diff --git a/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview-aud.js b/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview-aud.js
index 3bf6e6d9..904d265d 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview-aud.js
+++ b/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview-aud.js
@@ -22,16 +22,23 @@ const updateGui = () => {
     ]);
 };
 
+const addUnloadFn = el => {
+    el.unload = () => {
+        el.src = '';
+        el.load();
+    };
+};
+
 const load = item => {
     return new Promise(resolve => {
         const $el = dom(tpl)
             .on('loadedmetadata', () => resolve($el))
-            .attr('controls', 'controls')
-            .attr('src', item.absHref);
-
+            .attr('controls', 'controls');
         if (settings.autoplay) {
             $el.attr('autoplay', 'autoplay');
         }
+        addUnloadFn($el[0]);
+        $el.attr('src', item.absHref);
     });
 };
 
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview-vid.js b/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview-vid.js
index 3eb63ec2..04e21a03 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview-vid.js
+++ b/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview-vid.js
@@ -26,16 +26,23 @@ const updateGui = () => {
     ]);
 };
 
+const addUnloadFn = el => {
+    el.unload = () => {
+        el.src = '';
+        el.load();
+    };
+};
+
 const load = item => {
     return new Promise(resolve => {
         const $el = dom(tpl)
             .on('loadedmetadata', () => resolve($el))
-            .attr('controls', 'controls')
-            .attr('src', item.absHref);
-
+            .attr('controls', 'controls');
         if (settings.autoplay) {
             $el.attr('autoplay', 'autoplay');
         }
+        addUnloadFn($el[0]);
+        $el.attr('src', item.absHref);
     });
 };
 
diff --git a/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview.js b/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview.js
index 665caa20..703b2b99 100644
--- a/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview.js
+++ b/src/_h5ai/public/js/lib/ext/preview/preview.js
@@ -207,6 +207,11 @@ Session.prototype = {
         const item = this.item;
         Promise.resolve()
             .then(() => {
+                each(dom('#pv-container *'), el => {
+                    if (typeof el.unload === 'function') {
+                        el.unload();
+                    }
+                });
                 dom('#pv-container').hide().clr();
                 showSpinner(true, item.thumbSquare || item.icon, 200);
             })