diff --git a/IPython/Shell.py b/IPython/Shell.py
index 69d2062..89ea90b 100644
--- a/IPython/Shell.py
+++ b/IPython/Shell.py
@@ -566,8 +566,18 @@ class MatplotlibShellBase:
         # Build a user namespace initialized with matplotlib/matlab features.
         user_ns = IPython.ipapi.make_user_ns(user_ns)
 
-        exec ("import matplotlib\n"
-              "import matplotlib.pylab as pylab\n") in user_ns
+        # Import numpy as np/pyplot as plt are conventions we're trying to
+        # somewhat standardize on.  Making them available to users by default
+        # will greatly help this. 
+        exec ("import numpy\n"
+              "import numpy as np\n"
+              "import matplotlib\n"
+              "import matplotlib.pylab as pylab\n"
+              "try:\n"
+              "    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt\n"
+              "except ImportError:\n"
+              "    pass\n"
+              ) in user_ns
         
         # Build matplotlib info banner
         b="""
diff --git a/doc/ChangeLog b/doc/ChangeLog
index 6a17f31..30cd417 100644
--- a/doc/ChangeLog
+++ b/doc/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,9 @@
+2008-06-02  Fernando Perez  <Fernando.Perez@berkeley.edu>
+
+	* IPython/Shell.py (MatplotlibShellBase._matplotlib_config): add
+	numpy/np/pyplot/plt imports according to new conventions we're
+	trying to standardize on.  This only affects the -pylab mode.
+
 2008-05-31  *** Released version 0.8.4
 
 2008-05-31  Fernando Perez  <Fernando.Perez@berkeley.edu>