diff --git a/python/ipywidgets/ipywidgets/widgets/interaction.py b/python/ipywidgets/ipywidgets/widgets/interaction.py
index 50539ed3ff..afc1b6c922 100644
--- a/python/ipywidgets/ipywidgets/widgets/interaction.py
+++ b/python/ipywidgets/ipywidgets/widgets/interaction.py
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ def show_inline_matplotlib_plots():
 
     try:
         import matplotlib as mpl
-        from ipykernel.pylab.backend_inline import flush_figures
+        from matplotlib_inline.backend_inline import flush_figures
     except ImportError:
         return