diff --git a/js/src/widget_ngl.ts b/js/src/widget_ngl.ts
index 14af9d7f..104fa1ad 100644
--- a/js/src/widget_ngl.ts
+++ b/js/src/widget_ngl.ts
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ export class NGLView extends widgets.DOMWidgetView {
         this.beforeDisplay();
         this.displayed.then(() => {
             this.stageManager.createStage();
+            this.stage = this.stageManager.stage;
             this.eventHandler.handlePicking();
             this.eventHandler.handleSignals();
             this.eventHandler.handleMessage();