diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/help.txt b/Lib/idlelib/help.txt
index 76cccf07cdb..7bfd2cac2ac 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/help.txt
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/help.txt
@@ -90,7 +90,10 @@ Options Menu:
 	Configure IDLE -- Open a configuration dialog.  Fonts, indentation,
                           keybindings, and color themes may be altered.
                           Startup Preferences may be set, and Additional Help
-                          Souces can be specified.
+                          Sources can be specified.
+			  
+			  On MacOS X this menu is not present, use
+			  menu 'IDLE -> Preferences...' instead.
 	---
 	Code Context --	  Open a pane at the top of the edit window which
 			  shows the block context of the section of code
diff --git a/Lib/idlelib/macosxSupport.py b/Lib/idlelib/macosxSupport.py
index 222abfce753..279b1cc18ef 100644
--- a/Lib/idlelib/macosxSupport.py
+++ b/Lib/idlelib/macosxSupport.py
@@ -89,7 +89,9 @@ def overrideRootMenu(root, flist):
 
     ###check if Tk version >= 8.4.14; if so, use hard-coded showprefs binding
     tkversion = root.tk.eval('info patchlevel')
-    if tkversion >= '8.4.14':
+    # Note: we cannot check if the string tkversion >= '8.4.14', because
+    # the string '8.4.7' is greater than the string '8.4.14'.
+    if map(int, tkversion.split('.')) >= (8, 4, 14):
         Bindings.menudefs[0] =  ('application', [
                 ('About IDLE', '<<about-idle>>'),
                 None,