diff --git a/sumpy/toys.py b/sumpy/toys.py
index 4f11fcbf487a39654fab3d047fe27f4f53484477..20ba4e0ed0ec5dc5e839051c6cf55267b7d900ae 100644
--- a/sumpy/toys.py
+++ b/sumpy/toys.py
@@ -338,8 +338,9 @@ class ExpansionPotentialSource(PotentialSource):
 
     .. attribute:: text_kwargs
 
-       Passed to :method:`matplotlib.axes.Axes.text`. Used for customizing the
-       expansion label. Just for visualization, purely advisory.
+       Passed to :method:`matplotlib.pyplot.annotate`. Used for customizing the
+       expansion label. Changing the label text is supported by passing the
+       kwarg *s*.  Just for visualization, purely advisory.
     """
     def __init__(self, toy_ctx, center, rscale, order, coeffs, derived_from,
             radius=None, expn_style=None, text_kwargs=None):
@@ -526,28 +527,26 @@ def draw_point(loc, **kwargs):
     plt.plot(*loc, marker="o", **kwargs)
 
 
-def draw_arrow(from_pt, to_pt, shorten=0, **kwargs):
-    import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-    dist = to_pt - from_pt
-
-    from_pt = from_pt + shorten*dist
-    dist = dist - 2*shorten*dist
-    plt.arrow(from_pt[0], from_pt[1], dist[0], dist[1], **kwargs)
-
+def draw_annotation(from_pt, to_pt, label, arrowprops={}, **kwargs):
+    """
+    :arg from_pt: Tail of arrow
+    :arg to_pt: Head of arrow
+    :arg label: Annotation label
+    :arg arrowprops: Passed to arrowprops
+    :arg kwargs: Passed to annotate
+    """
 
-def draw_annotation(from_pt, to_pt, label, **kwargs):
     import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-    color = kwargs.setdefault("color", "white")
 
-    arrowprops = dict(
-            facecolor=color,
-            edgecolor=color,
-            shrink=0.05,
-            width=1,
-            headwidth=5)
+    my_arrowprops = dict(
+            facecolor="black",
+            edgecolor="black",
+            arrowstyle="->")
+
+    my_arrowprops.update(arrowprops)
 
     plt.gca().annotate(label, xy=from_pt, xytext=to_pt,
-            arrowprops=arrowprops, **kwargs)
+            arrowprops=my_arrowprops, **kwargs)
 
 
 class SchematicVisitor(object):
@@ -581,26 +580,37 @@ class SchematicVisitor(object):
             else:
                 raise ValueError("unknown expn_style: %s" % self.expn_style)
 
+        if psource.derived_from is None:
+            return
+
+        # Draw an annotation of the form
+        #
+        # ------> M
+
         text_kwargs = dict(
-                x=psource.center[0],
-                y=psource.center[1],
-                s=type(psource).__name__[0],
                 verticalalignment="center",
                 horizontalalignment="center")
 
-        if psource.text_kwargs is not None:
-            text_kwargs.update(psource.text_kwargs)
+        label = type(psource).__name__[0]
 
-        import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
-        plt.gca().text(**text_kwargs)
-
-        if psource.derived_from is not None:
-            xmin, xmax = plt.xlim()
-            plt_width = xmax - xmin
-            draw_arrow(psource.derived_from.center, psource.center, shorten=0.1,
-                       facecolor="black", length_includes_head=True,
-                       width=0.0005 * plt_width)
-            self.rec(psource.derived_from)
+        if psource.text_kwargs is not None:
+            psource_text_kwargs_copy = psource.text_kwargs.copy()
+            label = psource_text_kwargs_copy.pop('s', label)
+            text_kwargs.update(psource_text_kwargs_copy)
+
+        shrinkA = 0  # noqa
+        if isinstance(psource.derived_from, ExpansionPotentialSource):
+            # Avoid overlapping the tail of the arrow with any expansion labels that
+            # are present at the tail.
+            import matplotlib as mpl
+            font_size = mpl.rcParams['font.size']
+            shrinkA = 2/3 * font_size  # noqa
+
+        arrowprops = dict(shrinkA=shrinkA, arrowstyle="<|-")  # noqa
+
+        draw_annotation(psource.center, psource.derived_from.center, label,
+                        arrowprops, **text_kwargs)
+        self.rec(psource.derived_from)
 
     visit_localexpansion = visit_multipoleexpansion