diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_image.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_image.cpp
index c5f9a0b69..87c9f2d7b 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_image.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_image.cpp
@@ -152,26 +152,16 @@ struct get_pixel_visitor
     get_pixel_visitor(unsigned x, unsigned y)
         : x_(x), y_(y) {}
 
-    PyObject* operator() (mapnik::image_null const&)
+    object operator() (mapnik::image_null const&)
     {
         throw std::runtime_error("Can not return a null image from a pixel (shouldn't have reached here)");
     }
     
-    PyObject* operator() (mapnik::image_gray32f const& im)
-    {
-        return PyFloat_FromDouble(mapnik::get_pixel<double>(im, x_, y_));
-    }
-    
-    PyObject* operator() (mapnik::image_gray64f const& im)
-    {
-        return PyFloat_FromDouble(mapnik::get_pixel<double>(im, x_, y_));
-    }
-
     template <typename T>
-    PyObject* operator() (T const& im)
+    object operator() (T const& im)
     {
         using pixel_type = typename T::pixel_type;
-        return PyInt_FromLong(mapnik::get_pixel<pixel_type>(im, x_, y_));
+        return object(mapnik::get_pixel<pixel_type>(im, x_, y_));
     }
     
   private:
@@ -179,26 +169,24 @@ struct get_pixel_visitor
     unsigned y_;
 };
 
-PyObject* get_pixel(mapnik::image_any const& im, unsigned x, unsigned y)
+object get_pixel(mapnik::image_any const& im, unsigned x, unsigned y, bool get_color)
 {
     if (x < static_cast<unsigned>(im.width()) && y < static_cast<unsigned>(im.height()))
     {
-        return mapnik::util::apply_visitor(get_pixel_visitor(x, y), im);
+        if (get_color) 
+        {
+            return object(
+                mapnik::get_pixel<mapnik::color>(im, x, y)
+            );
+        }
+        else
+        {
+            return mapnik::util::apply_visitor(get_pixel_visitor(x, y), im);
+        }
     }
     PyErr_SetString(PyExc_IndexError, "invalid x,y for image dimensions");
     boost::python::throw_error_already_set();
-    return 0;
-}
-
-mapnik::color get_pixel_color(mapnik::image_any const& im, unsigned x, unsigned y)
-{
-    if (x < static_cast<unsigned>(im.width()) && y < static_cast<unsigned>(im.height()))
-    {
-        return mapnik::get_pixel<mapnik::color>(im, x, y);
-    }
-    PyErr_SetString(PyExc_IndexError, "invalid x,y for image dimensions");
-    boost::python::throw_error_already_set();
-    return 0;
+    return object();
 }
 
 void set_pixel_color(mapnik::image_any & im, unsigned x, unsigned y, mapnik::color const& c)
@@ -447,8 +435,12 @@ void export_image()
         .def("set_pixel",&set_pixel_color)
         .def("set_pixel",&set_pixel_double)
         .def("set_pixel",&set_pixel_int)
-        .def("get_pixel",&get_pixel)
-        .def("get_pixel_color",&get_pixel_color)
+        .def("get_pixel",&get_pixel,
+             ( arg("self"),
+               arg("x"),
+               arg("y"),
+               arg("get_color")=false
+             ))
         .def("clear",&clear)
         //TODO(haoyu) The method name 'tostring' might be confusing since they actually return bytes in Python 3
 
diff --git a/tests/python_tests/image_test.py b/tests/python_tests/image_test.py
index f468c8b09..d4a473d03 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/image_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/image_test.py
@@ -30,14 +30,14 @@ def test_image_premultiply_values():
     im = mapnik.Image(256,256)
     im.fill(mapnik.Color(16, 33, 255, 128))
     im.premultiply()
-    c = im.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c = im.get_pixel(0,0, True)
     eq_(c.r, 8)
     eq_(c.g, 17)
     eq_(c.b, 128)
     eq_(c.a, 128)
     im.demultiply()
     # Do to the nature of this operation the result will not be exactly the same
-    c = im.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c = im.get_pixel(0,0,True)
     eq_(c.r,15)
     eq_(c.g,33)
     eq_(c.b,255)
@@ -48,7 +48,7 @@ def test_background():
     eq_(im.premultiplied(), False)
     im.fill(mapnik.Color(32,64,125,128))
     eq_(im.premultiplied(), False)
-    c = im.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c = im.get_pixel(0,0,True)
     eq_(c.get_premultiplied(), False)
     eq_(c.r,32)
     eq_(c.g,64)
@@ -57,7 +57,7 @@ def test_background():
     # Now again with a premultiplied alpha
     im.fill(mapnik.Color(32,64,125,128,True))
     eq_(im.premultiplied(), True)
-    c = im.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c = im.get_pixel(0,0,True)
     eq_(c.get_premultiplied(), True)
     eq_(c.r,32)
     eq_(c.g,64)
@@ -77,7 +77,7 @@ def test_set_and_get_pixel():
     eq_(c0.g, c1_int.g)
     eq_(c0.b, c1_int.b)
     eq_(c0.a, c1_int.a)
-    c1 = im.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c1 = im.get_pixel(0,0,True)
     eq_(c0.r, c1.r)
     eq_(c0.g, c1.g)
     eq_(c0.b, c1.b)
@@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ def test_set_and_get_pixel():
     eq_(c0_pre.g, c1_int.g)
     eq_(c0_pre.b, c1_int.b)
     eq_(c0_pre.a, c1_int.a)
-    c1 = im.get_pixel_color(1,1)
+    c1 = im.get_pixel(1,1,True)
     eq_(c0_pre.r, c1.r)
     eq_(c0_pre.g, c1.g)
     eq_(c0_pre.b, c1.b)
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ def test_set_and_get_pixel():
     eq_(c0.g, c1_int.g)
     eq_(c0.b, c1_int.b)
     eq_(c0.a, c1_int.a)
-    c1 = im.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c1 = im.get_pixel(0,0,True)
     eq_(c0.r, c1.r)
     eq_(c0.g, c1.g)
     eq_(c0.b, c1.b)
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ def test_set_and_get_pixel():
     eq_(c0_pre.g, c1_int.g)
     eq_(c0_pre.b, c1_int.b)
     eq_(c0_pre.a, c1_int.a)
-    c1 = im.get_pixel_color(1,1)
+    c1 = im.get_pixel(1,1,True)
     eq_(c0_pre.r, c1.r)
     eq_(c0_pre.g, c1.g)
     eq_(c0_pre.b, c1.b)
@@ -253,12 +253,12 @@ def test_get_pixel_out_of_range_2():
 @raises(IndexError)
 def test_get_pixel_color_out_of_range_1():
     im = mapnik.Image(4,4)
-    c = im.get_pixel_color(5,5)
+    c = im.get_pixel(5,5,True)
 
 @raises(OverflowError)
 def test_get_pixel_color_out_of_range_2():
     im = mapnik.Image(4,4)
-    c = im.get_pixel_color(-1,1)
+    c = im.get_pixel(-1,1,True)
     
 def test_set_color_to_alpha():
     im = mapnik.Image(256,256)
diff --git a/tests/python_tests/image_tiff_test.py b/tests/python_tests/image_tiff_test.py
index d8e4f6c1c..e0535d0ae 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/image_tiff_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/image_tiff_test.py
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ def test_tiff_round_trip_rows_stripped():
     filepath2 = '/tmp/mapnik-tiff-io-rows_stripped2.tiff'
     im = mapnik.Image(255,267)
     im.fill(mapnik.Color('rgba(12,255,128,.5)'))
-    c = im.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c = im.get_pixel(0,0,True)
     eq_(c.r, 12)
     eq_(c.g, 255)
     eq_(c.b, 128)
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ def test_tiff_round_trip_rows_stripped():
     eq_(c.get_premultiplied(), False)
     im.save(filepath,'tiff:method=stripped:rows_per_strip=8')
     im2 = mapnik.Image.open(filepath)
-    c2 = im2.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c2 = im2.get_pixel(0,0,True)
     eq_(c2.r, 6)
     eq_(c2.g, 128)
     eq_(c2.b, 64)
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ def test_tiff_round_trip_buffered_tiled():
     filepath3 = '/tmp/mapnik-tiff-io-buffered-tiled3.tiff'
     im = mapnik.Image(255,267)
     im.fill(mapnik.Color('rgba(33,255,128,.5)'))
-    c = im.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c = im.get_pixel(0,0,True)
     eq_(c.r, 33)
     eq_(c.g, 255)
     eq_(c.b, 128)
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ def test_tiff_round_trip_buffered_tiled():
     eq_(c.get_premultiplied(), False)
     im.save(filepath,'tiff:method=tiled:tile_width=32:tile_height=32')
     im2 = mapnik.Image.open(filepath)
-    c2 = im2.get_pixel_color(0,0)
+    c2 = im2.get_pixel(0,0,True)
     eq_(c2.r, 17)
     eq_(c2.g, 128)
     eq_(c2.b, 64)