diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/axes.py b/lib/matplotlib/axes.py
index d0d7c9156c01..d41f1a6f254b 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/axes.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/axes.py
@@ -4807,7 +4807,8 @@ def step(self, x, y, *args, **kwargs):
         if where not in ('pre', 'post', 'mid'):
             raise ValueError("'where' argument to step must be "
                              "'pre', 'post' or 'mid'")
-        kwargs['linestyle'] = 'steps-' + where
+        ln_sty = kwargs.pop('linestyle', '')
+        kwargs['linestyle'] = 'steps-' + where + ln_sty
 
         return self.plot(x, y, *args, **kwargs)