diff --git a/notebook/static/notebook/js/outputarea.js b/notebook/static/notebook/js/outputarea.js
index 5fd02c26b..da72caa5e 100644
--- a/notebook/static/notebook/js/outputarea.js
+++ b/notebook/static/notebook/js/outputarea.js
@@ -838,33 +838,56 @@ define([
         }
     };
     
-    OutputArea.prototype.append_img = function (src_type, md, element, handle_inserted, MIME, type_string) {
-        var type = MIME;
-        var toinsert = this.create_output_subarea(md, 'output_' + type_string, type);
+    var append_png = function (png, md, element, handle_inserted) {
+        var type = MIME_PNG;
+        var toinsert = this.create_output_subarea(md, "output_png", type);
         var img = $("<img/>");
         if (handle_inserted !== undefined) {
             img.on('load', function(){
                 handle_inserted(img);
             });
         }
-        img[0].src = 'data:image/' + type_string + ';base64,'+ src_type;
+        img[0].src = 'data:image/png;base64,'+ png;
         set_width_height(img, md, type);
         dblclick_to_reset_size(img);
         toinsert.append(img);
         element.append(toinsert);
         return toinsert;
     };
-    
-    var append_png = function (png, md, element, handle_inserted) {
-        return this.append_img(png, md, element, handle_inserted, MIME_PNG, 'png');
-    };
+
 
     var append_jpeg = function (jpeg, md, element, handle_inserted) {
-        return this.append_img(jpeg, md, element, handle_inserted, MIME_JPEG, 'jpeg');
+        var type = MIME_JPEG;
+        var toinsert = this.create_output_subarea(md, "output_jpeg", type);
+        var img = $("<img/>");
+        if (handle_inserted !== undefined) {
+            img.on('load', function(){
+                handle_inserted(img);
+            });
+        }
+        img[0].src = 'data:image/jpeg;base64,'+ jpeg;
+        set_width_height(img, md, type);
+        dblclick_to_reset_size(img);
+        toinsert.append(img);
+        element.append(toinsert);
+        return toinsert;
     };
     
     var append_gif = function (gif, md, element, handle_inserted) {
-        return this.append_img(gif, md, element, handle_inserted, MIME_GIF, 'gif');
+        var type = MIME_GIF;
+        var toinsert = this.create_output_subarea(md, "output_gif", type);
+        var img = $("<img/>");
+        if (handle_inserted !== undefined) {
+            img.on('load', function(){
+                handle_inserted(img);
+            });
+        }
+        img[0].src = 'data:image/gif;base64,'+ gif;
+        set_width_height(img, md, type);
+        dblclick_to_reset_size(img);
+        toinsert.append(img);
+        element.append(toinsert);
+        return toinsert;
     };