diff --git a/covasim/model.py b/covasim/model.py
index 94ca50999..6c660bfeb 100644
--- a/covasim/model.py
+++ b/covasim/model.py
@@ -676,10 +676,11 @@ def plot(self, to_plot=None, do_save=None, fig_path=None, fig_args=None, plot_ar
             to_plot = default_sim_plots
         to_plot = sc.odict(to_plot) # In case it's supplied as a dict
 
-        if fig_args     is None: fig_args     = {'figsize':(16,12)}
-        if plot_args    is None: plot_args    = {'lw':3, 'alpha':0.7}
-        if scatter_args is None: scatter_args = {'s':150, 'marker':'s'}
-        if axis_args    is None: axis_args    = {'left':0.1, 'bottom':0.05, 'right':0.9, 'top':0.97, 'wspace':0.2, 'hspace':0.25}
+        # Handle input arguments -- merge user input with defaults
+        fig_args     = sc.mergedicts({'figsize':(16,12)}, fig_args)
+        plot_args    = sc.mergedicts({'lw':3, 'alpha':0.7}, plot_args)
+        scatter_args = sc.mergedicts({'s':150, 'marker':'s'}, scatter_args)
+        axis_args    = sc.mergedicts({'left':0.1, 'bottom':0.05, 'right':0.9, 'top':0.97, 'wspace':0.2, 'hspace':0.25}, axis_args)
 
         fig = pl.figure(**fig_args)
         pl.subplots_adjust(**axis_args)
diff --git a/covasim/run.py b/covasim/run.py
index 40bc2e225..c5e4d877e 100644
--- a/covasim/run.py
+++ b/covasim/run.py
@@ -247,11 +247,11 @@ def plot(self, to_plot=None, do_save=None, fig_path=None, fig_args=None, plot_ar
             to_plot = default_scen_plots
         to_plot = sc.odict(sc.dcp(to_plot)) # In case it's supplied as a dict
 
-        fig_args = {'figsize': (16, 12)}
-        plot_args = {'lw': 3, 'alpha': 0.7}
-        axis_args = {'left': 0.10, 'bottom': 0.05, 'right': 0.95, 'top': 0.90, 'wspace': 0.5, 'hspace': 0.25}
-        fill_args = {'alpha': 0.2}
-        font_size = 18
+        # Handle input arguments -- merge user input with defaults
+        fig_args  = sc.mergedicts({'figsize': (16, 12)}, fig_args)
+        plot_args = sc.mergedicts({'lw': 3, 'alpha': 0.7}, plot_args)
+        axis_args = sc.mergedicts({'left': 0.10, 'bottom': 0.05, 'right': 0.95, 'top': 0.90, 'wspace': 0.5, 'hspace': 0.25}, axis_args)
+        fill_args = sc.mergedicts({'alpha': 0.2}, fill_args)
 
         if separate_figs:
             figs = []
@@ -259,7 +259,8 @@ def plot(self, to_plot=None, do_save=None, fig_path=None, fig_args=None, plot_ar
             fig = pl.figure(**fig_args)
         pl.subplots_adjust(**axis_args)
         pl.rcParams['font.size'] = font_size
-        pl.rcParams['font.family'] = 'Proxima Nova' # NB, may not be available on all systems
+        if font_family:
+            pl.rcParams['font.family'] = font_family
 
         # %% Plotting
         for rk,reskey,title in to_plot.enumitems():
diff --git a/requirements.txt b/requirements.txt
index a4e1ad95d..86197e057 100644
--- a/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements.txt
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-sciris>=0.16.4
+sciris>=0.16.5
 scirisweb>=0.16.0
 matplotlib>=2.2.2
 numpy>=1.10.1