diff --git a/skimage/io/__init__.py b/skimage/io/__init__.py
index 852b8cbc..c71dc337 100644
--- a/skimage/io/__init__.py
+++ b/skimage/io/__init__.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ from ._plugins import info as plugin_info
 from ._plugins import configuration as plugin_order
 available_plugins = plugins()
 
-for preferred_plugin in ['pil', 'matplotlib', 'qt', 'null']:
+for preferred_plugin in ['matplotlib', 'pil', 'qt', 'null']:
     if preferred_plugin in available_plugins:
         try:
             use_plugin(preferred_plugin)
diff --git a/skimage/io/_plugins/pil_plugin.ini b/skimage/io/_plugins/pil_plugin.ini
index 16e2926d..e6382e5e 100644
--- a/skimage/io/_plugins/pil_plugin.ini
+++ b/skimage/io/_plugins/pil_plugin.ini
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
 [pil]
 description = Image reading via the Python Imaging Library
-provides = imread, imsave, imshow
-
+provides = imread, imsave, imshow, _app_show
diff --git a/skimage/io/_plugins/pil_plugin.py b/skimage/io/_plugins/pil_plugin.py
index b63aecd9..914f7e9f 100644
--- a/skimage/io/_plugins/pil_plugin.py
+++ b/skimage/io/_plugins/pil_plugin.py
@@ -111,3 +111,6 @@ def imshow(arr):
 
     """
     Image.fromarray(img_as_ubyte(arr)).show()
+
+def _app_show():
+    pass