diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
index 1ea6743ae2..0241e1b542 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/dialogs/metadata_single.py
@@ -403,12 +403,14 @@ class MetadataSingleDialog(ResizableDialog, Ui_MetadataSingleDialog):
         ag = QCoreApplication.instance().desktop().availableGeometry(self)
         self.cover.MAX_HEIGHT = ag.height()-(25 if (islinux or isfreebsd) else 0)-height_of_rest
         self.cover.MAX_WIDTH = ag.width()-(25 if (islinux or isfreebsd) else 0)-width_of_rest
+        pm = QPixmap()
         if cover:
-            pm = QPixmap()
             pm.loadFromData(cover)
-            if not pm.isNull():
-                self.cover.setPixmap(pm)
+        if pm.isNull():
+            pm = QPixmap(I('book.svg'))
+        else:
             self.cover_data = cover
+        self.cover.setPixmap(pm)
         self.original_series_name = unicode(self.series.text()).strip()
         if len(db.custom_column_label_map) == 0:
             self.central_widget.tabBar().setVisible(False)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/status.py b/src/calibre/gui2/status.py
index 2759c4074b..14c6131fb8 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/status.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/status.py
@@ -52,10 +52,7 @@ class BookInfoDisplay(QWidget):
             QLabel.__init__(self)
             self.setMaximumWidth(81)
             self.setMaximumHeight(108)
-            self.default_pixmap = QPixmap(coverpath).scaled(self.maximumWidth(),
-                                                            self.maximumHeight(),
-                                                            Qt.IgnoreAspectRatio,
-                                                            Qt.SmoothTransformation)
+            self.default_pixmap = QPixmap(coverpath)
             self.setScaledContents(True)
             self.statusbar_height = 120
             self.setPixmap(self.default_pixmap)