diff --git a/pandas/tests/test_graphics.py b/pandas/tests/test_graphics.py
index faaac1cbb5419..dd7ccee770d7d 100644
--- a/pandas/tests/test_graphics.py
+++ b/pandas/tests/test_graphics.py
@@ -565,8 +565,7 @@ def test_boxplot(self):
 
         _check_plot_works(df.boxplot)
         _check_plot_works(df.boxplot, column=['one', 'two'])
-        _check_plot_works(df.boxplot, column=['one', 'two'],
-                          by='indic')
+        _check_plot_works(df.boxplot, column=['one', 'two'], by='indic')
         _check_plot_works(df.boxplot, column='one', by=['indic', 'indic2'])
         _check_plot_works(df.boxplot, by='indic')
         _check_plot_works(df.boxplot, by=['indic', 'indic2'])
diff --git a/pandas/tools/plotting.py b/pandas/tools/plotting.py
index 5deff90244135..6dea63460c26e 100644
--- a/pandas/tools/plotting.py
+++ b/pandas/tools/plotting.py
@@ -1839,10 +1839,8 @@ def plot_group(grouped, ax):
             ax.set_yticklabels(keys, rotation=rot, fontsize=fontsize)
         ax.grid(grid)
 
-        ret = bp
-
     fig.subplots_adjust(bottom=0.15, top=0.9, left=0.1, right=0.9, wspace=0.2)
-    return ret
+    return ax
 
 
 def format_date_labels(ax, rot):