diff --git a/base-notebook/jupyter_server_config.py b/base-notebook/jupyter_server_config.py
index ef0380bd..c95957cc 100644
--- a/base-notebook/jupyter_server_config.py
+++ b/base-notebook/jupyter_server_config.py
@@ -12,6 +12,9 @@ c.ServerApp.ip = "0.0.0.0"
 c.ServerApp.port = 8888
 c.ServerApp.open_browser = False
 
+# to output both image/svg+xml and application/pdf plot formats in the notebook file
+c.InlineBackend.figure_formats = {"png", "jpeg", "svg", "pdf"}
+
 # https://github.com/jupyter/notebook/issues/3130
 c.FileContentsManager.delete_to_trash = False
 
diff --git a/minimal-notebook/Dockerfile b/minimal-notebook/Dockerfile
index f7b495f6..e421750e 100644
--- a/minimal-notebook/Dockerfile
+++ b/minimal-notebook/Dockerfile
@@ -21,8 +21,6 @@ RUN apt-get update --yes && \
     tzdata \
     unzip \
     vim-tiny \
-    # Inkscape is installed to be able to convert SVG files
-    inkscape \
     # git-over-ssh
     openssh-client \
     # less is needed to run help in R
@@ -40,3 +38,6 @@ RUN update-alternatives --install /usr/bin/nano nano /bin/nano-tiny 10
 
 # Switch back to jovyan to avoid accidental container runs as root
 USER ${NB_UID}
+
+# Add R mimetype option to specify how the plot returns from R to the browser
+COPY --chown=${NB_UID}:${NB_GID} Rprofile.site /opt/conda/lib/R/etc/
diff --git a/minimal-notebook/Rprofile.site b/minimal-notebook/Rprofile.site
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3d6a93cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/minimal-notebook/Rprofile.site
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+# Add R mimetype to specify how the plot returns from R to the browser.
+# https://notebook.community/andrie/jupyter-notebook-samples/Changing%20R%20plot%20options%20in%20Jupyter
+
+options(jupyter.plot_mimetypes = c('text/plain', 'image/png', 'image/jpeg', 'image/svg+xml', 'application/pdf'))
diff --git a/tests/R_mimetype_check.py b/tests/R_mimetype_check.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cc09d134
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/R_mimetype_check.py
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+# Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+
+import logging
+
+from tests.conftest import TrackedContainer
+
+LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
+
+def check_r_mimetypes(container: TrackedContainer) -> None:
+    """Check if Rscript command can be executed"""
+    LOGGER.info("Test that R command can be executed ...")
+    Rcommand = 'if (length(getOption("jupyter.plot_mimetypes")) != 5) {stop("missing jupyter.plot_mimetypes")}'
+    logs = container.run_and_wait(
+        timeout=10,
+        tty=True,
+        command=["Rscript", "-e", Rcommand],
+    )
+    LOGGER.debug(f"{logs=}")
+    assert len(logs) == 0, f"Command {Rcommand=} failed"
diff --git a/tests/datascience-notebook/test_mimetypes.py b/tests/datascience-notebook/test_mimetypes.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2ac55cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/datascience-notebook/test_mimetypes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+
+from tests.conftest import TrackedContainer
+from tests.R_mimetype_check import check_r_mimetypes
+
+
+def test_mimetypes(container: TrackedContainer) -> None:
+    """Check if Rscript command for mimetypes can be executed"""
+    check_r_mimetypes(container)
diff --git a/tests/minimal-notebook/test_inkscape.py b/tests/minimal-notebook/test_inkscape.py
deleted file mode 100644
index 7cdcf277..00000000
--- a/tests/minimal-notebook/test_inkscape.py
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-# Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
-# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
-
-import logging
-
-from tests.conftest import TrackedContainer
-
-LOGGER = logging.getLogger(__name__)
-
-
-def test_inkscape(container: TrackedContainer) -> None:
-    """Inkscape shall be installed to be able to convert SVG files."""
-    LOGGER.info("Test that inkscape is working by printing its version ...")
-    logs = container.run_and_wait(
-        timeout=10,
-        tty=True,
-        command=["start.sh", "bash", "-c", "inkscape --version"],
-    )
-    assert "Inkscape" in logs, "Inkscape not installed or not working"
diff --git a/tests/r-notebook/test_R_mimetypes.py b/tests/r-notebook/test_R_mimetypes.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2ac55cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/r-notebook/test_R_mimetypes.py
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+# Copyright (c) Jupyter Development Team.
+# Distributed under the terms of the Modified BSD License.
+
+from tests.conftest import TrackedContainer
+from tests.R_mimetype_check import check_r_mimetypes
+
+
+def test_mimetypes(container: TrackedContainer) -> None:
+    """Check if Rscript command for mimetypes can be executed"""
+    check_r_mimetypes(container)