--- a/scripts/ChangeLog
+++ b/scripts/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2009-09-05  John W. Eaton  <jwe@octave.org>
+
+	* plot/hold.m: Correctly toggle hold state.  Set both figure and
+	axes "nextplot" property when turning hold state on.
+	* plot/ishold.m: Check figure and axes nextplot properties.
+	Accept axes or figure handle argument.
+
 2009-08-17  Jaroslav Hajek  <highegg@gmail.com>
 
 	* general/int2str.m: Convert to double before calling log10.

--- a/scripts/plot/hold.m
+++ b/scripts/plot/hold.m
@@ -46,49 +46,41 @@
 
 function hold (varargin)
 
-  if (nargin > 0 && numel (varargin{1}) == 1 && ishandle (varargin{1}(1))
+  if (nargin > 0 && numel (varargin{1}) == 1 && ishandle (varargin{1})
       && strcmp (get (varargin{1}, "type"), "axes"))
-    [h, varargin, nargs] = __plt_get_axis_arg__ ("hold", varargin{:});
-  elseif (nargin > 0 && numel (varargin{1}) > 1 && ishandle (varargin{1}(1)))
+    [ax, varargin, nargs] = __plt_get_axis_arg__ ("hold", varargin{:});
+  elseif (nargin > 0 && numel (varargin{1}) > 1 && ishandle (varargin{1}))
     print_usage ();
   else
-    h = gcf ();
+    ax = gca ();
+    fig = gcf ();
     nargs = numel (varargin);
   endif
 
-  hold_state = get (h, "nextplot");
-
   if (nargs == 0)
-    if (strcmpi (hold_state, "add"))
-      hold_state = "replace";
-    else
-      hold_state = "add";
-    endif
+    turn_hold_off = ishold (ax);
   elseif (nargs == 1)
     state = varargin{1};
     if (ischar (state))
       if (strcmpi (state, "off"))
-	hold_state = "replace";
+	turn_hold_off = true;
       elseif (strcmpi (state, "on"))
-	hold_state = "add";
+	turn_hold_off = false;
       else
-	print_usage ();
+	error ("hold: invalid hold state");
       endif
     endif
   else
     print_usage ();
   endif
 
-  if (isfigure (h))
-    if (isempty (get (h, "currentaxes")))
-      set (h, "currentaxes", __go_axes__ (h))
-    endif
-    axes_objs = findobj (h, "type", "axes");
-    h = [h; axes_objs];
+  if (turn_hold_off)
+    set (ax, "nextplot", "replace");
+  else
+    set (ax, "nextplot", "add");
+    set (fig, "nextplot", "add");
   endif
 
-  set (h, "nextplot", hold_state);
-
 endfunction
 
 %!demo

--- a/scripts/plot/ishold.m
+++ b/scripts/plot/ishold.m
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-## Copyright (C) 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 John W. Eaton
+## Copyright (C) 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 2009 John W. Eaton
 ##
 ## This file is part of Octave.
 ##
@@ -22,12 +22,34 @@
 ## false if the plot device will be cleared before drawing the next line.
 ## @end deftypefn
 
-function retval = ishold ()
+function retval = ishold (h)
 
   if (nargin == 0)
-    retval = strcmpi (get (gca (), "nextplot"), "add");
+    ax = gca ();
+    fig = gcf ();
+  elseif (nargin == 1)
+    if (ishandle (h))
+      if (isfigure (h))
+	ax = get (h, "currentaxes");
+	if (isempty (ax))
+	  ax = __go_axes__ (h);
+	  set (h, "currentaxes", ax);
+	endif
+	fig = h;
+      elseif (strcmpi (get (h, "type"), "axes"))
+	ax = h;
+	fig = get (h, "parent");
+      else
+	error ("hold: expecting argument to be axes or figure graphics handle");
+      endif
+    else
+      error ("hold: expecting argument to be axes or figure graphics handle");
+    endif
   else
     print_usage ();
   endif
 
+  retval = (strcmpi (get (fig, "nextplot"), "add")
+	    && strcmpi (get (ax, "nextplot"), "add"));
+
 endfunction