diff --git a/eslint.config.js b/eslint.config.js
index 1c72e5f464..d4844a8b64 100644
--- a/eslint.config.js
+++ b/eslint.config.js
@@ -76,8 +76,8 @@ export default [
             "@typescript-eslint/no-unused-vars": [
                 "warn",
                 {
-                    argsIgnorePattern: "^_$",
-                    varsIgnorePattern: "^_$",
+                    argsIgnorePattern: "^_[a-z0-9]*$",
+                    varsIgnorePattern: "^_[a-z0-9]*$",
                 },
             ],
             "prefer-const": "warn",
diff --git a/frontend/app/onboarding/onboarding.tsx b/frontend/app/onboarding/onboarding.tsx
index 2755db002f..7c95ef27a6 100644
--- a/frontend/app/onboarding/onboarding.tsx
+++ b/frontend/app/onboarding/onboarding.tsx
@@ -29,7 +29,13 @@ type PageName = "init" | "notelemetrystar" | "features";
 
 const pageNameAtom: PrimitiveAtom<PageName> = atom<PageName>("init");
 
-const InitPage = ({ isCompact }: { isCompact: boolean }) => {
+const InitPage = ({
+    isCompact,
+    telemetryUpdateFn,
+}: {
+    isCompact: boolean;
+    telemetryUpdateFn: (value: boolean) => Promise<void>;
+}) => {
     const telemetrySetting = useSettingsKeyAtom("telemetry:enabled");
     const clientData = useAtomValue(ClientModel.getInstance().clientAtom);
     const [telemetryEnabled, setTelemetryEnabled] = useState<boolean>(!!telemetrySetting);
@@ -63,7 +69,7 @@ const InitPage = ({ isCompact }: { isCompact: boolean }) => {
 
     const setTelemetry = (value: boolean) => {
         fireAndForget(() =>
-            services.ClientService.TelemetryUpdate(value).then(() => {
+            telemetryUpdateFn(value).then(() => {
                 setTelemetryEnabled(value);
             })
         );
@@ -319,7 +325,7 @@ const NewInstallOnboardingModal = () => {
     let pageComp: React.JSX.Element = null;
     switch (pageName) {
         case "init":
-            pageComp = <InitPage isCompact={isCompact} />;
+            pageComp = <InitPage isCompact={isCompact} telemetryUpdateFn={services.ClientService.TelemetryUpdate} />;
             break;
         case "notelemetrystar":
             pageComp = <NoTelemetryStarPage isCompact={isCompact} />;
diff --git a/frontend/app/store/client-model.ts b/frontend/app/store/client-model.ts
index 240dc6d03d..4ae250f5bb 100644
--- a/frontend/app/store/client-model.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/store/client-model.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-// Copyright 2025, Command Line Inc
+// Copyright 2026, Command Line Inc
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 import * as WOS from "@/app/store/wos";
@@ -33,4 +33,4 @@ class ClientModel {
     }
 }
 
-export { ClientModel };
\ No newline at end of file
+export { ClientModel };
diff --git a/frontend/app/store/global-atoms.ts b/frontend/app/store/global-atoms.ts
index ac36fcec8e..18f072070f 100644
--- a/frontend/app/store/global-atoms.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/store/global-atoms.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ function initGlobalAtoms(initOpts: GlobalInitOptions) {
     const windowIdAtom = atom(initOpts.windowId) as PrimitiveAtom<string>;
     const builderIdAtom = atom(initOpts.builderId) as PrimitiveAtom<string>;
     const builderAppIdAtom = atom<string>(null) as PrimitiveAtom<string>;
-    setWaveWindowType(initOpts.builderId != null ? "builder" : "tab");
+    setWaveWindowType(initOpts.isPreview ? "preview" : initOpts.builderId != null ? "builder" : "tab");
     const uiContextAtom = atom((get) => {
         const uiContext: UIContext = {
             windowid: initOpts.windowId,
diff --git a/frontend/app/store/wos.ts b/frontend/app/store/wos.ts
index 4ce339acd1..1d3bdeabdb 100644
--- a/frontend/app/store/wos.ts
+++ b/frontend/app/store/wos.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@
 // WaveObjectStore
 
 import { waveEventSubscribeSingle } from "@/app/store/wps";
+import { isPreviewWindow } from "@/app/store/windowtype";
 import { getWebServerEndpoint } from "@/util/endpoints";
 import { fetch } from "@/util/fetchutil";
 import { fireAndForget } from "@/util/util";
@@ -57,7 +58,19 @@ function makeORef(otype: string, oid: string): string {
     return `${otype}:${oid}`;
 }
 
+const previewMockObjects: Map<string, WaveObj> = new Map();
+
+function mockObjectForPreview<T extends WaveObj>(oref: string, obj: T): void {
+    if (!isPreviewWindow()) {
+        throw new Error("mockObjectForPreview can only be called in a preview window");
+    }
+    previewMockObjects.set(oref, obj);
+}
+
 function GetObject<T>(oref: string): Promise<T> {
+    if (isPreviewWindow()) {
+        return Promise.resolve((previewMockObjects.get(oref) as T) ?? null);
+    }
     return callBackendService("object", "GetObject", [oref], true);
 }
 
@@ -105,7 +118,9 @@ function callBackendService(service: string, method: string, args: any[], noUICo
     const usp = new URLSearchParams();
     usp.set("service", service);
     usp.set("method", method);
-    const url = getWebServerEndpoint() + "/wave/service?" + usp.toString();
+    const webEndpoint = getWebServerEndpoint();
+    if (webEndpoint == null) throw new Error(`cannot call ${methodName}: no web endpoint`);
+    const url = webEndpoint + "/wave/service?" + usp.toString();
     const fetchPromise = fetch(url, {
         method: "POST",
         body: JSON.stringify(waveCall),
@@ -315,6 +330,7 @@ export {
     getWaveObjectLoadingAtom,
     loadAndPinWaveObject,
     makeORef,
+    mockObjectForPreview,
     reloadWaveObject,
     setObjectValue,
     splitORef,
diff --git a/frontend/preview/preview-electron-api.ts b/frontend/preview/preview-electron-api.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..8e278e50c9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/preview/preview-electron-api.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+// Copyright 2026, Command Line Inc.
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
+
+const previewElectronApi: ElectronApi = {
+    getAuthKey: () => "",
+    getIsDev: () => false,
+    getCursorPoint: () => ({ x: 0, y: 0 } as Electron.Point),
+    getPlatform: () => "darwin",
+    getEnv: (_varName: string) => "",
+    getUserName: () => "",
+    getHostName: () => "",
+    getDataDir: () => "",
+    getConfigDir: () => "",
+    getHomeDir: () => "",
+    getWebviewPreload: () => "",
+    getAboutModalDetails: () => ({} as AboutModalDetails),
+    getZoomFactor: () => 1.0,
+    showWorkspaceAppMenu: (_workspaceId: string) => {},
+    showBuilderAppMenu: (_builderId: string) => {},
+    showContextMenu: (_workspaceId: string, _menu: ElectronContextMenuItem[]) => {},
+    onContextMenuClick: (_callback: (id: string | null) => void) => {},
+    onNavigate: (_callback: (url: string) => void) => {},
+    onIframeNavigate: (_callback: (url: string) => void) => {},
+    downloadFile: (_path: string) => {},
+    openExternal: (_url: string) => {},
+    onFullScreenChange: (_callback: (isFullScreen: boolean) => void) => {},
+    onZoomFactorChange: (_callback: (zoomFactor: number) => void) => {},
+    onUpdaterStatusChange: (_callback: (status: UpdaterStatus) => void) => {},
+    getUpdaterStatus: () => "up-to-date",
+    getUpdaterChannel: () => "",
+    installAppUpdate: () => {},
+    onMenuItemAbout: (_callback: () => void) => {},
+    updateWindowControlsOverlay: (_rect: Dimensions) => {},
+    onReinjectKey: (_callback: (waveEvent: WaveKeyboardEvent) => void) => {},
+    setWebviewFocus: (_focusedId: number) => {},
+    registerGlobalWebviewKeys: (_keys: string[]) => {},
+    onControlShiftStateUpdate: (_callback: (state: boolean) => void) => {},
+    createWorkspace: () => {},
+    switchWorkspace: (_workspaceId: string) => {},
+    deleteWorkspace: (_workspaceId: string) => {},
+    setActiveTab: (_tabId: string) => {},
+    createTab: () => {},
+    closeTab: (_workspaceId: string, _tabId: string, _confirmClose: boolean) => Promise.resolve(false),
+    setWindowInitStatus: (_status: "ready" | "wave-ready") => {},
+    onWaveInit: (_callback: (initOpts: WaveInitOpts) => void) => {},
+    onBuilderInit: (_callback: (initOpts: BuilderInitOpts) => void) => {},
+    sendLog: (_log: string) => {},
+    onQuicklook: (_filePath: string) => {},
+    openNativePath: (_filePath: string) => {},
+    captureScreenshot: (_rect: Electron.Rectangle) => Promise.resolve(""),
+    setKeyboardChordMode: () => {},
+    clearWebviewStorage: (_webContentsId: number) => Promise.resolve(),
+    setWaveAIOpen: (_isOpen: boolean) => {},
+    closeBuilderWindow: () => {},
+    incrementTermCommands: (_opts?: { isRemote?: boolean; isWsl?: boolean; isDurable?: boolean }) => {},
+    nativePaste: () => {},
+    openBuilder: (_appId?: string) => {},
+    setBuilderWindowAppId: (_appId: string) => {},
+    doRefresh: () => {},
+    saveTextFile: (_fileName: string, _content: string) => Promise.resolve(false),
+};
+
+function installPreviewElectronApi() {
+    (window as any).api = previewElectronApi;
+}
+
+export { installPreviewElectronApi };
diff --git a/frontend/preview/preview.tsx b/frontend/preview/preview.tsx
index 3b0e8d7825..daa232a51b 100644
--- a/frontend/preview/preview.tsx
+++ b/frontend/preview/preview.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,13 @@
 // SPDX-License-Identifier: Apache-2.0
 
 import Logo from "@/app/asset/logo.svg";
-import { ClientModel } from "@/app/store/client-model";
-import { setWaveWindowType } from "@/app/store/windowtype";
+import { getAtoms, initGlobalAtoms } from "@/app/store/global-atoms";
+import { GlobalModel } from "@/app/store/global-model";
+import { globalStore } from "@/app/store/jotaiStore";
 import { loadFonts } from "@/util/fontutil";
 import React, { lazy, Suspense } from "react";
 import { createRoot } from "react-dom/client";
+import { installPreviewElectronApi } from "./preview-electron-api";
 
 import "../app/app.scss";
 
@@ -118,10 +120,23 @@ function PreviewApp() {
     return <PreviewIndex />;
 }
 
+const PreviewTabId = crypto.randomUUID();
+const PreviewWindowId = crypto.randomUUID();
+const PreviewClientId = crypto.randomUUID();
+
 function initPreview() {
-    setWaveWindowType("preview");
-    // Preview mode has no connected backend client object, but onboarding previews read clientAtom.
-    ClientModel.getInstance().initialize(null);
+    installPreviewElectronApi();
+    const initOpts = {
+        tabId: PreviewTabId,
+        windowId: PreviewWindowId,
+        clientId: PreviewClientId,
+        environment: "renderer",
+        platform: "darwin",
+        isPreview: true,
+    } as GlobalInitOptions;
+    initGlobalAtoms(initOpts);
+    globalStore.set(getAtoms().fullConfigAtom, {} as FullConfigType);
+    GlobalModel.getInstance().initialize(initOpts);
     loadFonts();
     const root = createRoot(document.getElementById("main")!);
     root.render(<PreviewApp />);
diff --git a/frontend/preview/previews/onboarding.preview.tsx b/frontend/preview/previews/onboarding.preview.tsx
index 18d555dff8..063320bbb9 100644
--- a/frontend/preview/previews/onboarding.preview.tsx
+++ b/frontend/preview/previews/onboarding.preview.tsx
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ function OnboardingFeaturesV() {
     return (
         <div className="flex flex-col w-full gap-8">
             <OnboardingModalWrapper width="w-[560px]">
-                <InitPage isCompact={false} />
+                <InitPage isCompact={false} telemetryUpdateFn={async () => {}} />
             </OnboardingModalWrapper>
             <OnboardingModalWrapper width="w-[560px]">
                 <NoTelemetryStarPage isCompact={false} />
diff --git a/frontend/types/custom.d.ts b/frontend/types/custom.d.ts
index 25c40eefef..6fbe95a0ea 100644
--- a/frontend/types/custom.d.ts
+++ b/frontend/types/custom.d.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ declare global {
         environment: "electron" | "renderer";
         primaryTabStartup?: boolean;
         builderId?: string;
+        isPreview?: boolean;
     };
 
     type WaveInitOpts = {