diff --git a/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/file_preview.js b/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/file_preview.js
index 2459175e3..c157c5b1c 100644
--- a/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/file_preview.js
+++ b/app/assets/javascripts/sitewide/file_preview.js
@@ -474,7 +474,7 @@ var FilePreviewModal = (function() {
         link.attr('href', downloadUrl);
         link.attr('data-no-turbolink', true);
         link.attr('data-status', 'asset-present');
-        if (data.type === 'image') {
+        if (data.type === 'previewable') {
           animateSpinner('.file-preview-container', false);
           modal.find('.file-preview-container')
             .append($('<img>')
diff --git a/app/controllers/assets_controller.rb b/app/controllers/assets_controller.rb
index 032e385c3..82889d951 100644
--- a/app/controllers/assets_controller.rb
+++ b/app/controllers/assets_controller.rb
@@ -18,9 +18,11 @@ class AssetsController < ApplicationController
   before_action :check_edit_permission, only: :edit
 
   def file_preview
+    file_type = 'previewable' if @asset.previewable?
+    file_type ||= @asset.file.metadata[:asset_type]
     response_json = {
       'id' => @asset.id,
-      'type' => @asset.file.metadata[:asset_type] || (@asset.image? ? 'image' : 'file'),
+      'type' => file_type,
       'filename' => truncate(escape_input(@asset.file_name),
                              length: Constants::FILENAME_TRUNCATION_LENGTH),
       'download-url' => asset_file_url_path(@asset)
@@ -33,7 +35,7 @@ class AssetsController < ApplicationController
                elsif @assoc.class == RepositoryCell
                  can_manage_repository_rows?(@repository)
                end
-    if response_json['type'] == 'image'
+    if response_json['type'] == 'previewable'
       if ['image/jpeg', 'image/pjpeg'].include? @asset.file.content_type
         response_json['quality'] = @asset.file_image_quality || 90
       end