diff --git a/kittens/choose_files/graphics.go b/kittens/choose_files/graphics.go
index e6b675a5e..4ce09af1f 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_files/graphics.go
+++ b/kittens/choose_files/graphics.go
@@ -283,14 +283,14 @@ func (self *GraphicsHandler) RenderImagePreview(h *Handler, p *ImagePreview, x,
 	}
 	files_supported := self.files_supported.Load()
 
-	if p.img_metadata.Width <= px_width && p.img_metadata.Height <= px_height {
+	if p.custom_metadata.image.Width <= px_width && p.custom_metadata.image.Height <= px_height {
 		if files_supported {
-			self.transmit(h.lp, nil, p.img_metadata, p.cached_data)
+			self.transmit(h.lp, nil, p.custom_metadata.image, p.cached_data)
 		} else {
 			if err = p.ensure_source_image(); err != nil {
 				return
 			}
-			self.transmit(h.lp, p.source_img, p.img_metadata, nil)
+			self.transmit(h.lp, p.source_img, p.custom_metadata.image, nil)
 		}
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/kittens/choose_files/image_preview.go b/kittens/choose_files/image_preview.go
index 9b96be5a2..d538499ba 100644
--- a/kittens/choose_files/image_preview.go
+++ b/kittens/choose_files/image_preview.go
@@ -35,19 +35,25 @@ type ShowData struct {
 	metadata            fs.FileInfo
 	x, y, width, height int
 	cached_data         map[string]string
-	img_metadata        *images.SerializableImageMetadata
+	custom_metadata     metadata
 }
 
 type PreviewRenderer interface {
-	Render(string) (map[string][]byte, *images.ImageData, error)
+	Unmarshall(map[string]string) (any, error)
+	Render(string) (map[string][]byte, metadata, *images.ImageData, error)
 	ShowMetadata(h *Handler, s ShowData) int
 }
 
 type render_data struct {
-	cached_data  map[string]string
-	img          *images.ImageData
-	img_metadata *images.SerializableImageMetadata
-	err          error
+	cached_data map[string]string
+	img         *images.ImageData
+	metadata    metadata
+	err         error
+}
+
+type metadata struct {
+	image  *images.SerializableImageMetadata
+	custom any
 }
 
 type ImagePreview struct {
@@ -59,7 +65,7 @@ type ImagePreview struct {
 	render_channel        chan render_data
 	ready                 atomic.Bool
 	source_img            *images.ImageData
-	img_metadata          *images.SerializableImageMetadata
+	custom_metadata       metadata
 	renderer              PreviewRenderer
 	file_metadata_preview Preview
 	WakeupMainThread      func() bool
@@ -124,7 +130,7 @@ func (p *ImagePreview) render_image(h *Handler, x, y, width, height int) {
 
 	offset := p.renderer.ShowMetadata(h, ShowData{
 		abspath: p.abspath, metadata: p.metadata, x: x, y: y, width: width, height: height, cached_data: p.cached_data,
-		img_metadata: p.img_metadata,
+		custom_metadata: p.custom_metadata,
 	})
 	h.graphics_handler.RenderImagePreview(h, p, x, y+offset, width, height-offset)
 }
@@ -143,7 +149,7 @@ func (p *ImagePreview) Render(h *Handler, x, y, width, height int) {
 		p.render_channel = nil
 		p.cached_data = hd.cached_data
 		p.source_img = hd.img
-		p.img_metadata = hd.img_metadata
+		p.custom_metadata = hd.metadata
 		if hd.err != nil {
 			p.render_err = NewErrorPreview(fmt.Errorf("Failed to render the preview with error: %w", hd.err))
 		}
@@ -178,20 +184,21 @@ func (p *ImagePreview) start_rendering() {
 			if b, err := os.ReadFile(d); err == nil {
 				var m images.SerializableImageMetadata
 				if err = json.Unmarshal(b, &m); err == nil {
-					p.render_channel <- render_data{cached_data: ans, img_metadata: &m}
-					return
+					if cm, err := p.renderer.Unmarshall(ans); err == nil {
+						p.render_channel <- render_data{cached_data: ans, metadata: metadata{image: &m, custom: cm}}
+						return
+					}
 				}
 			}
 		}
 	}
-	rdata, img, err := p.renderer.Render(p.abspath)
+	rdata, metadata, img, err := p.renderer.Render(p.abspath)
 	if err != nil {
 		p.render_channel <- render_data{err: err}
 	} else {
 		ans, err = p.disk_cache.AddPath(p.abspath, key, rdata)
 		if err == nil {
-			m := img.SerializeOnlyMetadata()
-			p.render_channel <- render_data{cached_data: ans, img_metadata: &m, img: img}
+			p.render_channel <- render_data{cached_data: ans, metadata: metadata, img: img}
 		} else {
 			p.render_channel <- render_data{err: err}
 		}
@@ -200,17 +207,18 @@ func (p *ImagePreview) start_rendering() {
 
 type ImagePreviewRenderer uint
 
-func (p ImagePreviewRenderer) Render(abspath string) (ans map[string][]byte, img *images.ImageData, err error) {
+func (p ImagePreviewRenderer) Render(abspath string) (ans map[string][]byte, m metadata, img *images.ImageData, err error) {
 	if img, err = images.OpenImageFromPath(abspath); err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, err
+		return nil, metadata{}, nil, err
 	}
-	m, data := img.Serialize()
+	im, data := img.Serialize()
 	ans = make(map[string][]byte, len(data)+1)
-	metadata, err := json.Marshal(m)
+	sm, err := json.Marshal(im)
 	if err != nil {
-		return nil, nil, err
+		return nil, metadata{}, nil, err
 	}
-	ans[IMAGE_METADATA_KEY] = metadata
+	ans[IMAGE_METADATA_KEY] = sm
+	m = metadata{image: &im}
 	for i, d := range data {
 		key := IMAGE_DATA_PREFIX + strconv.Itoa(i)
 		ans[key] = d
@@ -218,11 +226,13 @@ func (p ImagePreviewRenderer) Render(abspath string) (ans map[string][]byte, img
 	return
 }
 
+func (p ImagePreviewRenderer) Unmarshall(map[string]string) (any, error) { return nil, nil }
+
 func (p ImagePreviewRenderer) ShowMetadata(h *Handler, s ShowData) int {
 	text := ""
 	offset := 0
-	if s.img_metadata != nil {
-		text = fmt.Sprintf("%s: %dx%d %s", s.img_metadata.Format_uppercase, s.img_metadata.Width, s.img_metadata.Height, humanize.Bytes(uint64(s.metadata.Size())))
+	if m := s.custom_metadata.image; m != nil {
+		text = fmt.Sprintf("%s: %dx%d %s", m.Format_uppercase, m.Width, m.Height, humanize.Bytes(uint64(s.metadata.Size())))
 		icon := icons.IconForPath("/a.gif")
 		text = icon + "  " + text
 		offset += h.render_wrapped_text_in_region(text, s.x, s.y, s.width, s.height, true)