diff --git a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml
index c1e1ef03..16dbf48e 100644
--- a/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml
+++ b/.github/ISSUE_TEMPLATE/bug_report.yml
@@ -76,7 +76,7 @@ body:
                 "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
                 "nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons", -- not strictly required, but recommended
                 "MunifTanjim/nui.nvim",
-                -- "3rd/image.nvim", -- Optional image support
+                -- { "3rd/image.nvim", opts = {} }, -- Optional image support
               },
               opts = {
                 -- fill any relevant options here
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 1eaa7179..e10fd7a4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ so we can fix it.
       "nvim-lua/plenary.nvim",
       "nvim-tree/nvim-web-devicons", -- not strictly required, but recommended
       "MunifTanjim/nui.nvim",
-      -- "3rd/image.nvim", -- Optional image support in preview window: See `# Preview Mode` for more information
+      -- {"3rd/image.nvim", opts = {}}, -- Optional image support in preview window: See `# Preview Mode` for more information
     }
 }
 ```
diff --git a/lua/neo-tree/sources/common/preview.lua b/lua/neo-tree/sources/common/preview.lua
index 56cccfaa..9d515a94 100644
--- a/lua/neo-tree/sources/common/preview.lua
+++ b/lua/neo-tree/sources/common/preview.lua
@@ -273,24 +273,35 @@ end
 
 ---@param winid number
 ---@param bufnr number
----@return Image[]|false result Images if the buffer was successfully hijacked, otherwise false
+---@return boolean hijacked Whether the buffer was successfully hijacked.
 local function try_load_image_nvim_buf(winid, bufnr)
   -- notify only image.nvim to let it try and hijack
+  local image_augroup = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("image.nvim", { clear = false })
+  if #vim.api.nvim_get_autocmds({ group = image_augroup }) == 0 then
+    local image_available, image = pcall(require, "image")
+    if not image_available then
+      local image_nvim_url = "https://github.com/3rd/image.nvim"
+      log.debug("You'll need to install image.nvim to use this command: " .. image_nvim_url)
+      return false
+    end
+    log.warn("image.nvim was not setup. Calling require('image').setup().")
+    image.setup()
+    image_augroup = vim.api.nvim_create_augroup("image.nvim", { clear = false })
+  end
+
   vim.opt.eventignore:remove("BufWinEnter")
-  vim.api.nvim_win_call(winid, function()
-    vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds("BufWinEnter", { group = "image.nvim", buffer = bufnr })
+  local ok = pcall(vim.api.nvim_win_call, winid, function()
+    vim.api.nvim_exec_autocmds("BufWinEnter", { group = image_augroup, buffer = bufnr })
   end)
   vim.opt.eventignore:append("BufWinEnter")
-  if vim.bo[bufnr].filetype ~= "image_nvim" then
+  if not ok then
+    log.debug("image.nvim doesn't have any file patterns to hijack.")
     return false
   end
-  local success, mod = pcall(require, "image")
-  if not success or not mod.hijack_buffer then
-    local image_nvim_url = "https://github.com/3rd/image.nvim"
-    log.debug("You'll need to install image.nvim to use this command: " .. image_nvim_url)
+  if vim.bo[bufnr].filetype ~= "image_nvim" then
     return false
   end
-  return mod.get_images({ buffer = bufnr, window = winid })
+  return true
 end
 
 ---Set the buffer in the preview window without executing BufEnter or BufWinEnter autocommands.