diff --git a/setup.py b/setup.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/setup.py
+++ b/setup.py
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ setup(
         packages=['treetime'],
         install_requires = [
             'biopython>=1.66',
-            'matplotlib>=2.0, ==2.*',
+            'matplotlib>=2.0',
             'numpy>=1.10.4',
             'pandas>=0.17.1',
             'scipy>=0.16.1'
diff --git a/treetime/__init__.py b/treetime/__init__.py
index <HASH>..<HASH> 100644
--- a/treetime/__init__.py
+++ b/treetime/__init__.py
@@ -7,4 +7,4 @@ from .gtr import GTR
 from .merger_models import Coalescent
 from .treeregression import TreeRegression
 from .argument_parser import make_parser
-version="0.6.0"
+version="0.6.1"
relax matplotlib requirement to allow version 3.*