diff --git a/src/_tkagg.cpp b/src/_tkagg.cpp
index e0b5f58ebbc..1316b4b882a 100644
--- a/src/_tkagg.cpp
+++ b/src/_tkagg.cpp
@@ -410,10 +410,19 @@ int load_tkinter_funcs(void)
     // Load tkinter global funcs from tkinter compiled module.
     // Return 0 for success, non-zero for failure.
     int ret = -1;
-    void *tkinter_lib;
+    void *main_program, *tkinter_lib;
     char *tkinter_libname;
     PyObject *pModule = NULL, *pSubmodule = NULL, *pString = NULL;
 
+    // Try loading from the main program namespace first
+    main_program = dlopen(NULL, RTLD_LAZY);
+    if (_func_loader(main_program) == 0) {
+        return 0;
+    }
+    // Clear exception triggered when we didn't find symbols above.
+    PyErr_Clear();
+
+    // Now try finding the tkinter compiled module
     pModule = PyImport_ImportModule(TKINTER_PKG);
     if (pModule == NULL) {
         goto exit;