diff --git a/notebook/static/notebook/js/outputarea.js b/notebook/static/notebook/js/outputarea.js
index da72caa5ea..74753a7c3b 100644
--- a/notebook/static/notebook/js/outputarea.js
+++ b/notebook/static/notebook/js/outputarea.js
@@ -838,59 +838,35 @@ define([
         }
     };
     
-    var append_png = function (png, md, element, handle_inserted) {
-        var type = MIME_PNG;
-        var toinsert = this.create_output_subarea(md, "output_png", type);
+    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 img = $("<img/>");
         if (handle_inserted !== undefined) {
             img.on('load', function(){
                 handle_inserted(img);
             });
         }
-        img[0].src = 'data:image/png;base64,'+ png;
+        img[0].src = 'data:image/' + type_string + ';base64,'+ src_type;
         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) {
-        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;
+        return this._append_img(jpeg, md, element, handle_inserted, MIME_JPEG, 'jpeg');
     };
     
     var append_gif = function (gif, md, element, handle_inserted) {
-        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;
+        return this._append_img(gif, md, element, handle_inserted, MIME_GIF, 'gif');
     };
 
-
     var append_pdf = function (pdf, md, element) {
         var type = MIME_PDF;
         var toinsert = this.create_output_subarea(md, "output_pdf", type);