diff --git a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/history_contents.py b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/history_contents.py
index e47f9f48f6b..cf8666a7cd1 100644
--- a/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/history_contents.py
+++ b/lib/galaxy/webapps/galaxy/api/history_contents.py
@@ -102,8 +102,10 @@ class HistoryContentsController( BaseAPIController, UsesHistoryDatasetAssociatio
             contents_kwds[ 'deleted' ] = kwd.get( 'deleted', None )
             contents_kwds[ 'visible' ] = kwd.get( 'visible', None )
             # details param allows a mixed set of summary and detailed hdas
-            #TODO: this is getting convoluted due to backwards compat
-            details = kwd.get( 'details', None ) or []
+            # Ever more convoluted due to backwards compat..., details
+            # should be considered deprecated in favor of more specific
+            # dataset_details (and to be implemented dataset_collection_details).
+            details = kwd.get( 'details', None ) or kwd.get( 'dataset_details', None ) or []
             if details and details != 'all':
                 details = util.listify( details )
 
diff --git a/static/scripts/mvc/history/history-model.js b/static/scripts/mvc/history/history-model.js
index c3d0ee9067b..eaca8f7815d 100644
--- a/static/scripts/mvc/history/history-model.js
+++ b/static/scripts/mvc/history/history-model.js
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ History.UPDATE_DELAY = 4000;
 History.getHistoryData = function getHistoryData( historyId, options ){
     options = options || {};
     var hdaDetailIds = options.hdaDetailIds || [];
+    var hdcaDetailIds = options.hdcaDetailIds || [];
     //console.debug( 'getHistoryData:', historyId, options );
 
     var df = jQuery.Deferred(),
@@ -224,7 +225,18 @@ History.getHistoryData = function getHistoryData( historyId, options ){
         if( _.isFunction( hdaDetailIds ) ){
             hdaDetailIds = hdaDetailIds( historyData );
         }
-        var data = ( hdaDetailIds.length )?( { details : hdaDetailIds.join( ',' ) } ):( {} );
+        if( _.isFunction( hdcaDetailIds ) ){
+            hdcaDetailIds = hdcaDetailIds( historyData );
+        }
+        var data = {};
+        if( hdaDetailIds.length ) {
+            data[ "dataset_details" ] = hdaDetailIds.join( ',' );
+        }
+        if( hdcaDetailIds.length ) {
+            // for symmetry, not actually used by backend of consumed
+            // by frontend.
+            data[ "dataset_collection_details" ] = hdcaDetailIds.join( ',' );
+        }            
         return jQuery.ajax( galaxy_config.root + 'api/histories/' + historyData.id + '/contents', { data: data });
     }