diff --git a/src/calibre/ebooks/pdf/pdftohtml.py b/src/calibre/ebooks/pdf/pdftohtml.py
index 20809e692c..635dbfcd8e 100644
--- a/src/calibre/ebooks/pdf/pdftohtml.py
+++ b/src/calibre/ebooks/pdf/pdftohtml.py
@@ -151,14 +151,12 @@ def parse_outline(raw, output_dir):
 
 
 def flip_image(img, flip):
-    from calibre.utils.magick import Image
-    im = Image()
-    im.open(img)
-    if b'x' in flip:
-        im.flip(True)
-    if b'y' in flip:
-        im.flip()
-    im.save(img)
+    from calibre.utils.img import flip_image, image_and_format_from_data, image_to_data
+    with lopen(img, 'r+b') as f:
+        img, fmt = image_and_format_from_data(f.read())
+        img = flip_image(img, horizontal=b'x' in flip, vertical=b'y' in flip)
+        f.seek(0), f.truncate()
+        f.write(image_to_data(img, fmt=fmt))
 
 def flip_images(raw):
     for match in re.finditer(b'<IMG[^>]+/?>', raw, flags=re.I):
diff --git a/src/calibre/utils/img.py b/src/calibre/utils/img.py
index 09165d07b2..96dc9c6a4b 100644
--- a/src/calibre/utils/img.py
+++ b/src/calibre/utils/img.py
@@ -188,6 +188,9 @@ class Canvas(object):
     def export(self, fmt='JPEG', compression_quality=95):
         return image_to_data(self.img, compression_quality=compression_quality, fmt=fmt)
 
+def flip_image(img, horizontal=False, vertical=False):
+    return image_from_data(img).mirrored(horizontal, vertical)
+
 def run_optimizer(file_path, cmd, as_filter=False, input_data=None):
     file_path = os.path.abspath(file_path)
     cwd = os.path.dirname(file_path)