Index: Lib/lib-tk/Tkinter.py
===================================================================
--- Lib/lib-tk/Tkinter.py	(revision 62383)
+++ Lib/lib-tk/Tkinter.py	(working copy)
@@ -1060,7 +1060,22 @@
     def nametowidget(self, name):
         """Return the Tkinter instance of a widget identified by
         its Tcl name NAME."""
+        name = str(name).split('.')
         w = self
+
+        if not name[0]:
+            w = w._root()
+            name = name[1:]
+
+        for n in name:
+            if not n:
+                break
+            w = w.children[n]
+
+        return w
+
+
+        w = self
         if name[0] == '.':
             w = w._root()
             name = name[1:]