diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 7a52b7056..2f3920059 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@ For a complete change history, see the SVN log.
 
 ## Mapnik 2.1.0
 
+- Fix Markers rendering so that ellipse height/width units are pixels (previously were unintentially radii)
+
 - Removed mutex locking during reprojection if using >= proj 4.7 (#1072)
 
 - Removed PointDatasource - use more robust MemoryDatasource instead (#1032)
diff --git a/bindings/python/mapnik_markers_symbolizer.cpp b/bindings/python/mapnik_markers_symbolizer.cpp
index 999bb40e6..17d860f11 100644
--- a/bindings/python/mapnik_markers_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/bindings/python/mapnik_markers_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -116,5 +116,13 @@ void export_markers_symbolizer()
         .add_property("transform",
                       &mapnik::get_svg_transform<markers_symbolizer>,
                       &mapnik::set_svg_transform<markers_symbolizer>)
+        .add_property("width",
+                      &markers_symbolizer::get_width,
+                      &markers_symbolizer::set_width,
+                      "Set/get the marker width")
+        .add_property("height",
+                      &markers_symbolizer::get_height,
+                      &markers_symbolizer::set_height,
+                      "Set/get the marker height")
         ;
 }
diff --git a/src/agg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp b/src/agg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
index ae7725bf1..17bf44f60 100644
--- a/src/agg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/agg/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -171,6 +171,8 @@ void agg_renderer<T>::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
         unsigned s_a=col.alpha();
         double w = sym.get_width();
         double h = sym.get_height();
+        double rx = w/2.0;
+        double ry = h/2.0;
 
         arrow arrow_;
         box2d<double> extent;
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ void agg_renderer<T>::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
                 if (sym.get_allow_overlap() ||
                     detector_->has_placement(label_ext))
                 {
-                    agg::ellipse c(x, y, w, h);
+                    agg::ellipse c(x, y, rx, ry);
                     marker.concat_path(c);
                     ras_ptr->add_path(marker);
                     ren.color(agg::rgba8(r, g, b, int(a*sym.get_opacity())));
@@ -271,7 +273,7 @@ void agg_renderer<T>::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
                     if (marker_type == ELLIPSE)
                     {
                         // todo proper bbox - this is buggy
-                        agg::ellipse c(x_t, y_t, w, h);
+                        agg::ellipse c(x_t, y_t, rx, ry);
                         marker.concat_path(c);
                         agg::trans_affine matrix;
                         matrix *= agg::trans_affine_translation(-x_t,-y_t);
diff --git a/src/grid/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp b/src/grid/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
index 1f25cccc3..b5367cb51 100644
--- a/src/grid/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/grid/process_markers_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -148,6 +148,9 @@ void grid_renderer<T>::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
             h = sym.get_height()/res;
         }
 
+        double rx = w/2.0;
+        double ry = h/2.0;
+
         arrow arrow_;
         box2d<double> extent;
 
@@ -195,7 +198,7 @@ void grid_renderer<T>::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
                 if (sym.get_allow_overlap() ||
                     detector_.has_placement(label_ext))
                 {
-                    agg::ellipse c(x, y, w, h);
+                    agg::ellipse c(x, y, rx, ry);
                     agg::path_storage marker;
                     marker.concat_path(c);
                     ras_ptr->add_path(marker);
@@ -232,7 +235,7 @@ void grid_renderer<T>::process(markers_symbolizer const& sym,
                     if (marker_type == ELLIPSE)
                     {
                         // todo proper bbox - this is buggy
-                        agg::ellipse c(x_t, y_t, w, h);
+                        agg::ellipse c(x_t, y_t, rx, ry);
                         marker.concat_path(c);
                         agg::trans_affine matrix;
                         matrix *= agg::trans_affine_translation(-x_t,-y_t);
diff --git a/src/markers_symbolizer.cpp b/src/markers_symbolizer.cpp
index a2ccd70ab..e640eac17 100644
--- a/src/markers_symbolizer.cpp
+++ b/src/markers_symbolizer.cpp
@@ -51,8 +51,8 @@ markers_symbolizer::markers_symbolizer()
     fill_(color(0,0,255)),
     spacing_(100.0),
     max_error_(0.2),
-    width_(5.0),
-    height_(5.0),
+    width_(10.0),
+    height_(10.0),
     stroke_(),
     marker_p_(MARKER_LINE_PLACEMENT),
     marker_type_(ARROW) {}
@@ -65,8 +65,8 @@ markers_symbolizer::markers_symbolizer(path_expression_ptr filename)
       fill_(color(0,0,255)),
       spacing_(100.0),
       max_error_(0.2),
-      width_(5.0),
-      height_(5.0),
+      width_(10.0),
+      height_(10.0),
       stroke_(),
       marker_p_(MARKER_LINE_PLACEMENT),
       marker_type_(ARROW) {}
diff --git a/tests/python_tests/render_grid_test.py b/tests/python_tests/render_grid_test.py
index 2bf8ec2d4..140f97c9d 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/render_grid_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/render_grid_test.py
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ def create_grid_map(width,height):
     s = mapnik.Style()
     r = mapnik.Rule()
     symb = mapnik.MarkersSymbolizer()
+    symb.width = 10
+    symb.height = 10
     symb.allow_overlap = True
     r.symbols.append(symb)
 
diff --git a/tests/python_tests/render_test.py b/tests/python_tests/render_test.py
index 131906a6d..cb1f19be7 100644
--- a/tests/python_tests/render_test.py
+++ b/tests/python_tests/render_test.py
@@ -146,6 +146,8 @@ def test_render_grid():
     s = mapnik.Style()
     r = mapnik.Rule()
     symb = mapnik.MarkersSymbolizer()
+    symb.width = 10
+    symb.height = 10
     symb.allow_overlap = True
     r.symbols.append(symb)
     s.rules.append(r)