.0
+    rights = zeros(nc)
+    tops = zeros(nr)
     for r=1:nr, c=1:nc
         # compute the child's bounding box relative to the parent
         child = layout[r,c]
         usedw, usedh = used_size(child)
-        child_bbox = BoundingBox(
-            l, b,
-            l + usedw + freew * layout.widths[c],
-            b + usedh + freeh * layout.heights[r]
-        )
+
+        left = (c == 1 ? 0 : rights[c-1])
+        bottom = (r == 1 ? 0 : tops[r-1])
+        right = left + usedw + freew * layout.widths[c]
+        top = bottom + usedh + freeh * layout.heights[r]
+        child_bbox = BoundingBox(left, bottom, right, top)
+
+        rights[c] = right
+        tops[r] = top
 
         # then compute the bounding box relative to the canvas, and cache it in the child object
         bbox!(child, crop(bbox(layout), child_bbox))