diff --git a/pvlib/irradiance.py b/pvlib/irradiance.py
index 2e1ed35cb5..30fffe8b60 100644
--- a/pvlib/irradiance.py
+++ b/pvlib/irradiance.py
@@ -587,7 +587,7 @@ def get_ground_diffuse(surface_tilt, ghi, albedo=.25, surface_type=None):
     return diffuse_irrad
 
 
-def isotropic(surface_tilt, dhi):
+def isotropic(surface_tilt, dhi, return_components=False):
     r'''
     Determine diffuse irradiance from the sky on a tilted surface using
     the isotropic sky model.
@@ -613,10 +613,19 @@ def isotropic(surface_tilt, dhi):
     dhi : numeric
         Diffuse horizontal irradiance. [Wm⁻²] DHI must be >=0.
 
+    return_components : bool, default False
+        Flag used to decide whether to return the calculated diffuse components
+        or not. If `True`, the resulting dataframe will include three more
+        columns. If not, only ``poa_sky_diffuse`` column is returned.
+
     Returns
     -------
-    diffuse : numeric
-        The sky diffuse component of the solar radiation.
+    poa_sky_diffuse : DataFrame
+        The sky diffuse component of the solar radiation on a tilted
+        surface. Columns provided controlled by ``return_components`` argument.
+          If `False`, ``total`` is returned.
+          If `True`, ``isotropic``, ``circumsolar`` and ``horizon``.
+        Index is either inherited from dhi or default.
 
     References
     ----------
@@ -630,9 +639,30 @@ def isotropic(surface_tilt, dhi):
        Energy vol. 201. pp. 8-12
        :doi:`10.1016/j.solener.2020.02.067`
     '''
-    sky_diffuse = dhi * (1 + tools.cosd(surface_tilt)) * 0.5
 
-    return sky_diffuse
+    poa_isotropic = dhi * (1 + tools.cosd(surface_tilt)) * 0.5
+
+    # if pd.DataFrame or Series handles first output as numerical
+    is_pandas = isinstance(dhi, (pd.DataFrame,pd.Series))
+    if is_pandas:
+        poa_isotropic = poa_isotropic.values
+    
+    poa_sky_diffuse = poa_isotropic
+
+    if not return_components:
+        poa_sky_diffuse = {'total': poa_sky_diffuse}
+    else:
+        poa_sky_diffuse = {'isotropic': poa_isotropic,
+                           'circumsolar': 0,
+                           'horizon': 0}
+
+    poa_sky_diffuse = pd.DataFrame(poa_sky_diffuse)
+
+    # if dhi was pandas, out_df inherits index
+    if is_pandas:
+        poa_sky_diffuse.index = dhi.index
+
+    return poa_sky_diffuse
 
 
 def klucher(surface_tilt, surface_azimuth, dhi, ghi, solar_zenith,
@@ -782,8 +812,9 @@ def haydavies(surface_tilt, surface_azimuth, dhi, dni, dni_extra,
         or supply ``projection_ratio``.
 
     return_components : bool, default `False`
-        If `False`, ``sky_diffuse`` is returned.
-        If `True`, ``diffuse_components`` is returned.
+       Flag used to decide whether to return the calculated diffuse components
+       or not. If `False`, ``sky_diffuse`` is returned. If `True`,
+       ``diffuse_components`` is returned.
 
     Returns
     --------