diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
index 05d1c06..5ef66c3 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/notebook.js
@@ -2041,31 +2041,17 @@ define([
     };
 
     Notebook.prototype.copy_notebook = function(){
-        var path = this.notebook_path;
         var base_url = this.base_url;
-        var settings = {
-            processData : false,
-            cache : false,
-            type : "POST",
-            dataType : "json",
-            data : JSON.stringify({copy_from : this.notebook_name}),
-            async : false,
-            success : function (data, status, xhr) {
+        this.contents.copy_file(this.notebook_path, null, this.notebook_name, {
+            // synchronous so we can open a new window on success
+            extra_settings: {async: false},
+            success: function (data) {
                 window.open(utils.url_join_encode(
-                    base_url,
-                    'notebooks',
-                    data.path,
-                    data.name
+                    base_url, 'notebooks', data.path, data.name
                 ), '_blank');
             },
-            error : utils.log_ajax_error,
-        };
-        var url = utils.url_join_encode(
-            base_url,
-            'api/contents',
-            path
-        );
-        $.ajax(url,settings);
+            error : utils.log_ajax_error
+        });
     };
 
     Notebook.prototype.rename = function (new_name) {
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/services/contents.js b/IPython/html/static/services/contents.js
index aeff6af..8494e2a 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/services/contents.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/services/contents.js
@@ -153,7 +153,6 @@ define([
         // We do the call with settings so we can set cache to false.
         var settings = {
             processData : false,
-            cache : false,
             type : "PUT",
             data : JSON.stringify(model),
             contentType: 'application/json',
@@ -166,6 +165,31 @@ define([
         var url = this.api_url(path, name);
         $.ajax(url, settings);
     };
+    
+    Contents.prototype.copy_file = function(to_path, to_name, from, options) {
+        var url, method;
+        if (to_name) {
+            url = this.api_url(to_path, to_name);
+            method = "PUT";
+        } else {
+            url = this.api_url(to_path);
+            method = "POST";
+        }
+        
+        var settings = {
+            processData : false,
+            cache : false,
+            type: method,
+            data: JSON.stringify({copy_from: from}),
+            dataType : "json",
+            success: options.success || function() {},
+            error: this.create_basic_error_handler(options.error)
+        };
+        if (options.extra_settings) {
+            $.extend(settings, options.extra_settings);
+        }
+        $.ajax(url, settings);
+    };
 
     /**
      * Checkpointing Functions