diff --git a/lib/iris/plot.py b/lib/iris/plot.py
index c5c3a2745f..cc06c98afc 100644
--- a/lib/iris/plot.py
+++ b/lib/iris/plot.py
@@ -1087,6 +1087,18 @@ def contourf(cube, *args, **kwargs):
             # any boundary shift.
             zorder = result.collections[0].zorder - 0.1
             axes = kwargs.get("axes", None)
+
+            # Workaround for cartopy#1780.  We do not want contour to shrink
+            # extent.
+            if axes is None:
+                _axes = plt.gca()
+            else:
+                _axes = axes
+
+            # Subsequent calls to dataLim.update_from_data_xy should not ignore
+            # current extent.
+            _axes.dataLim.ignore(False)
+
             contour(
                 cube,
                 levels=levels,
diff --git a/lib/iris/tests/results/imagerepo.json b/lib/iris/tests/results/imagerepo.json
index 0d4673d26b..8c6f622991 100644
--- a/lib/iris/tests/results/imagerepo.json
+++ b/lib/iris/tests/results/imagerepo.json
@@ -260,7 +260,8 @@
     "iris.tests.test_mapping.TestLowLevel.test_simple.0": [
         "https://scitools.github.io/test-iris-imagehash/images/v4/eae0943295154bcc844e6c314fb093ce7bc7c4b3a4307bc4916f3f316ed2b4ce.png",
         "https://scitools.github.io/test-iris-imagehash/images/v4/faa0e55c855fdce7857a1ab16a85a50c3ea1e55e856658a5c11837096e8fe17a.png",
-        "https://scitools.github.io/test-iris-imagehash/images/v4/faa0e55c855fdce7857a1ab16a85a50c36a1e55e854658b5c13837096e8fe17a.png"
+        "https://scitools.github.io/test-iris-imagehash/images/v4/faa0e55c855fdce7857a1ab16a85a50c36a1e55e854658b5c13837096e8fe17a.png",
+        "https://scitools.github.io/test-iris-imagehash/images/v4/faa0e558855fd9e7857a1ab16a85a51d36a1e55a854e58a5c13837096e8fe17a.png"
     ],
     "iris.tests.test_mapping.TestMappingSubRegion.test_simple.0": [
         "https://scitools.github.io/test-iris-imagehash/images/v4/bd913e01d07ee07e926e87876f8196c1e0d36967393c1f181e2c3cb8b0f960d7.png",
@@ -1047,4 +1048,4 @@
         "https://scitools.github.io/test-iris-imagehash/images/v4/82fe81987fdf77ffe0002addd4002805dd28df67d9a9d4625bfddc209841de20.png",
         "https://scitools.github.io/test-iris-imagehash/images/v4/82fa80997f547799a0037a00d52f0956ddaf9f7e98a1816e09f5d8260bfffe00.png"
     ]
-}
+}
\ No newline at end of file