diff --git a/holoviews/ipython/__init__.py b/holoviews/ipython/__init__.py
index 15ba2c5a7c..6b36e9abfb 100644
--- a/holoviews/ipython/__init__.py
+++ b/holoviews/ipython/__init__.py
@@ -112,6 +112,7 @@ class notebook_extension(extension):
     _loaded = False
 
     def __call__(self, *args, **params):
+        comms = params.pop('comms', None)
         super(notebook_extension, self).__call__(*args, **params)
         # Abort if IPython not found
         try:
@@ -178,6 +179,10 @@ def __call__(self, *args, **params):
         resources = list(resources)
         if len(resources) == 0: return
 
+        from panel import config
+        if hasattr(config, 'comms') and comms:
+            config.comms = comms
+
         for r in [r for r in resources if r != 'holoviews']:
             Store.renderers[r].load_nb(inline=p.inline)
         Renderer.load_nb()
diff --git a/holoviews/ipython/display_hooks.py b/holoviews/ipython/display_hooks.py
index 1da1098241..c4a1c6a85f 100644
--- a/holoviews/ipython/display_hooks.py
+++ b/holoviews/ipython/display_hooks.py
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ def wrapped(element):
             # Only want to add to the archive for one display hook...
             disabled_suffixes = ['png_display', 'svg_display']
             if not any(fn.__name__.endswith(suffix) for suffix in disabled_suffixes):
-                if type(holoviews.archive) is not FileArchive:
+                if type(holoviews.archive) is not FileArchive and 'text/html' in mime_data:
                     holoviews.archive.add(element, html=mime_data['text/html'])
             filename = OutputSettings.options['filename']
             if filename:
diff --git a/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/callbacks.py b/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/callbacks.py
index 157d348549..5f4ed53249 100644
--- a/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/callbacks.py
+++ b/holoviews/plotting/bokeh/callbacks.py
@@ -80,15 +80,15 @@ def _process_msg(self, msg):
     def __init__(self, plot, streams, source, **params):
         self.plot = plot
         self.streams = streams
-        if plot.renderer.mode != 'server':
+        if plot.renderer.mode == 'server' or pn.config.comms != 'default':
+            self.comm = None
+        else:
             if plot.pane:
                 on_error = partial(plot.pane._on_error, plot.root)
             else:
                 on_error = None
             self.comm = plot.renderer.comm_manager.get_client_comm(on_msg=self.on_msg)
             self.comm._on_error = on_error
-        else:
-            self.comm = None
         self.source = source
         self.handle_ids = defaultdict(dict)
         self.reset()
@@ -361,9 +361,7 @@ def resolve_attr_spec(cls, spec, cb_obj, model=None):
         return {'id': model.ref['id'], 'value': resolved}
 
     def _schedule_callback(self, cb, timeout=None, offset=True):
-        if timeout is not None:
-            pass
-        else:
+        if timeout is None:
             if self._history and self.throttling_scheme == 'adaptive':
                 timeout = int(np.array(self._history).mean()*1000)
             else:
@@ -372,7 +370,11 @@ def _schedule_callback(self, cb, timeout=None, offset=True):
                 # Subtract the time taken since event started
                 diff = time.time()-self._last_event
                 timeout = max(timeout-(diff*1000), 50)
-        pn.state.curdoc.add_timeout_callback(cb, int(timeout))
+        if not pn.state.curdoc:
+            from tornado.ioloop import IOLoop
+            IOLoop.current().call_later(int(timeout)/1000., cb)
+        else:
+            cb()
 
     def on_change(self, attr, old, new):
         """
@@ -571,7 +573,7 @@ def initialize(self, plot_id=None):
                     cb.handle_ids[k].update(v)
                 continue
 
-            if self.plot.renderer.mode == 'server':
+            if self.comm is None:
                 self.set_server_callback(handle)
             else:
                 js_callback = self.get_customjs(handles, plot_id=plot_id)
@@ -654,7 +656,7 @@ def _process_msg(self, msg):
         if 'y' in msg and isinstance(yaxis, DatetimeAxis):
             msg['y'] = convert_timestamp(msg['y'])
 
-        server_mode = self.plot.renderer.mode == 'server'
+        server_mode = self.comm is None
         if isinstance(x_range, FactorRange) and isinstance(msg.get('x'), (int, float)):
             msg['x'] = x_range.factors[int(msg['x'])]
         elif 'x' in msg and isinstance(x_range, (Range1d, DataRange1d)) and server_mode:
diff --git a/holoviews/plotting/renderer.py b/holoviews/plotting/renderer.py
index 23a6185880..fef14b2ef6 100644
--- a/holoviews/plotting/renderer.py
+++ b/holoviews/plotting/renderer.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 """
 Public API for all plotting renderers supported by HoloViews,
 regardless of plotting package or backend.
@@ -22,7 +23,7 @@
 from bokeh.embed import file_html
 from bokeh.resources import CDN, INLINE
 from panel import config
-from panel.io.notebook import load_notebook, render_model, render_mimebundle
+from panel.io.notebook import ipywidget, load_notebook, render_model, render_mimebundle
 from panel.io.state import state
 from panel.pane import HoloViews as HoloViewsPane
 from panel.widgets.player import PlayerBase
@@ -375,13 +376,17 @@ def components(self, obj, fmt=None, comm=True, **kwargs):
                     for src, streams in registry for s in streams
                 )
             embed = (not (dynamic or streams or self.widget_mode == 'live') or config.embed)
-            comm = self.comm_manager.get_server_comm() if comm else None
-            doc = Document()
-            with config.set(embed=embed):
-                model = plot.layout._render_model(doc, comm)
-            if embed:
-                return render_model(model, comm)
-            else:
+
+            # This part should be factored out in Panel and then imported
+            # here for HoloViews 2.0, which will be able to require a
+            # recent Panel version.
+            if embed or config.comms == 'default':
+                comm = self.comm_manager.get_server_comm() if comm else None
+                doc = Document()
+                with config.set(embed=embed):
+                    model = plot.layout._render_model(doc, comm)
+                if embed:
+                    return render_model(model, comm)
                 args = (model, doc, comm)
                 if panel_version > '0.9.3':
                     from panel.models.comm_manager import CommManager
@@ -395,6 +400,29 @@ def components(self, obj, fmt=None, comm=True, **kwargs):
                     manager.client_comm_id = client_comm.id
                     args = args + (manager,)
                 return render_mimebundle(*args)
+
+            # Handle rendering object as ipywidget
+            widget = ipywidget(plot, combine_events=True)
+            if hasattr(widget, '_repr_mimebundle_'):
+                return widget._repr_mimebundle()
+            plaintext = repr(widget)
+            if len(plaintext) > 110:
+                plaintext = plaintext[:110] + '…'
+            data = {
+                'text/plain': plaintext,
+            }
+            if widget._view_name is not None:
+                data['application/vnd.jupyter.widget-view+json'] = {
+                    'version_major': 2,
+                    'version_minor': 0,
+                    'model_id': widget._model_id
+                }
+            if config.comms == 'vscode':
+                # Unfortunately VSCode does not yet handle _repr_mimebundle_
+                from IPython.display import display
+                display(data, raw=True)
+                return {'text/html': '<div style="display: none"></div>'}, {}
+            return data, {}
         else:
             html = self._figure_data(plot, fmt, as_script=True, **kwargs)
         data['text/html'] = html