diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 2f33da83..75aa38c0 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -37,16 +37,25 @@ notifications:
 
 matrix:
   include:
-    - python: 2.7
+    - os: linux
+      python: 2.7
       env: PIP_FLAGS="--pre"
-    - python: 2.7
+    - os: linux
+      python: 2.7
       env: WITH_PYAMG=1 MINIMUM_REQUIREMENTS=1 WITH_QT=1
-    - python: 3.4
+    - os: linux
+      python: 3.4
       env: OPTIONAL_DEPS=1 WITH_PYSIDE=1
-    - python: 3.5
+    - os: linux
+      python: 3.5
       env: PIP_FLAGS="--pre"
+    - os: osx
+      osx_image: xcode7.3
+      language: objective-c
+      env: TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION=3.5
 
 before_install:
+    - if [[ "$TRAVIS_OS_NAME" == "osx" ]]; then source tools/travis_osx_install.sh ; fi
     - ccache -s
     - export PATH=/usr/lib/ccache:${PATH}
     - source tools/travis_before_install.sh
@@ -55,7 +64,9 @@ before_install:
     - tools/build_versions.py
 
 install:
+    - section build
     - python setup.py develop
+    - section_end build
 
 script: tools/travis_script.sh
 
diff --git a/tools/travis_before_install.sh b/tools/travis_before_install.sh
index 54a431ed..3f397dbc 100755
--- a/tools/travis_before_install.sh
+++ b/tools/travis_before_install.sh
@@ -1,11 +1,16 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
 set -ex
 
-export WHEELHOUSE="--no-index --trusted-host travis-wheels.scikit-image.org \
-                   --find-links=http://travis-wheels.scikit-image.org/"
+
 export COVERALLS_REPO_TOKEN=7LdFN9232ZbSY3oaXHbQIzLazrSf6w2pQ
 export PIP_DEFAULT_TIMEOUT=60
-sh -e /etc/init.d/xvfb start
+
+if [[ "$TRAVIS_OS_NAME" != "osx" ]]; then
+    sh -e /etc/init.d/xvfb start
+    export WHEELHOUSE="--no-index --trusted-host travis-wheels.scikit-image.org \
+                       --find-links=http://travis-wheels.scikit-image.org/"
+fi
+
 export DISPLAY=:99.0
 export PYTHONWARNINGS="d,all:::skimage"
 export TEST_ARGS="--exe --ignore-files=^_test -v --with-doctest \
diff --git a/tools/travis_osx_install.sh b/tools/travis_osx_install.sh
new file mode 100755
index 00000000..468c0a99
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tools/travis_osx_install.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+brew update
+brew install ccache
+brew tap caskroom/cask
+brew cask install basictex
+
+export PATH="$PATH:/Library/TeX/texbin"
+sudo tlmgr update --self
+sudo tlmgr install ucs dvipng anyfontsize
+
+git clone https://github.com/MacPython/terryfy.git ~/terryfy
+source ~/terryfy/travis_tools.sh
+get_python_environment macpython $TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION ~/macpython_venv
+source ~/macpython_venv/bin/activate
+pip install virtualenv
+
diff --git a/tools/travis_script.sh b/tools/travis_script.sh
index 70bb28a6..6252304c 100755
--- a/tools/travis_script.sh
+++ b/tools/travis_script.sh
@@ -3,6 +3,20 @@ set -ex
 
 PY=$TRAVIS_PYTHON_VERSION
 
+# Matplotlib settings - do not show figures during doc examples
+if [[ $MINIMUM_REQUIREMENTS == 1 || $TRAVIS_OS_NAME == "osx" ]]; then
+    MPL_DIR=$HOME/.matplotlib
+else
+    MPL_DIR=$HOME/.config/matplotlib
+fi
+
+mkdir -p $MPL_DIR
+touch $MPL_DIR/matplotlibrc
+
+if [[ $TRAVIS_OS_NAME == "osx" ]]; then
+    echo 'backend : Template' > $MPL_DIR/matplotlibrc
+fi
+
 section "Test.with.min.requirements"
 nosetests $TEST_ARGS skimage
 section_end "Test.with.min.requirements"
@@ -56,16 +70,6 @@ section_end "Install.optional.dependencies"
 
 
 section "Run.doc.examples"
-
-# Matplotlib settings - do not show figures during doc examples
-if [[ $MINIMUM_REQUIREMENTS == 1 ]]; then
-    MPL_DIR=$HOME/.matplotlib
-else
-    MPL_DIR=$HOME/.config/matplotlib
-fi
-
-mkdir -p $MPL_DIR
-touch $MPL_DIR/matplotlibrc
 echo 'backend : Template' > $MPL_DIR/matplotlibrc
 
 
@@ -96,7 +100,7 @@ elif [[ $WITH_PYSIDE == 1 ]]; then
     MPL_QT_API=PySide
     export QT_API=pyside
 fi
-if [ "$WITH_QT" = "1" -o "$WITH_PYSIDE" = "1" ]; then
+if [[ $WITH_QT == 1 || $WITH_PYSIDE == 1 ]]; then
     echo 'backend: Qt4Agg' > $MPL_DIR/matplotlibrc
     echo 'backend.qt4 : '$MPL_QT_API >> $MPL_DIR/matplotlibrc
 fi
@@ -107,7 +111,7 @@ section_end "Run.doc.applications"
 section "Test.with.optional.dependencies"
 
 # run tests again with optional dependencies to get more coverage
-if [ $OPTIONAL_DEPS == 1 ]; then
+if [[ $OPTIONAL_DEPS == 1 ]]; then
     TEST_ARGS="$TEST_ARGS --with-cov --cover-package skimage"
 fi
 nosetests $TEST_ARGS