diff --git a/matplotlib-1.0.1-tkinter.patch b/matplotlib-1.0.1-tkinter.patch
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..39899f4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/matplotlib-1.0.1-tkinter.patch
@@ -0,0 +1,15 @@
+Index: matplotlib-1.0.1/setupext.py
+===================================================================
+--- matplotlib-1.0.1.orig/setupext.py
++++ matplotlib-1.0.1/setupext.py
+@@ -829,8 +829,8 @@ def check_for_tk():
+                 gotit = False
+ 
+     if gotit:
+-        print_status("Tkinter", "Tkinter: %s, Tk: %s, Tcl: %s" %
+-                     (Tkinter.__version__.split()[-2], Tkinter.TkVersion, Tkinter.TclVersion))
++        print_status("Tkinter", "Tkinter: found, Tk: %s, Tcl: %s" %
++                     (Tkinter.TkVersion, Tkinter.TclVersion))
+     else:
+         print_status("Tkinter", "no")
+     if explanation is not None:
diff --git a/python-matplotlib.changes b/python-matplotlib.changes
index d443e0d..1da22cb 100644
--- a/python-matplotlib.changes
+++ b/python-matplotlib.changes
@@ -1,3 +1,8 @@
+-------------------------------------------------------------------
+Tue Oct 11 12:27:54 UTC 2011 - jmatejek@suse.com
+
+- fix build failing because Tkinter has a faulty __version__
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------
 Mon Aug 15 02:00:37 CEST 2011 - ro@suse.de
 
diff --git a/python-matplotlib.spec b/python-matplotlib.spec
index 7a73ec3..d8d1154 100644
--- a/python-matplotlib.spec
+++ b/python-matplotlib.spec
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ Source1:        matplotlib-setup.cfg
 # This patch taken from upstream SVN and will not be needed for releases later than 1.0.1
 Patch0:         matplotlib-1.0.1-plot_directive.patch
 Patch1:         matplotlib-linux3.patch
+Patch2:         matplotlib-1.0.1-tkinter.patch
 BuildRoot:      %{_tmppath}/%{name}-%{version}-build
 
 BuildRequires:  fltk-devel
@@ -109,6 +110,7 @@ wxWidgets backend for python-matplotlib plotting package
 %setup -n matplotlib-%{version}
 %patch0 -p1
 %patch1
+%patch2 -p1
 chmod -x lib/matplotlib/mpl-data/images/*.svg
 
 %build