diff --git a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/string.js b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/string.js
index a94301743..d48051e9f 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/string.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/notebook/js/widgets/string.js
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ define(["notebook/js/widget"], function(widget_manager){
             this.$el_to_style = this.$textbox; // Set default element to style
             this.update(); // Set defaults.
 
-            this.on_msg();
+            this.model.on_msg($.proxy(this._handle_textarea_msg, this));
         },
 
 
diff --git a/IPython/html/widgets/widget_string.py b/IPython/html/widgets/widget_string.py
index 9c1b8595c..8c60eeb5a 100644
--- a/IPython/html/widgets/widget_string.py
+++ b/IPython/html/widgets/widget_string.py
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class StringWidget(Widget):
 
 
     def scroll_to_bottom(self):
-        self._comm.send({"method": "scroll_to_bottom"})
+        self.send({"method": "scroll_to_bottom"})
 
 
     def _handle_string_msg(self, content):