diff --git a/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build b/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
index d30b39b9..0b29c4e5 100755
--- a/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
+++ b/plugins/python-build/bin/python-build
@@ -1580,9 +1580,12 @@ use_homebrew_tcltk() {
   local tcltk_libdir="$(brew --prefix tcl-tk 2>/dev/null || true)"
   if [ -d "$tcltk_libdir" ]; then
     echo "python-build: use tcl-tk from homebrew"
-    local tcltk_version="$(sh -c '. '"$tcltk_libdir"'/lib/tclConfig.sh; echo $TCL_VERSION')"
-    package_option python configure --with-tcltk-libs="-L$tcltk_libdir/lib -ltcl$tcltk_version -ltk$tcltk_version"
-    package_option python configure --with-tcltk-includes="-I$tcltk_libdir/include"
+    if [[ -z "$PYTHON_BUILD_TCLTK_USE_PKGCONFIG" ]]; then
+      local tcltk_version="$(sh -c '. '"$tcltk_libdir"'/lib/tclConfig.sh; echo $TCL_VERSION')"
+      package_option python configure --with-tcltk-libs="-L$tcltk_libdir/lib -ltcl$tcltk_version -ltk$tcltk_version"
+      package_option python configure --with-tcltk-includes="-I$tcltk_libdir/include"
+    fi
+    export PKG_CONFIG_PATH="${tcltk_libdir}/lib/pkgconfig${PKG_CONFIG_PATH:+:$PKG_CONFIG_PATH}"
   fi
 }
 
diff --git a/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.11-dev b/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.11-dev
index c1865cdd..904f2138 100644
--- a/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.11-dev
+++ b/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.11-dev
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 prefer_openssl11
 export PYTHON_BUILD_CONFIGURE_WITH_OPENSSL=1
+export PYTHON_BUILD_TCLTK_USE_PKGCONFIG=1
 install_package "openssl-1.1.1k" "https://www.openssl.org/source/openssl-1.1.1k.tar.gz#892a0875b9872acd04a9fde79b1f943075d5ea162415de3047c327df33fbaee5" mac_openssl --if has_broken_mac_openssl
 install_package "readline-8.0" "https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/readline/readline-8.0.tar.gz#e339f51971478d369f8a053a330a190781acb9864cf4c541060f12078948e461" mac_readline --if has_broken_mac_readline
 install_git "Python-3.11-dev" "https://github.com/python/cpython" 3.11 standard verify_py311 copy_python_gdb ensurepip
diff --git a/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.11.0 b/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.11.0
index 596508dc..f96cb69d 100644
--- a/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.11.0
+++ b/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.11.0
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 prefer_openssl11
 export PYTHON_BUILD_CONFIGURE_WITH_OPENSSL=1
+export PYTHON_BUILD_TCLTK_USE_PKGCONFIG=1
 install_package "openssl-1.1.1q" "https://www.openssl.org/source/openssl-1.1.1q.tar.gz#d7939ce614029cdff0b6c20f0e2e5703158a489a72b2507b8bd51bf8c8fd10ca" mac_openssl --if has_broken_mac_openssl
 install_package "readline-8.2" "https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/readline/readline-8.2.tar.gz#3feb7171f16a84ee82ca18a36d7b9be109a52c04f492a053331d7d1095007c35" mac_readline --if has_broken_mac_readline
 if has_tar_xz_support; then
diff --git a/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.12-dev b/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.12-dev
index 8fa3a02e..ba0b8fe6 100644
--- a/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.12-dev
+++ b/plugins/python-build/share/python-build/3.12-dev
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 prefer_openssl11
 export PYTHON_BUILD_CONFIGURE_WITH_OPENSSL=1
+export PYTHON_BUILD_TCLTK_USE_PKGCONFIG=1
 export PYTHON_BUILD_CONFIGURE_WITH_DSYMUTIL=1
 install_package "openssl-1.1.1k" "https://www.openssl.org/source/openssl-1.1.1k.tar.gz#892a0875b9872acd04a9fde79b1f943075d5ea162415de3047c327df33fbaee5" mac_openssl --if has_broken_mac_openssl
 install_package "readline-8.0" "https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/readline/readline-8.0.tar.gz#e339f51971478d369f8a053a330a190781acb9864cf4c541060f12078948e461" mac_readline --if has_broken_mac_readline
diff --git a/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats b/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats
index f761c8f1..649af776 100644
--- a/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats
+++ b/plugins/python-build/test/build.bats
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ tarball() {
 
   executable "$configure" <<OUT
 #!$BASH
-echo "$name: CPPFLAGS=\\"\$CPPFLAGS\\" LDFLAGS=\\"\$LDFLAGS\\"" >> build.log
+echo "$name: CPPFLAGS=\\"\$CPPFLAGS\\" LDFLAGS=\\"\$LDFLAGS\\" PKG_CONFIG_PATH=\\"\$PKG_CONFIG_PATH\\"" >> build.log
 echo "$name: \$@" \${PYTHONOPT:+PYTHONOPT=\$PYTHONOPT} >> build.log
 OUT
 
@@ -74,11 +74,11 @@ assert_build_log() {
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-yaml-0.1.6: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+yaml-0.1.6: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 yaml-0.1.6: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT
 make -j 2
 make install
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -103,12 +103,12 @@ OUT
   unstub patch
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-yaml-0.1.6: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+yaml-0.1.6: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 yaml-0.1.6: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT
 make -j 2
 make install
 patch -p0 --force -i $TMP/python-patch.XXX
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -133,12 +133,12 @@ OUT
   unstub patch
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-yaml-0.1.6: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+yaml-0.1.6: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 yaml-0.1.6: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT
 make -j 2
 make install
 patch -p1 --force -i $TMP/python-patch.XXX
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -166,7 +166,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include -I$BREW_PREFIX/include" LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib -L$BREW_PREFIX/lib -Wl,-rpath,$BREW_PREFIX/lib"
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include -I$BREW_PREFIX/include" LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib -L$BREW_PREFIX/lib -Wl,-rpath,$BREW_PREFIX/lib" PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -194,7 +194,7 @@ OUT
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I$brew_libdir/include -I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L$brew_libdir/lib -L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I$brew_libdir/include -I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L$brew_libdir/lib -L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -218,11 +218,11 @@ OUT
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-yaml-0.1.6: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+yaml-0.1.6: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 yaml-0.1.6: --prefix=${TMP}/install
 make -j 2
 make install
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -252,7 +252,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I$readline_libdir/include -I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L$readline_libdir/lib -L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I$readline_libdir/include -I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L$readline_libdir/lib -L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -276,7 +276,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -335,7 +335,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT CPPFLAGS=-I$readline_libdir/include LDFLAGS=-L$readline_libdir/lib --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -369,7 +369,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH="${TMP}/homebrew-tcl-tk/lib/pkgconfig"
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=${TMP}/install --libdir=${TMP}/install/lib --with-tcltk-libs=-L${TMP}/homebrew-tcl-tk/lib -ltcl$tcl_tk_version -ltk$tcl_tk_version --with-tcltk-includes=-I${TMP}/homebrew-tcl-tk/include
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -401,13 +401,46 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --with-tcltk-libs=-L${TMP}/custom-tcl-tk/lib -ltcl8.6 -ltk8.6
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
 }
 
+@test "tcl-tk is linked from Homebrew via pkgconfig only when envvar is set" {
+  cached_tarball "Python-3.6.2"
+
+  for i in {1..9}; do stub uname '-s : echo Darwin'; done
+  for i in {1..2}; do stub sw_vers '-productVersion : echo 1010'; done
+
+  tcl_tk_libdir="$TMP/homebrew-tcl-tk"
+  mkdir -p "$tcl_tk_libdir/lib"
+
+  stub brew false
+  for i in {1..2}; do stub brew "--prefix tcl-tk : echo '${tcl_tk_libdir}'"; done
+  for i in {1..2}; do stub brew false; done
+
+  stub_make_install
+
+  run_inline_definition <<DEF
+export PYTHON_BUILD_TCLTK_USE_PKGCONFIG=1
+install_package "Python-3.6.2" "http://python.org/ftp/python/3.6.2/Python-3.6.2.tar.gz"
+DEF
+  assert_success
+
+  unstub uname
+  unstub sw_vers
+  unstub brew
+  unstub make
+
+  assert_build_log <<OUT
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH="${TMP}/homebrew-tcl-tk/lib/pkgconfig"
+Python-3.6.2: --prefix=${TMP}/install --libdir=${TMP}/install/lib
+make -j 2
+make install
+OUT
+}
 @test "number of CPU cores defaults to 2" {
   cached_tarball "Python-3.6.2"
 
@@ -428,7 +461,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -456,7 +489,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 4
 make install
@@ -484,7 +517,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 1
 make install
@@ -508,7 +541,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install DOGE="such wow"
@@ -535,7 +568,7 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=${TMP}/install/lib --with-dsymutil
 make -j 2
 make install
@@ -558,45 +591,13 @@ DEF
   unstub make
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=${TMP}/install/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
 OUT
 }
 
-@test "tcl-tk is not linked from Homebrew when explicitly defined" {
-  cached_tarball "Python-3.6.2"
-
-  # python build
-  tcl_tk_version_long="8.6.10"
-  tcl_tk_version="${tcl_tk_version_long%.*}"
-
-  for i in {1..8}; do stub uname '-s : echo Darwin'; done
-  for i in {1..2}; do stub sw_vers '-productVersion : echo 1010'; done
-
-  for i in {1..4}; do stub brew false; done
-  stub_make_install
-
-  export PYTHON_CONFIGURE_OPTS="--with-tcltk-libs='-L${TMP}/custom-tcl-tk/lib -ltcl$tcl_tk_version -ltk$tcl_tk_version'"
-  run_inline_definition <<DEF
-install_package "Python-3.6.2" "http://python.org/ftp/python/3.6.2/Python-3.6.2.tar.gz"
-DEF
-  assert_success
-
-  unstub uname
-  unstub sw_vers
-  unstub brew
-  unstub make
-
-  assert_build_log <<OUT
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
-Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib --with-tcltk-libs=-L${TMP}/custom-tcl-tk/lib -ltcl8.6 -ltk8.6
-make -j 2
-make install
-OUT
-}
-
 @test "custom relative install destination" {
   export PYTHON_BUILD_CACHE_PATH="$FIXTURE_ROOT"
 
@@ -680,7 +681,7 @@ DEF
 
   assert_build_log <<OUT
 apply -p1 -i /my/patch.diff
-Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib "
+Python-3.6.2: CPPFLAGS="-I${TMP}/install/include " LDFLAGS="-L${TMP}/install/lib " PKG_CONFIG_PATH=""
 Python-3.6.2: --prefix=$INSTALL_ROOT --libdir=$INSTALL_ROOT/lib
 make -j 2
 make install
diff --git a/plugins/python-build/test/test_helper.bash b/plugins/python-build/test/test_helper.bash
index da52a44f..459ca6bc 100644
--- a/plugins/python-build/test/test_helper.bash
+++ b/plugins/python-build/test/test_helper.bash
@@ -111,8 +111,10 @@ assert_failure() {
 
 assert_equal() {
   if [ "$1" != "$2" ]; then
-    { echo "expected: $1"
-      echo "actual:   $2"
+    { echo "expected:"
+      echo "$1"
+      echo "actual:"
+      echo "$2"
     } | flunk
   fi
 }