diff --git a/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
index 3c6391d0ba..61b4f02ffb 100644
--- a/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
+++ b/docs/src/whatsnew/latest.rst
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ This document explains the changes made to Iris for this release
 📢 Announcements
 ================
 
-#. N/A
+#. Welcome to `@krikru`_ who made their first contribution to Iris 🎉
 
 
 ✨ Features
@@ -132,6 +132,11 @@ This document explains the changes made to Iris for this release
    array type.  This prevents masks being lost in some cases and therefore
    resolves :issue:`2987`.  (:pull:`3790`)
 
+#. `@krikru`_ and `@rcomer`_ updated :mod:`iris.quickplot` such that the
+   colorbar is added to the correct ``axes`` when specified as a keyword
+   argument to a plotting routine. Otherwise, by default the colorbar will be
+   added to the current axes of the current figure. (:pull:`4894`)
+
 
 💣 Incompatible Changes
 =======================
@@ -272,6 +277,7 @@ This document explains the changes made to Iris for this release
     core dev names are automatically included by the common_links.inc:
 
 .. _@evertrol: https://github.com/evertrol
+.. _@krikru: https://github.com/krikru
 
 
 .. comment
diff --git a/lib/iris/tests/test_quickplot.py b/lib/iris/tests/test_quickplot.py
index dec71a99ac..06f170c666 100644
--- a/lib/iris/tests/test_quickplot.py
+++ b/lib/iris/tests/test_quickplot.py
@@ -247,5 +247,39 @@ def test_not_reference_time_units(self):
         self.check_graphic()
 
 
+@tests.skip_data
+@tests.skip_plot
+class TestSubplotColorbar(tests.IrisTest):
+    def setUp(self):
+        theta = _load_theta()
+        coords = ["model_level_number", "grid_longitude"]
+        self.data = next(theta.slices(coords))
+        spec = (1, 1, 1)
+        self.figure1 = plt.figure()
+        self.axes1 = self.figure1.add_subplot(*spec)
+        self.figure2 = plt.figure()
+        self.axes2 = self.figure2.add_subplot(*spec)
+
+    def _check(self, mappable, figure, axes):
+        self.assertIs(mappable.axes, axes)
+        self.assertIs(mappable.colorbar.mappable, mappable)
+        self.assertIs(mappable.colorbar.ax.get_figure(), figure)
+
+    def test_with_axes1(self):
+        # plot using the first figure subplot axes (explicit)
+        mappable = qplt.contourf(self.data, axes=self.axes1)
+        self._check(mappable, self.figure1, self.axes1)
+
+    def test_with_axes2(self):
+        # plot using the second figure subplot axes (explicit)
+        mappable = qplt.contourf(self.data, axes=self.axes2)
+        self._check(mappable, self.figure2, self.axes2)
+
+    def test_without_axes__default(self):
+        # plot using the second/last figure subplot axes (default)
+        mappable = qplt.contourf(self.data)
+        self._check(mappable, self.figure2, self.axes2)
+
+
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     tests.main()