diff --git a/Tests/test_imageops.py b/Tests/test_imageops.py
index 864df447e..ef3589d15 100644
--- a/Tests/test_imageops.py
+++ b/Tests/test_imageops.py
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import pytest
-from PIL import Image, ImageOps, features
+from PIL import Image, ImageOps, ImageDraw, features
 
 from .helper import (
     assert_image_equal,
@@ -24,7 +24,9 @@ def test_sanity():
     ImageOps.autocontrast(hopper("RGB"))
 
     ImageOps.autocontrast(hopper("L"), cutoff=10)
+    ImageOps.autocontrast(hopper("L"), cutoff=(2, 10))
     ImageOps.autocontrast(hopper("L"), ignore=[0, 255])
+    ImageOps.autocontrast(hopper("L"), mask=hopper("L"))
 
     ImageOps.colorize(hopper("L"), (0, 0, 0), (255, 255, 255))
     ImageOps.colorize(hopper("L"), "black", "white")
@@ -311,3 +313,30 @@ def test_autocontrast_cutoff():
 
         assert autocontrast(10) == autocontrast((10, 10))
         assert autocontrast(10) != autocontrast((1, 10))
+
+
+def test_autocontrast_mask():
+    # Test the mask argument of autocontrast
+    with Image.open("Tests/images/bw_gradient.png") as img:
+
+        rect_mask = Image.new("L", img.size, 0)
+        draw = ImageDraw.Draw(rect_mask)
+        x0, y0 = img.size[0]//4, img.size[1]//4
+        x1, y1 = 3*img.size[0]//4, 3*img.size[1]//4
+        draw.rectangle((x0, y0, x1, y1), fill=255)
+
+        assert ImageOps.autocontrast(img, mask=rect_mask) != ImageOps.autocontrast(img)
+
+    # Test the autocontrast with a rectangular mask
+    with Image.open("Tests/images/iptc.jpg") as img:
+
+        rect_mask = Image.new("L", img.size, 0)
+        draw = ImageDraw.Draw(rect_mask)
+        x0, y0 = img.size[0]//2, img.size[1]//2
+        x1, y1 = img.size[0]-40, img.size[1]
+        draw.rectangle((x0, y0, x1, y1), fill=255)
+
+        result = ImageOps.autocontrast(img, mask=rect_mask)
+        result_nomask = ImageOps.autocontrast(img)
+
+        assert result_nomask != result
diff --git a/src/PIL/ImageOps.py b/src/PIL/ImageOps.py
index 157da0b52..a6b7375a5 100644
--- a/src/PIL/ImageOps.py
+++ b/src/PIL/ImageOps.py
@@ -61,10 +61,10 @@ def _lut(image, lut):
 # actions
 
 
-def autocontrast(image, cutoff=0, ignore=None):
+def autocontrast(image, cutoff=0, ignore=None, mask=None):
     """
     Maximize (normalize) image contrast. This function calculates a
-    histogram of the input image, removes **cutoff** percent of the
+    histogram of the input image (or mask region), removes **cutoff** percent of the
     lightest and darkest pixels from the histogram, and remaps the image
     so that the darkest pixel becomes black (0), and the lightest
     becomes white (255).
@@ -74,9 +74,15 @@ def autocontrast(image, cutoff=0, ignore=None):
                    high ends. Either a tuple of (low, high), or a single
                    number for both.
     :param ignore: The background pixel value (use None for no background).
+    :param mask: histogram used in contrast operation is computed using pixels
+                 within the mask. If no mask is given the entire image is used
+                 for histogram computation.
     :return: An image.
     """
-    histogram = image.histogram()
+    if mask:
+        histogram = image.histogram(mask)
+    else:
+        histogram = image.histogram()
     lut = []
     for layer in range(0, len(histogram), 256):
         h = histogram[layer : layer + 256]