diff --git a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
index ca15bf818142..31012d80eab8 100644
--- a/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
+++ b/lib/matplotlib/backends/backend_tkagg.py
@@ -10,8 +10,8 @@ def draw(self):
         self.blit()
 
     def blit(self, bbox=None):
-        _backend_tk.blit(
-            self._tkphoto, self.renderer._renderer, (0, 1, 2, 3), bbox=bbox)
+        _backend_tk.blit(self._tkphoto, self.renderer.buffer_rgba(),
+                         (0, 1, 2, 3), bbox=bbox)
 
 
 @_BackendTk.export