diff --git a/.travis.yml b/.travis.yml
index 649c6e7f35..7539c7d0a1 100644
--- a/.travis.yml
+++ b/.travis.yml
@@ -5,20 +5,29 @@ python:
     - 3.3
     - 3.4
     - 3.5
+    - 3.6
+addons:
+  apt_packages:
+    - pandoc
 env:
-    - GROUP=python TRAVIS_NODE_VERSION=5.1
+    - GROUP=python TRAVIS_NODE_VERSION=6.9
 sudo: false
 before_install:
     - 'if [[ $GROUP == python ]] ; then bash ./scripts/travis_before_install_py.sh ; fi'
+    - 'if [[ $GROUP == doc ]] ; then bash ./scripts/travis_before_install_py.sh ; fi'
 install:
     - 'if [[ $GROUP == python ]] ; then bash ./scripts/travis_install_py.sh ; fi'
+    - 'if [[ $GROUP == doc ]] ; then bash ./scripts/travis_install_py.sh ; fi'
     - 'if [[ $GROUP == js ]] ; then bash ./jupyter-js-widgets/scripts/travis_install_js.sh ; fi'
 script:
     - 'if [[ $GROUP == python ]] ; then bash ./scripts/travis_script_py.sh ; fi'
+    - 'if [[ $GROUP == doc ]] ; then bash ./scripts/travis_script_doc.sh ; fi'
     - 'if [[ $GROUP == js ]] ; then bash ./jupyter-js-widgets/scripts/travis_script_js.sh ; fi'
 matrix:
     include:
-        - python: 3.5
+        - python: 3.6
           env: GROUP=js BROWSER=firefox TRAVIS_NODE_VERSION=6.9
+        - python: 3.6
+          env: GROUP=doc
 after_success:
     - coveralls
diff --git a/docs/environment.yml b/docs/environment.yml
index 9cbaf38d9f..c02fb9ebe0 100644
--- a/docs/environment.yml
+++ b/docs/environment.yml
@@ -3,19 +3,13 @@ channels:
 - conda-forge
 - defaults
 dependencies:
-- sphinx=1.4.8
-- python=3.5
-- sphinx_rtd_theme
-- jinja2
-- tornado
-- nbformat
-- ipywidgets
-- notebook>=4.2
-- sphinx>=1.4.6
 - ipykernel
+- jupyter_client
+- jupyter_sphinx
+- nbsphinx
+- python=3
+- sphinx
 - pip:
-  - docutils<0.13.1
-  - jupyter_sphinx
-  - git+https://github.com/spatialaudio/nbsphinx.git#egg=nbsphinx
-  - python-dateutil
-  - recommonmark==0.4.0
+  - ipywidgets>=7.0.0a2
+  - jupyter-alabaster-theme
+  - recommonmark
diff --git a/docs/requirements.txt b/docs/requirements.txt
index b02d4034d3..abd65088cf 100644
--- a/docs/requirements.txt
+++ b/docs/requirements.txt
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
+ipykernel
+ipywidgets>=7.0.0a2
+jupyter-alabaster-theme
 jupyter_client
-sphinx>=1.4.6
-sphinx_rtd_theme==0.1.10-alpha
-git+https://github.com/spatialaudio/nbsphinx.git#egg=nbsphinx
 jupyter_sphinx
+nbsphinx>=0.2.13
 recommonmark==0.4.0
-ipykernel
-jupyter_sphinx
+sphinx>=1.4.6
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/docs/source/conf.py b/docs/source/conf.py
index 3d7dfdfe8f..3305bc3a18 100644
--- a/docs/source/conf.py
+++ b/docs/source/conf.py
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 import os
 import subprocess
 import sys
-import sphinx_rtd_theme
+import jupyter_alabaster_theme
 import recommonmark.parser
 
 
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ def bash(filename):
     'nbsphinx',
     'jupyter_sphinx.embed_widgets',
     'IPython.sphinxext.ipython_console_highlighting',
+    'jupyter_alabaster_theme',
 ]
 
 intersphinx_mapping = {
@@ -75,6 +76,7 @@ def bash(filename):
 
 
 # -- html --------------------------
+html_theme = 'jupyter_alabaster_theme'
 
 # html_static_path = ['_static']
 htmlhelp_basename = 'ipywidgetsdoc'
diff --git a/docs/source/dev_docs.md b/docs/source/dev_docs.md
index 118fbc5139..5542bfee5e 100644
--- a/docs/source/dev_docs.md
+++ b/docs/source/dev_docs.md
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ containing all the necessary packages (except pandoc), use:
 conda env create -f docs/environment.yml
 source activate ipywidget_docs  # Linux and OS X
 activate ipywidget_docs         # Windows
-```  
+```
 
 If you want to install the necessary packages with `pip` instead, use
 (omitting `--user` if working in a virtual environment):
diff --git a/docs/source/index.rst b/docs/source/index.rst
index 4e77aaa176..ff1e1c961a 100644
--- a/docs/source/index.rst
+++ b/docs/source/index.rst
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ Contents
     examples/Widget Custom.ipynb
     examples/Widget Alignment.ipynb
     examples/Widget Low Level.ipynb
+    examples/Widget Asynchronous.ipynb
     embedding.md
     contributing.md
     changelog.md
diff --git a/scripts/travis_before_install_py.sh b/scripts/travis_before_install_py.sh
index c84caf5c9b..0226dddc7d 100644
--- a/scripts/travis_before_install_py.sh
+++ b/scripts/travis_before_install_py.sh
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
+set -ex
+
 pip install --upgrade setuptools pip
diff --git a/scripts/travis_install_py.sh b/scripts/travis_install_py.sh
index 518266cf4d..578a0fb178 100644
--- a/scripts/travis_install_py.sh
+++ b/scripts/travis_install_py.sh
@@ -1 +1,3 @@
+set -ex
+
 pip install file://$PWD#egg=ipywidgets[test] coveralls
diff --git a/scripts/travis_script_doc.sh b/scripts/travis_script_doc.sh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..84016d85c1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/travis_script_doc.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+set -ex
+
+pwd
+
+# Verify docs build
+pushd docs
+pip install -r requirements.txt
+make html
+popd
diff --git a/scripts/travis_script_py.sh b/scripts/travis_script_py.sh
index a99f9bf570..0b8179672b 100644
--- a/scripts/travis_script_py.sh
+++ b/scripts/travis_script_py.sh
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+set -ex
+
 mkdir /tmp/ipywidgets
 cd /tmp/ipywidgets
 nosetests --with-coverage --cover-package=ipywidgets ipywidgets