diff --git a/IPython/html/static/tree/js/notebooklist.js b/IPython/html/static/tree/js/notebooklist.js
index 862db6bab..6fce4113e 100644
--- a/IPython/html/static/tree/js/notebooklist.js
+++ b/IPython/html/static/tree/js/notebooklist.js
@@ -72,18 +72,12 @@ define([
         if (!NotebookList._bound_singletons) {
             NotebookList._bound_singletons = true;
             $('#new-file').click(function(e) {
-                that._prompt_name('File').then(function(name) {
-                    that._create('file', name).then(function() {
-                        that.load_sessions();
-                    });
-                });
+                that.contents.new_untitled(that.notebook_path || '', {type: 'file', ext: '.txt'});
+                that.load_sessions();
             });
             $('#new-folder').click(function(e) {
-                that._prompt_name('Folder').then(function(name) {
-                    that._create('directory', name).then(function() {
-                        that.load_sessions();
-                    });
-                });
+                that.contents.new_untitled(that.notebook_path || '', {type: 'directory'});
+                that.load_sessions();
             });
         }
     };
@@ -538,90 +532,6 @@ define([
             .append(cancel_button);
     };
 
-    /**
-     * Prompt the user for a name.
-     * @param  {string} what - What you want a name for.
-     * @return {Promise} Promise that resolve with a string name
-     */
-    NotebookList.prototype._prompt_name = function(what) {
-        var that = this;
-        var dialog_body = $('<div/>').append(
-            $("<p/>").addClass("rename-message")
-                .text(what + ' name:')
-        ).append(
-            $("<br/>")
-        ).append(
-            $('<input/>').attr('type','text').attr('size','25').addClass('form-control')
-            .val('') // Default to empty
-        );
-
-        return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
-            var dialog_inst = dialog.modal({
-                title: "Rename Notebook",
-                body: dialog_body,
-                buttons: {
-                    "OK": {
-                        class: "btn-primary",
-                        click: function () {
-                            resolve(dialog_inst.find('input').val());
-                        }
-                    },
-                    "Cancel": {
-                        click: function () {
-                            reject();
-                        }
-                    }
-                }, open: function () {
-                    /**
-                     * Upon ENTER, click the OK button.
-                     */
-                    dialog_inst.find('input[type="text"]').keydown(function (event) {
-                        if (event.which === keyboard.keycodes.enter) {
-                            dialog_inst.find('.btn-primary').first().click();
-                            return false;
-                        }
-                    });
-                    dialog_inst.find('input[type="text"]').focus().select();
-                }
-            });
-        });     
-    };
-
-    /**
-     * Creates a `file` or `directory`
-     * @param  {string} type - "file" or "directory"
-     * @param  {string} name - name of the thing to create
-     * @return {Promise} success
-     */
-    NotebookList.prototype._create = function(type, name) {
-        var that = this;
-        return new Promise(function(resolve, reject) {
-            var settings = {
-                processData : false,
-                cache : false,
-                type : "PUT",
-                data: JSON.stringify({
-                    type: type,
-                    format: 'text',
-                    content: '',
-                }),
-                dataType: "json",
-                success: function () {
-                    resolve();
-                },
-                error: function() {
-                    reject();
-                    utils.log_ajax_error.apply(this, arguments);
-                },
-            };
-            var url = utils.url_join_encode(
-                that.base_url,
-                'api/contents/' + name
-            );
-            $.ajax(url, settings);
-        });
-    };
-
 
     // Backwards compatability.
     IPython.NotebookList = NotebookList;