diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/__examples__/__snapshots__/asset.examples.storyshot b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/__examples__/__snapshots__/asset.examples.storyshot
index 454ef0a79d10a..35de0fb665be1 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/__examples__/__snapshots__/asset.examples.storyshot
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/__examples__/__snapshots__/asset.examples.storyshot
@@ -25,11 +25,6 @@ exports[`Storyshots components/Assets/Asset airplane 1`] = `
             alt="Asset thumbnail"
             className="euiImage__img"
             src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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"
-            style={
-              Object {
-                "backgroundImage": "url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,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)",
-              }
-            }
           />
         </figure>
       </div>
@@ -224,11 +219,6 @@ exports[`Storyshots components/Assets/Asset marker 1`] = `
             alt="Asset thumbnail"
             className="euiImage__img"
             src="data:image/svg+xml;base64,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"
-            style={
-              Object {
-                "backgroundImage": "url(data:image/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciIHZpZXdCb3g9IjAgMCAzOC4zOSA1Ny41NyI+PGRlZnM+PHN0eWxlPi5jbHMtMXtmaWxsOiNmZmY7c3Ryb2tlOiMwMTliOGY7c3Ryb2tlLW1pdGVybGltaXQ6MTA7c3Ryb2tlLXdpZHRoOjJweDt9PC9zdHlsZT48L2RlZnM+PHRpdGxlPkxvY2F0aW9uIEljb248L3RpdGxlPjxnIGlkPSJMYXllcl8yIiBkYXRhLW5hbWU9IkxheWVyIDIiPjxnIGlkPSJMYXllcl8xLTIiIGRhdGEtbmFtZT0iTGF5ZXIgMSI+PHBhdGggY2xhc3M9ImNscy0xIiBkPSJNMTkuMTksMUExOC4xOSwxOC4xOSwwLDAsMCwyLjk0LDI3LjM2aDBhMTkuNTEsMTkuNTEsMCwwLDAsMSwxLjc4TDE5LjE5LDU1LjU3LDM0LjM4LDI5LjIxQTE4LjE5LDE4LjE5LDAsMCwwLDE5LjE5LDFabTAsMjMuMjlhNS41Myw1LjUzLDAsMSwxLDUuNTMtNS41M0E1LjUzLDUuNTMsMCwwLDEsMTkuMTksMjQuMjlaIi8+PC9nPjwvZz48L3N2Zz4=)",
-              }
-            }
           />
         </figure>
       </div>
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/asset.tsx b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/asset.tsx
index 579470649582d..c1a2b0f0bf372 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/asset.tsx
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/asset.tsx
@@ -92,7 +92,6 @@ export const Asset: FunctionComponent<Props> = props => {
         url={props.asset.value}
         fullScreenIconColor="dark"
         alt={strings.getThumbnailAltText()}
-        style={{ backgroundImage: `url(${props.asset.value})` }}
       />
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/asset_manager.scss b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/asset_manager.scss
index 5b281129f533f..c8ab1323557bb 100644
--- a/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/asset_manager.scss
+++ b/x-pack/legacy/plugins/canvas/public/components/asset_manager/asset_manager.scss
@@ -46,18 +46,20 @@
     margin: -$euiSizeS;
     margin-bottom: 0;
     font-size: 0; // eliminates any extra space around img
+    height: 164px;
   }
 
   .canvasAsset__img {
-    background-repeat: no-repeat;
-    background-position: center;
-    background-size: contain;
+    display: flex;
+    align-items: center;
+    justify-content: center;
+
+    height: 100%;
 
     img {
       width: auto;
       max-width: 100%;
-      height: 164px; // nice default proportions for typical 4x3 images
-      opacity: 0; // only show the background image (which will properly keep proportions)
+      max-height: 164px; // nice default proportions for typical 4x3 images
     }
   }
 }