diff --git a/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/element.py b/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/element.py
index 2e58eafeec..faa5ab7fd3 100644
--- a/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/element.py
+++ b/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/element.py
@@ -787,8 +787,6 @@ def initialize_plot(self, ranges=None, plot=None, plots=None, source=None):
             self.handles['yaxis'] = plot.yaxis[0]
             self.handles['y_range'] = plot.y_range
         self.handles['plot'] = plot
-        if self.top_level and not self._root:
-            self.set_root(plot)
 
         self._init_glyphs(plot, element, ranges, source)
         if not self.overlaid:
@@ -1477,13 +1475,7 @@ def initialize_plot(self, ranges=None, plot=None, plots=None):
         if plot is None and not self.tabs and not self.batched:
             plot = self._init_plot(key, element, ranges=ranges, plots=plots)
             self._init_axes(plot)
-
-        if self.tabs:
-            self.handles['plot'] = Tabs()
-        else:
-            self.handles['plot'] = plot
-        if self.top_level and not self._root:
-            self.set_root(self.handles['plot'])
+        self.handles['plot'] = plot
 
         if plot and not self.overlaid:
             self._update_plot(key, plot, element)
@@ -1508,13 +1500,13 @@ def initialize_plot(self, ranges=None, plot=None, plots=None):
             self._merge_tools(subplot)
 
         if self.tabs:
-            self.handles['plot'].tabs = panels
-
+            self.handles['plot'] = Tabs(tabs=panels)
         elif not self.overlaid:
             self._process_legend()
         self.drawn = True
         self.handles['plots'] = plots
 
+        self._update_callbacks(self.handles['plot'])
         if 'plot' in self.handles and not self.tabs:
             plot = self.handles['plot']
             self.handles['xaxis'] = plot.xaxis[0]
@@ -1526,7 +1518,6 @@ def initialize_plot(self, ranges=None, plot=None, plots=None):
 
         if self.top_level:
             self.init_links()
-        self._update_callbacks(self.handles['plot'])
 
         self._execute_hooks(element)
 
diff --git a/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/plot.py b/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/plot.py
index ccaf0b821c..da78d042dd 100644
--- a/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/plot.py
+++ b/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/plot.py
@@ -546,7 +546,7 @@ def _create_subplots(self, layout, ranges):
             else:
                 subplot = plotting_class(view, dimensions=self.dimensions,
                                          show_title=False, subplot=True,
-                                         renderer=self.renderer, root=self.root,
+                                         renderer=self.renderer,
                                          ranges=frame_ranges, uniform=self.uniform,
                                          keys=self.keys, **dict(opts, **kwargs))
                 collapsed_layout[coord] = (subplot.layout
@@ -583,13 +583,12 @@ def initialize_plot(self, ranges=None, plots=[]):
         self.handles['plot'] = plot
         self.handles['plots'] = plots
 
+        self._update_callbacks(plot)
         if self.shared_datasource:
             self.sync_sources()
 
         if self.top_level:
-            self.set_root(plot)
             self.init_links()
-        self._update_callbacks(plot)
 
         self.drawn = True
 
@@ -800,7 +799,7 @@ def _create_subplots(self, layout, positions, layout_dimensions, ranges, num=0):
                                 layout_dimensions=layout_dimensions,
                                 ranges=ranges, subplot=True,
                                 uniform=self.uniform, layout_num=num,
-                                renderer=self.renderer, root=self.root,
+                                renderer=self.renderer,
                                 **dict({'shared_axes': self.shared_axes},
                                        **plotopts))
             subplots[pos] = subplot
@@ -926,17 +925,15 @@ def initialize_plot(self, plots=None, ranges=None):
             self.handles['title'] = title
             layout_plot = Column(title, layout_plot, **kwargs)
 
-
         self.handles['plot'] = layout_plot
         self.handles['plots'] = plots
 
+        self._update_callbacks(layout_plot)
         if self.shared_datasource:
             self.sync_sources()
 
         if self.top_level:
-            self.set_root(layout_plot)
             self.init_links()
-        self._update_callbacks(layout_plot)
 
         self.drawn = True