diff --git a/.ipynb_checkpoints/TestNotebook-checkpoint.ipynb b/.ipynb_checkpoints/TestNotebook-checkpoint.ipynb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..019027426
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.ipynb_checkpoints/TestNotebook-checkpoint.ipynb
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+{
+ "cells": [
+  {
+   "cell_type": "code",
+   "execution_count": null,
+   "metadata": {},
+   "outputs": [],
+   "source": [
+    "import vcs\n",
+    "import cdms2\n",
+    "vcs.download_sample_data_files()\n",
+    "f=cdms2.open(vcs.sample_data+\"/clt.nc\")\n",
+    "s=f(\"clt\")\n",
+    "x=vcs.init(bg=True)\n",
+    "x.plot(s)"
+   ]
+  }
+ ],
+ "metadata": {
+  "kernelspec": {
+   "display_name": "Python 3",
+   "language": "python",
+   "name": "python3"
+  },
+  "language_info": {
+   "codemirror_mode": {
+    "name": "ipython",
+    "version": 3
+   },
+   "file_extension": ".py",
+   "mimetype": "text/x-python",
+   "name": "python",
+   "nbconvert_exporter": "python",
+   "pygments_lexer": "ipython3",
+   "version": "3.7.3"
+  }
+ },
+ "nbformat": 4,
+ "nbformat_minor": 2
+}
diff --git a/TestNotebook.ipynb b/TestNotebook.ipynb
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..019027426
--- /dev/null
+++ b/TestNotebook.ipynb
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+{
+ "cells": [
+  {
+   "cell_type": "code",
+   "execution_count": null,
+   "metadata": {},
+   "outputs": [],
+   "source": [
+    "import vcs\n",
+    "import cdms2\n",
+    "vcs.download_sample_data_files()\n",
+    "f=cdms2.open(vcs.sample_data+\"/clt.nc\")\n",
+    "s=f(\"clt\")\n",
+    "x=vcs.init(bg=True)\n",
+    "x.plot(s)"
+   ]
+  }
+ ],
+ "metadata": {
+  "kernelspec": {
+   "display_name": "Python 3",
+   "language": "python",
+   "name": "python3"
+  },
+  "language_info": {
+   "codemirror_mode": {
+    "name": "ipython",
+    "version": 3
+   },
+   "file_extension": ".py",
+   "mimetype": "text/x-python",
+   "name": "python",
+   "nbconvert_exporter": "python",
+   "pygments_lexer": "ipython3",
+   "version": "3.7.3"
+  }
+ },
+ "nbformat": 4,
+ "nbformat_minor": 2
+}
diff --git a/vcs/displayplot.py b/vcs/displayplot.py
index 3093482a5..d2fdfaabf 100755
--- a/vcs/displayplot.py
+++ b/vcs/displayplot.py
@@ -74,6 +74,14 @@ def get_update_array_kw(disp, array, widgets, debug_target=None):
     return kw
 
 
+class IPythonDisplay(object):
+    def __init__(self, png):
+        self.png = png
+
+    def _repr_png_(self):
+        return self.png
+
+
 class Dp(vcs.bestMatch):
 
     """
@@ -306,10 +314,16 @@ def generate_sliders(self, debug):
         return widgets
 
     def _repr_png_(self):
+        SLIDERS_ENABLED = False
         st = None
         debug = False
         if not HAVE_IPYWIDGETS:
             debug = False
+        tmp = tempfile.mktemp() + ".png"
+        self._parent.png(tmp)
+        f = open(tmp, "rb")
+        st = f.read()
+        f.close()
         if HAVE_IPY:
             sidecar_on = True
             if HAVE_SIDECAR:
@@ -329,9 +343,13 @@ def _repr_png_(self):
                         layout={'border': '1px solid black'})
                 else:
                     self._parent._display_target_out = None
-                widgets = self.generate_sliders(debug)
-                vbox = ipywidgets.VBox(
-                    widgets + [self._parent._display_target_image])
+                if SLIDERS_ENABLED:
+                    widgets = self.generate_sliders(debug)
+                    self._parent._display_target_image.value = st
+                    vbox = ipywidgets.VBox(
+                        widgets + [self._parent._display_target_image])
+                else:
+                    vbox = IPythonDisplay(st)
                 if HAVE_SIDECAR and sidecar_on:
                     with self._parent._display_target:
                         IPython.display.clear_output()
@@ -341,18 +359,7 @@ def _repr_png_(self):
                     IPython.display.display(vbox)
             else:
                 IPython.display.clear_output()
-            tmp = tempfile.mktemp() + ".png"
-            self._parent.png(tmp)
-            f = open(tmp, "rb")
-            st = f.read()
-            f.close()
-            self._parent._display_target_image.value = st
             return None
-        tmp = tempfile.mktemp() + ".png"
-        self._parent.png(tmp)
-        f = open(tmp, "rb")
-        st = f.read()
-        f.close()
         return st
 # TODO: html,json,jpeg,png,svg,latex