diff --git a/packages/matplotlib/src/wasm_backend.py b/packages/matplotlib/src/wasm_backend.py
index 88a7ac41e..a16ab91c0 100644
--- a/packages/matplotlib/src/wasm_backend.py
+++ b/packages/matplotlib/src/wasm_backend.py
@@ -90,21 +90,24 @@ class FigureCanvasWasm(backend_agg.FigureCanvasAgg):
         This is typically 2 on a HiDPI ("Retina") display, and 1 otherwise.
         """
         backing_store = (
-            context.backingStorePixelRatio or
-            context.webkitBackingStorePixel or
-            context.mozBackingStorePixelRatio or
-            context.msBackingStorePixelRatio or
-            context.oBackingStorePixelRatio or
-            context.backendStorePixelRatio or
+            getattr(context, 'backingStorePixelRatio', 0) or
+            getattr(context, 'webkitBackingStorePixel', 0) or
+            getattr(context, 'mozBackingStorePixelRatio', 0) or
+            getattr(context, 'msBackingStorePixelRatio', 0) or
+            getattr(context, 'oBackingStorePixelRatio', 0) or
+            getattr(context, 'backendStorePixelRatio', 0) or
             1
         )
-        return (window.devicePixelRatio or 1) / backing_store
+        return (getattr(window, 'devicePixelRatio', 0) or 1) / backing_store
 
     def create_root_element(self):
         # Designed to be overridden by subclasses for use in contexts other
         # than iodide.
         from js import iodide
-        return iodide.output.element('div')
+        if iodide is not None:
+            return iodide.output.element('div')
+        else:
+            return document.createElement('div')
 
     def show(self):
         # If we've already shown this canvas elsewhere, don't create a new one,
diff --git a/test/test_matplotlib.py b/test/test_matplotlib.py
index 37776fd0c..b9e51aecd 100644
--- a/test/test_matplotlib.py
+++ b/test/test_matplotlib.py
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
-def test_matplotlib(selenium):
+def test_matplotlib(selenium_standalone):
+    selenium = selenium_standalone
     selenium.load_package("matplotlib")
     selenium.run("from matplotlib import pyplot as plt")
     selenium.run("plt.figure()")
-    selenium.run("x = plt.plot([1,2,3])")
+    selenium.run("plt.plot([1,2,3])")
+    selenium.run("plt.show()")
 
 
 def test_svg(selenium):
@@ -26,5 +28,3 @@ def test_pdf(selenium):
     selenium.run("import io")
     selenium.run("fd = io.BytesIO()")
     selenium.run("plt.savefig(fd, format='pdf')")
-    content = selenium.run("fd.getvalue()")
-    assert len(content) == 5559