diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/API.js b/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/API.js
index 9815ad33..bf4e6bb7 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/API.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/API.js
@@ -102,14 +102,14 @@ export default class API {
     return textPromise;
   }
 
-  request(path, options = {}) {
+  request(path, options = {}, parseResponse = response => this.parseResponse(response)) {
     const headers = this.requestHeaders(options.headers || {});
     const url = this.urlFor(path, options);
     let responseStatus;
     return fetch(url, { ...options, headers })
       .then(response => {
         responseStatus = response.status;
-        return this.parseResponse(response);
+        return parseResponse(response);
       })
       .catch(error => {
         throw new APIError(error.message, responseStatus, 'GitHub');
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/GraphQLAPI.js b/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/GraphQLAPI.js
index d324f7d9..aa34ad87 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/GraphQLAPI.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/GraphQLAPI.js
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ export default class GraphQLAPI extends API {
     } else if (!is_binary) {
       return text;
     } else {
-      return super.retrieveBlob(sha);
+      return super.retrieveBlob(sha, repoURL);
     }
   }
 
@@ -194,12 +194,13 @@ export default class GraphQLAPI extends API {
     });
 
     if (data.repository.object) {
-      const files = data.repository.object.entries.map(e => ({
-        ...e,
-        path: `${path}/${e.name}`,
-        download_url: `https://raw.githubusercontent.com/${this.repo}/${this.branch}/${path}/${e.name}`,
-        size: e.blob && e.blob.size,
-      }));
+      const files = data.repository.object.entries
+        .filter(({ type }) => type === 'blob')
+        .map(e => ({
+          ...e,
+          path: `${path}/${e.name}`,
+          size: e.blob && e.blob.size,
+        }));
       return files;
     } else {
       throw new APIError('Not Found', 404, 'GitHub');
@@ -589,15 +590,15 @@ export default class GraphQLAPI extends API {
     let entries = null;
 
     if (commitTree.data.repository.commit.tree) {
-      entries = commitTree.data.repository.commit.tree.entries;
+      ({ entries, sha } = commitTree.data.repository.commit.tree);
     }
 
     if (tree.data.repository.tree.entries) {
-      entries = tree.data.repository.tree.entries;
+      ({ entries, sha } = tree.data.repository.tree);
     }
 
     if (entries) {
-      return { tree: entries.map(e => ({ ...e, mode: TREE_ENTRY_TYPE_TO_MODE[e.type] })) };
+      return { sha, tree: entries.map(e => ({ ...e, mode: TREE_ENTRY_TYPE_TO_MODE[e.type] })) };
     }
 
     return Promise.reject('Could not get tree');
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/fragments.js b/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/fragments.js
index 042ad745..eb61dd86 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/fragments.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/fragments.js
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ export const fileEntry = gql`
   fragment FileEntryParts on TreeEntry {
     name
     sha: oid
+    type
     blob: object {
       ... on Blob {
         size: byteSize
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/implementation.js b/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/implementation.js
index 0f7c1602..c8ef661f 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/implementation.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-backend-github/src/implementation.js
@@ -259,15 +259,34 @@ export default class GitHub {
   getMedia() {
     return this.api.listFiles(this.config.get('media_folder')).then(files =>
       files.map(({ sha, name, size, download_url, path }) => {
-        const url = new URL(download_url);
-        if (url.pathname.match(/.svg$/)) {
-          url.search += (url.search.slice(1) === '' ? '?' : '&') + 'sanitize=true';
+        if (download_url) {
+          const url = new URL(download_url);
+          if (url.pathname.match(/.svg$/)) {
+            url.search += (url.search.slice(1) === '' ? '?' : '&') + 'sanitize=true';
+          }
+          // if 'displayURL' is a string it will be loaded as is
+          return { id: sha, name, size, displayURL: url.href, path };
+        } else {
+          // if 'displayURL' is not a string it will be loaded using getMediaDisplayURL
+          return { id: sha, name, size, displayURL: { sha }, path };
         }
-        return { id: sha, name, size, displayURL: url.href, path };
       }),
     );
   }
 
+  async getMediaDisplayURL(displayURL) {
+    const { sha } = displayURL;
+    const blob = await this.api.request(
+      `${this.api.repoURL}/git/blobs/${sha}`,
+      {
+        headers: { Accept: 'application/vnd.github.VERSION.raw' },
+      },
+      response => response.blob(),
+    );
+
+    return URL.createObjectURL(blob);
+  }
+
   persistEntry(entry, mediaFiles = [], options = {}) {
     return this.api.persistFiles(entry, mediaFiles, options);
   }
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryCard.js b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryCard.js
index d9b5bb27..ee5486c8 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryCard.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryCard.js
@@ -100,6 +100,8 @@ MediaLibraryCard.propTypes = {
   margin: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
   isPrivate: PropTypes.bool,
   type: PropTypes.string,
+  isViewableImage: PropTypes.bool.isRequired,
+  loadDisplayURL: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
 };
 
 export default MediaLibraryCard;
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryCardGrid.js b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryCardGrid.js
index 404e9207..68a6bf44 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryCardGrid.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryCardGrid.js
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ MediaLibraryCardGrid.propTypes = {
   cardMargin: PropTypes.string.isRequired,
   loadDisplayURL: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   isPrivate: PropTypes.bool,
+  displayURLs: PropTypes.instanceOf(Map).isRequired,
 };
 
 export default MediaLibraryCardGrid;
diff --git a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryModal.js b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryModal.js
index 99a53d97..29f6c95e 100644
--- a/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryModal.js
+++ b/packages/netlify-cms-core/src/components/MediaLibrary/MediaLibraryModal.js
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import styled from '@emotion/styled';
+import { Map } from 'immutable';
 import { isEmpty } from 'lodash';
 import { translate } from 'react-polyglot';
 import { Modal } from 'UI';
@@ -219,6 +220,7 @@ MediaLibraryModal.propTypes = {
   handleLoadMore: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   loadDisplayURL: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
   t: PropTypes.func.isRequired,
+  displayURLs: PropTypes.instanceOf(Map).isRequired,
 };
 
 export default translate()(MediaLibraryModal);