diff --git a/src/backends/plotly.jl b/src/backends/plotly.jl
index 583c2f8e..fafbe44c 100644
--- a/src/backends/plotly.jl
+++ b/src/backends/plotly.jl
@@ -12,14 +12,26 @@ function _initialize_backend(::PlotlyBackend; kw...)
 
     _js_code = open(readall, _js_path, "r")
 
+    # _js_script = """
+    #     <script type="text/javascript">
+    #         require=requirejs=define=undefined;
+    #     </script>
+    #     <script type="text/javascript">
+    #         $(_js_code)
+    #     </script>
+    #  """
+
+    # borrowed from https://github.com/plotly/plotly.py/blob/2594076e29584ede2d09f2aa40a8a195b3f3fc66/plotly/offline/offline.py#L64-L71 c/o @spencerlyon2
     _js_script = """
-        <script type="text/javascript">
-            require=requirejs=define=undefined;
+        <script type='text/javascript'>
+            define('plotly', function(require, exports, module) {
+                $(_js_code)
+            });
+            require(['plotly'], function(Plotly) {
+                window.Plotly = Plotly;
+            });
         </script>
-        <script type="text/javascript">
-            $(_js_code)
-        </script>
-     """
+    """
 
     # if we're in IJulia call setupnotebook to load js and css
     if isijulia()