diff --git a/Lib/tkinter/__init__.py b/Lib/tkinter/__init__.py
index 012737c0d7bae3..34b4a7334ce80a 100644
--- a/Lib/tkinter/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/tkinter/__init__.py
@@ -4632,7 +4632,7 @@ def panes(self):
 
 def _test():
     root = Tk()
-    text = "This is Tcl/Tk version %s" % TclVersion
+    text = "This is Tcl/Tk %s" % root.globalgetvar('tk_patchLevel')
     text += "\nThis should be a cedilla: \xe7"
     label = Label(root, text=text)
     label.pack()
diff --git a/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2023-10-04-11-09-30.gh-issue-110345.fZU1ud.rst b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2023-10-04-11-09-30.gh-issue-110345.fZU1ud.rst
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..d9ccc0f12de47c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Misc/NEWS.d/next/Library/2023-10-04-11-09-30.gh-issue-110345.fZU1ud.rst
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Show the Tcl/Tk patchlevel (rather than version) in :meth:`tkinter._test`.