diff --git a/panel/pane/base.py b/panel/pane/base.py
index fac8eada8f..2759c8624d 100644
--- a/panel/pane/base.py
+++ b/panel/pane/base.py
@@ -334,8 +334,8 @@ def _update_inner(self, new_object):
                 for awatchers in pwatchers.values() for w in awatchers
             ]
             custom_watchers = not all(
-                'Reactive._link_params' in wfn or 'PaneBase._update_pane' in wfn
-                for wfn in watch_fns
+                'Reactive._link_params' in wfn or '._update_pane' in wfn or
+                'param_change' in wfn for wfn in watch_fns
             )
 
         if type(self._pane) is pane_type and not links and not custom_watchers and self._internal:
diff --git a/panel/tests/test_param.py b/panel/tests/test_param.py
index 6b47e75a29..db7b5258e3 100644
--- a/panel/tests/test_param.py
+++ b/panel/tests/test_param.py
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+from __future__ import print_function
+
 import os
 
 import param