diff --git a/IPython/html/static/base/js/contents.js b/IPython/html/static/base/js/contents.js
index 13791a2..365dde6 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/base/js/contents.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/base/js/contents.js
@@ -68,39 +68,20 @@ define([
      * @method scroll_to_cell
      * @param {String} path The path to create the new notebook at
      */
-    Contents.prototype.new_notebook = function(path) {
+    Contents.prototype.new_notebook = function(path, options) {
         var base_url = this.base_url;
+        var success_callback = options.success_callback || function(data, status, xhr) {};
+        var error_callback = options.error_callback || function(xhr, status, error) {};
         var settings = {
             processData : false,
             cache : false,
             type : "POST",
             dataType : "json",
             async : false,
-            success : function (data, status, xhr){
-                var notebook_name = data.name;
-                window.open(
-                    utils.url_join_encode(
-                        base_url,
-                        'notebooks',
-                        path,
-                        notebook_name
-                    ),
-                    '_blank'
-                );
-            },
+            success : success_callback,
             error : function(xhr, status, error) {
                 utils.log_ajax_error(xhr, status, error);
-                var msg;
-                if (xhr.responseJSON && xhr.responseJSON.message) {
-                    msg = xhr.responseJSON.message;
-                } else {
-                    msg = xhr.statusText;
-                }
-                dialog.modal({
-                    title : 'Creating Notebook Failed',
-                    body : "The error was: " + msg,
-                    buttons : {'OK' : {'class' : 'btn-primary'}}
-                });
+                error_callback(xhr, status, error);
             }
         };
         var url = utils.url_join_encode(
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/menubar.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/menubar.js
index 41a21cf..6cbae09 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/menubar.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/menubar.js
@@ -89,7 +89,29 @@ define([
         this.element.find('#new_notebook').click(function () {
             // Create a new notebook in the same path as the current
             // notebook's path.
-            that.contents.new_notebook(that.notebook.notebook_path);
+            that.contents.new_notebook(that.notebook.notebook_path,
+                {
+                    success_callback: function (data, status, xhr) {
+                        window.open(
+                            utils.url_join_encode(
+                                common_options.base_url, 'notebooks',
+                                data.path, data.name
+                            ), '_blank');
+                        },
+                    error_callback: function(xhr, status, error) {
+                        var msg;
+                        if (xhr.responseJSON && xhr.responseJSON.message) {
+                            msg = xhr.responseJSON.message;
+                        } else {
+                            msg = xhr.statusText;
+                        }
+                        dialog.modal({
+                            title : 'Creating Notebook Failed',
+                            body : "The error was: " + msg,
+                            buttons : {'OK' : {'class' : 'btn-primary'}}
+                        });
+                    }
+                });
         });
         this.element.find('#open_notebook').click(function () {
             window.open(utils.url_join_encode(
diff --git a/IPython/html/static/tree/js/main.js b/IPython/html/static/tree/js/main.js
index f567647..8244a1e 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/tree/js/main.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/tree/js/main.js
@@ -60,7 +60,29 @@ require([
     login_widget = new loginwidget.LoginWidget('#login_widget', common_options);
 
     $('#new_notebook').button().click(function (e) {
-        contents.new_notebook(common_options.notebook_path);
+        contents.new_notebook(common_options.notebook_path,
+            {
+                success_callback: function (data, status, xhr) {
+                    window.open(
+                        utils.url_join_encode(
+                            common_options.base_url, 'notebooks',
+                            data.path, data.name
+                        ), '_blank');
+                    },
+                error_callback: function(xhr, status, error) {
+                    var msg;
+                    if (xhr.responseJSON && xhr.responseJSON.message) {
+                        msg = xhr.responseJSON.message;
+                    } else {
+                        msg = xhr.statusText;
+                    }
+                    dialog.modal({
+                        title : 'Creating Notebook Failed',
+                        body : "The error was: " + msg,
+                        buttons : {'OK' : {'class' : 'btn-primary'}}
+                    });
+                }
+            });
     });
 
     var interval_id=0;