diff --git a/plotly/matplotlylib/mpltools.py b/plotly/matplotlylib/mpltools.py
index 0a3206998ba..b6fab3cb8da 100644
--- a/plotly/matplotlylib/mpltools.py
+++ b/plotly/matplotlylib/mpltools.py
@@ -272,6 +272,23 @@ def get_bar_gap(bar_starts, bar_ends, tol=1e-10):
             return gap0
 
 
+DRAWSTYLE_SHAPE_MAP = {
+    "steps": "vh",
+    "steps-pre": "vh",
+    "steps-post": "hv",
+    "steps-mid": "hvh",
+}
+
+
+def convert_drawstyle(drawstyle):
+    """Convert a matplotlib line drawstyle to a plotly line shape.
+
+    Matplotlib draws steps as vertical/horizontal segments; plotly's
+    ``line.shape`` expresses the same via "vh", "hv" and "hvh".
+    """
+    return DRAWSTYLE_SHAPE_MAP.get(drawstyle)
+
+
 def convert_rgba_array(color_list):
     clean_color_list = list()
     for c in color_list:
diff --git a/plotly/matplotlylib/renderer.py b/plotly/matplotlylib/renderer.py
index 7c2340180cc..08fc5282bf1 100644
--- a/plotly/matplotlylib/renderer.py
+++ b/plotly/matplotlylib/renderer.py
@@ -388,6 +388,9 @@ def draw_marked_line(self, **props):
                     color=color,
                     width=props["linestyle"]["linewidth"],
                     dash=mpltools.convert_dash(props["linestyle"]["dasharray"]),
+                    shape=mpltools.convert_drawstyle(
+                        props["linestyle"]["drawstyle"]
+                    ),
                 )
             else:
                 shape = dict(
diff --git a/plotly/matplotlylib/tests/test_renderer.py b/plotly/matplotlylib/tests/test_renderer.py
index 0d63e4815b9..86d96eac240 100644
--- a/plotly/matplotlylib/tests/test_renderer.py
+++ b/plotly/matplotlylib/tests/test_renderer.py
@@ -84,3 +84,17 @@ def test_multiple_traces_native_legend():
     assert plotly_fig.data[0].mode == "lines"
     assert plotly_fig.data[1].mode == "markers"
     assert plotly_fig.data[2].mode == "lines+markers"
+
+
+def test_drawstyle_maps_to_line_shape():
+    cases = {
+        "steps-pre": "vh",
+        "steps": "vh",
+        "steps-post": "hv",
+        "steps-mid": "hvh",
+    }
+    for drawstyle, shape in cases.items():
+        fig, ax = plt.subplots()
+        ax.plot([0, 1, 2], [0, 1, 0], drawstyle=drawstyle)
+        plotly_fig = tls.mpl_to_plotly(fig)
+        assert plotly_fig.data[0].line.shape == shape