diff --git a/ci/asv.yml b/ci/asv.yml
index 16550e8e9..7062c7e33 100644
--- a/ci/asv.yml
+++ b/ci/asv.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ dependencies:
   - datashader
   - geoviews
   - holoviews
-  - matplotlib-base
+  - matplotlib-base<3.11   # 3.11.0 breaks some plots but <3.11 is fine; see issue #1542.
   - matplotlib-inline
   - healpix
   - netcdf4
diff --git a/ci/docs.yml b/ci/docs.yml
index ff0c3e945..07172c0d2 100644
--- a/ci/docs.yml
+++ b/ci/docs.yml
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ dependencies:
     - myst-nb
     - sphinx-design
     - nbsphinx
-    - matplotlib-base
+    - matplotlib-base<3.11   # 3.11.0 breaks some plots but <3.11 is fine; see issue #1542.
     - matplotlib-inline
     - shapely
     - hvplot
diff --git a/ci/environment.yml b/ci/environment.yml
index 02f4616d9..2049e965e 100644
--- a/ci/environment.yml
+++ b/ci/environment.yml
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ dependencies:
   - holoviews
   - hvplot
   - hypothesis
-  - matplotlib-base
+  - matplotlib-base<3.11   # 3.11.0 breaks some plots but <3.11 is fine; see issue #1542.
   - matplotlib-inline
   - netcdf4
   - numba
diff --git a/pyproject.toml b/pyproject.toml
index 119c2bb0d..3ee69940c 100644
--- a/pyproject.toml
+++ b/pyproject.toml
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ dependencies = [
   "datashader",
   "geoviews",
   "holoviews",
-  "matplotlib",
+  "matplotlib<3.11",  # matplotlib 3.11.0 breaks some plots but <3.11 is fine; see issue #1542.
   "matplotlib-inline",
   "netcdf4",
   "numba",
diff --git a/test/test_plot.py b/test/test_plot.py
index eb7cdcb8f..ae245b392 100644
--- a/test/test_plot.py
+++ b/test/test_plot.py
@@ -229,3 +229,19 @@ def test_to_raster_pixel_ratio(gridpath, r1, r2):
     f = r2 / r1
     d = np.array(raster2.shape) - f * np.array(raster1.shape)
     assert (d >= 0).all() and (d <= f - 1).all()
+
+def test_plot_with_features(gridpath, datasetpath):
+    """ensure can render a multiplot layout with geoviews features.
+    Regression test for issue #1542.
+    """
+    gridpath = gridpath("ugrid", "geoflow-small", "grid.nc")
+    uxds1 = ux.open_dataset(gridpath, datasetpath("ugrid", "geoflow-small", "v1.nc"))
+    uxds2 = ux.open_dataset(gridpath, datasetpath("ugrid", "geoflow-small", "v2.nc"))
+    uxds1 = uxds1.isel(time=0, meshLayers=0)  # plot currently expects 1D along n_node
+    uxds2 = uxds2.isel(time=0, meshLayers=0)
+    plot1 = uxds1["v1"].plot(features=['coastline'])
+    plot2 = uxds2["v2"].plot(features=['coastline'])
+    plot = plot1 + plot2
+    # the crash associated with issue #1542 only occurs when actually trying to render:
+    renderer = hv.renderer("matplotlib")
+    renderer.get_plot(plot)