diff --git a/tqdm/tk.py b/tqdm/tk.py
index 505d368d..f8bb93e5 100644
--- a/tqdm/tk.py
+++ b/tqdm/tk.py
@@ -143,9 +143,8 @@ class tqdm_tk(std_tqdm):  # pragma: no cover
         d['ncols'] = None
         text = self.format_meter(**d)
         # fixup only default bar format
-        if self.bar_format == "{l_bar}{r_bar}":
-            text = text.replace("||", "", 1)
-        self._tk_text_var.set(text)
+        self._tk_text_var.set(
+            text.replace("||", "", 1) if "{l_bar}{r_bar}" in self.bar_format else text)
         if not self._tk_dispatching:
             self._tk_window.update()