diff --git a/ipywidgets/widgets/interaction.py b/ipywidgets/widgets/interaction.py
index 39390e5e9b..5072c6db56 100644
--- a/ipywidgets/widgets/interaction.py
+++ b/ipywidgets/widgets/interaction.py
@@ -44,7 +44,8 @@ def show_inline_matplotlib_plots():
     except ImportError:
         return
 
-    if mpl.get_backend() == 'module://ipykernel.pylab.backend_inline':
+    if (mpl.get_backend() == 'module://ipykernel.pylab.backend_inline' or
+        mpl.get_backend() == 'module://matplotlib_inline.backend_inline'):
         flush_figures()