diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/web_view.py b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/web_view.py
index 393c2f6f4e..7760100273 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/web_view.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/web_view.py
@@ -168,6 +168,7 @@ class ViewerBridge(Bridge):
 
     set_session_data = from_js(object, object)
 
+    create_view = to_js()
     start_book_load = to_js()
 
 
@@ -308,15 +309,16 @@ class WebView(RestartingWebEngineView):
         return self._page.bridge
 
     def on_bridge_ready(self):
+        self.bridge.create_view(vprefs['session_data'])
         for func, args in iteritems(self.pending_bridge_ready_actions):
             getattr(self.bridge, func)(*args)
 
     def start_book_load(self, initial_cfi=None):
         key = (set_book_path.path,)
         if self.bridge.ready:
-            self.bridge.start_book_load(key, vprefs['session_data'], initial_cfi)
+            self.bridge.start_book_load(key, initial_cfi)
         else:
-            self.pending_bridge_ready_actions['start_book_load'] = key, vprefs['session_data'], initial_cfi
+            self.pending_bridge_ready_actions['start_book_load'] = key, initial_cfi
 
     def set_session_data(self, key, val):
         if key == '*' and val is None:
diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
index 4a169f9f90..49230c3013 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/view.pyj
@@ -344,10 +344,13 @@ class View:
             if sd.get('max_text_width') or sd.get('max_text_height'):
                 self.set_margins()
 
+    def show_loading_message(self, msg):
+        self.overlay.show_loading_message(msg)
+
     def show_loading(self):
         title = self.book.metadata.title
         name = self.currently_showing.name
-        self.overlay.show_loading_message(_(
+        self.show_loading_message(_(
             'Loading <i>{name}</i> from <i>{title}</i>, please wait...').format(name=name, title=title))
 
     def hide_loading(self):
diff --git a/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj b/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj
index 1cb4aa18f3..2f92c694c8 100644
--- a/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/viewer-main.pyj
@@ -22,9 +22,6 @@ from utils import encode_query_with_path
 from viewer.constants import FAKE_HOST, FAKE_PROTOCOL
 
 
-def container_div(id):
-    return E.div(id=id, style='margin: 0; padding: 0; display: none')
-
 runtime.is_standalone_viewer = True
 runtime.FAKE_HOST = FAKE_HOST
 runtime.FAKE_PROTOCOL = FAKE_PROTOCOL
@@ -177,11 +174,14 @@ def create_session_data(prefs):
 
 
 @from_python
-def start_book_load(key, prefs, initial_cfi):
+def create_view(prefs):
     nonlocal view
     if view is None:
         create_session_data(prefs)
         view = View(document.getElementById('view'))
+
+@from_python
+def start_book_load(key, initial_cfi):
     xhr = ajax('manifest', manifest_received.bind(None, key, initial_cfi), ok_code=0)
     xhr.responseType = 'json'
     xhr.send()