diff --git a/CHANGELOG.prerelease.md b/CHANGELOG.prerelease.md
index baec48071eda..bfd6341e7850 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.prerelease.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.prerelease.md
@@ -1,3 +1,24 @@
+## 8.5.0-alpha.20
+
+- Addon Test: Add `@vitest/coverage-v8` during postinstall if no coverage reporter is installed - [#29993](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29993), thanks @ghengeveld!
+- Addon Test: Add support for previewHead - [#29808](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29808), thanks @ndelangen!
+- Addon Test: Always run Vitest in watch mode internally - [#29749](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29749), thanks @JReinhold!
+- Addon Test: Filter out falsy test results in TestProviderRender - [#30001](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/30001), thanks @valentinpalkovic!
+- Addon Test: Handle undefined storyId - [#29998](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29998), thanks @ghengeveld!
+- Addon Test: Make component tests status row link to the story's tests panel - [#29992](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29992), thanks @ghengeveld!
+- Addon Test: Merge viteFinal config into vitest config - [#29806](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29806), thanks @ndelangen!
+- Addon Test: Prompt switch to `experimental-nextjs-vite` - [#29814](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29814), thanks @ndelangen!
+- Addon Test: Use ProgressSpinner for stop button in Testing Module - [#29997](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29997), thanks @ghengeveld!
+
+## 8.5.0-alpha.19
+
+- Addon A11y: Create a11y test provider and revamp a11y addon - [#29643](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29643), thanks @valentinpalkovic!
+- Addon Test: Fix indexing behavior - [#29836](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29836), thanks @yannbf!
+- Addon Test: Fix run request while booting or restarting Vitest - [#29829](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29829), thanks @ghengeveld!
+- Addon Test: Serve `staticDirs` with Vitest - [#29811](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29811), thanks @ghengeveld!
+- RNW-Vite: Add tsconfig path aliases support - [#29953](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29953), thanks @shilman!
+- RNW-Vite: Fix flow plugin including too many things - [#29952](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29952), thanks @dannyhw!
+
 ## 8.5.0-alpha.18
 
 - Addon Test: Clarify message when `vitest` detects missing deps - [#29763](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29763), thanks @ndelangen!
diff --git a/code/addons/a11y/package.json b/code/addons/a11y/package.json
index a23849bc7ae1..01b3195d2e17 100644
--- a/code/addons/a11y/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/a11y/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-a11y",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Test component compliance with web accessibility standards",
   "keywords": [
     "a11y",
diff --git a/code/addons/actions/package.json b/code/addons/actions/package.json
index efb51f302fc5..45fc3815ec5f 100644
--- a/code/addons/actions/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/actions/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-actions",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Get UI feedback when an action is performed on an interactive element",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook",
diff --git a/code/addons/backgrounds/package.json b/code/addons/backgrounds/package.json
index 2bfa78900bc6..ef24a496f8b3 100644
--- a/code/addons/backgrounds/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/backgrounds/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-backgrounds",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Switch backgrounds to view components in different settings",
   "keywords": [
     "addon",
diff --git a/code/addons/controls/package.json b/code/addons/controls/package.json
index 255546cd3bd6..0162f7ed1c0c 100644
--- a/code/addons/controls/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/controls/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-controls",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Interact with component inputs dynamically in the Storybook UI",
   "keywords": [
     "addon",
diff --git a/code/addons/docs/package.json b/code/addons/docs/package.json
index f5834a822026..2cb49f00af6e 100644
--- a/code/addons/docs/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/docs/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-docs",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Document component usage and properties in Markdown",
   "keywords": [
     "addon",
diff --git a/code/addons/essentials/package.json b/code/addons/essentials/package.json
index 4f7ad700ec0d..bb428b318872 100644
--- a/code/addons/essentials/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/essentials/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-essentials",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Curated addons to bring out the best of Storybook",
   "keywords": [
     "addon",
diff --git a/code/addons/gfm/package.json b/code/addons/gfm/package.json
index 277e1663e385..95bd0aa7e641 100644
--- a/code/addons/gfm/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/gfm/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-mdx-gfm",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "GitHub Flavored Markdown in Storybook",
   "keywords": [
     "addon",
diff --git a/code/addons/highlight/package.json b/code/addons/highlight/package.json
index dc5588ee1d30..00c3280e990a 100644
--- a/code/addons/highlight/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/highlight/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-highlight",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Highlight DOM nodes within your stories",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook-addons",
diff --git a/code/addons/interactions/package.json b/code/addons/interactions/package.json
index 801c627195a0..3891ce1ce740 100644
--- a/code/addons/interactions/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/interactions/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-interactions",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Automate, test and debug user interactions",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook-addons",
diff --git a/code/addons/jest/package.json b/code/addons/jest/package.json
index 42f5f52b88aa..158008a17bae 100644
--- a/code/addons/jest/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/jest/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-jest",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "React storybook addon that show component jest report",
   "keywords": [
     "addon",
diff --git a/code/addons/links/package.json b/code/addons/links/package.json
index c49cd1263543..9acb23a278cc 100644
--- a/code/addons/links/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/links/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-links",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Link stories together to build demos and prototypes with your UI components",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook-addons",
diff --git a/code/addons/measure/package.json b/code/addons/measure/package.json
index dfebd2ef6b2d..12e162262346 100644
--- a/code/addons/measure/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/measure/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-measure",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Inspect layouts by visualizing the box model",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook-addons",
diff --git a/code/addons/onboarding/package.json b/code/addons/onboarding/package.json
index 0fc9ef53a4ef..6992d234f2e6 100644
--- a/code/addons/onboarding/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/onboarding/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-onboarding",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook Addon Onboarding - Introduces a new onboarding experience",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook-addons",
diff --git a/code/addons/outline/package.json b/code/addons/outline/package.json
index 05786228223d..b28d642cffa9 100644
--- a/code/addons/outline/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/outline/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-outline",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Outline all elements with CSS to help with layout placement and alignment",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook-addons",
diff --git a/code/addons/storysource/package.json b/code/addons/storysource/package.json
index 104218a0957c..f5e0067ff5fd 100644
--- a/code/addons/storysource/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/storysource/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-storysource",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "View a story’s source code to see how it works and paste into your app",
   "keywords": [
     "addon",
diff --git a/code/addons/test/package.json b/code/addons/test/package.json
index 06213e0bf703..35a4077926e1 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/test/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/experimental-addon-test",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Integrate Vitest with Storybook",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook-addons",
@@ -85,7 +85,6 @@
     "@storybook/icons": "^1.2.12",
     "@storybook/instrumenter": "workspace:*",
     "@storybook/test": "workspace:*",
-    "@storybook/theming": "workspace:*",
     "polished": "^4.2.2",
     "prompts": "^2.4.0",
     "ts-dedent": "^2.2.0"
@@ -113,6 +112,7 @@
     "slash": "^5.0.0",
     "strip-ansi": "^7.1.0",
     "tinyglobby": "^0.2.10",
+    "tree-kill": "^1.2.2",
     "ts-dedent": "^2.2.0",
     "typescript": "^5.3.2",
     "vitest": "^2.1.3"
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/components/TestProviderRender.tsx b/code/addons/test/src/components/TestProviderRender.tsx
index 35c7eb4b8a9e..017ecc2cf27f 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/components/TestProviderRender.tsx
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/components/TestProviderRender.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import React, { type ComponentProps, type FC, useCallback, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
 
-import { Button, ListItem } from 'storybook/internal/components';
+import { Button, ListItem, ProgressSpinner } from 'storybook/internal/components';
 import {
   TESTING_MODULE_CONFIG_CHANGE,
   type TestProviderConfig,
@@ -17,15 +17,17 @@ import {
   PlayHollowIcon,
   PointerHandIcon,
   ShieldIcon,
-  StopAltHollowIcon,
+  StopAltIcon,
 } from '@storybook/icons';
 
 import { isEqual } from 'es-toolkit';
 import { debounce } from 'es-toolkit/compat';
 
-// Relatively importing from a11y to get the ADDON_ID
-import { ADDON_ID as A11Y_ADDON_ID } from '../../../a11y/src/constants';
-import { type Config, type Details } from '../constants';
+import {
+  ADDON_ID as A11Y_ADDON_ID,
+  PANEL_ID as A11y_ADDON_PANEL_ID,
+} from '../../../a11y/src/constants';
+import { type Config, type Details, PANEL_ID } from '../constants';
 import { type TestStatus } from '../node/reporter';
 import { Description } from './Description';
 import { TestStatusIcon } from './TestStatusIcon';
@@ -66,6 +68,14 @@ const Checkbox = styled.input({
   },
 });
 
+const Progress = styled(ProgressSpinner)({
+  margin: 2,
+});
+
+const StopIcon = styled(StopAltIcon)({
+  width: 10,
+});
+
 const statusOrder: TestStatus[] = ['failed', 'warning', 'pending', 'passed', 'skipped'];
 const statusMap: Record<TestStatus, ComponentProps<typeof TestStatusIcon>['status']> = {
   failed: 'negative',
@@ -101,7 +111,8 @@ export const TestProviderRender: FC<
 
     return state.details?.testResults?.flatMap((result) =>
       result.results
-        .filter((it) => !entryId || it.storyId === entryId || it.storyId.startsWith(`${entryId}-`))
+        .filter(Boolean)
+        .filter((r) => !entryId || r.storyId === entryId || r.storyId?.startsWith(`${entryId}-`))
         .map((r) => r.reports.find((report) => report.type === 'a11y'))
     );
   }, [isA11yAddon, state.details?.testResults, entryId]);
@@ -145,6 +156,12 @@ export const TestProviderRender: FC<
 
   const status = (state.failed ? 'failed' : results[0]?.status) || 'unknown';
 
+  const openPanel = (id: string, panelId: string) => {
+    api.selectStory(id);
+    api.setSelectedPanel(panelId);
+    api.togglePanel(true);
+  };
+
   return (
     <Container {...props}>
       <Heading>
@@ -182,11 +199,13 @@ export const TestProviderRender: FC<
                 <Button
                   aria-label={`Stop ${state.name}`}
                   variant="ghost"
-                  padding="small"
+                  padding="none"
                   onClick={() => api.cancelTestProvider(state.id)}
                   disabled={state.cancelling}
                 >
-                  <StopAltHollowIcon />
+                  <Progress percentage={state.progress?.percentageCompleted}>
+                    <StopIcon />
+                  </Progress>
                 </Button>
               ) : (
                 <Button
@@ -244,6 +263,16 @@ export const TestProviderRender: FC<
         <Extras>
           <ListItem
             title="Component tests"
+            onClick={
+              (status === 'failed' || status === 'warning') && results.length
+                ? () => {
+                    const firstNotPassed = results.find(
+                      (r) => r.status === 'failed' || r.status === 'warning'
+                    );
+                    openPanel(firstNotPassed.storyId, PANEL_ID);
+                  }
+                : null
+            }
             icon={
               state.crashed ? (
                 <TestStatusIcon status="critical" aria-label="status: crashed" />
@@ -278,6 +307,20 @@ export const TestProviderRender: FC<
           {isA11yAddon && (
             <ListItem
               title="Accessibility"
+              onClick={
+                (a11yStatus === 'negative' || a11yStatus === 'warning') && a11yResults.length
+                  ? () => {
+                      const firstNotPassed = results.find((r) =>
+                        r.reports
+                          .filter((report) => report.type === 'a11y')
+                          .find(
+                            (report) => report.status === 'failed' || report.status === 'warning'
+                          )
+                      );
+                      openPanel(firstNotPassed.storyId, A11y_ADDON_PANEL_ID);
+                    }
+                  : null
+              }
               icon={<TestStatusIcon status={a11yStatus} aria-label={`status: ${a11yStatus}`} />}
               right={a11yNotPassedAmount || null}
             />
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/manager.tsx b/code/addons/test/src/manager.tsx
index c5c4b9f21402..4db0c5defcbd 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/manager.tsx
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/manager.tsx
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ const statusMap: Record<TestStatus, API_StatusValue> = {
 addons.register(ADDON_ID, (api) => {
   const storybookBuilder = (globalThis as any).STORYBOOK_BUILDER || '';
   if (storybookBuilder.includes('vite')) {
-    const openAddonPanel = () => {
+    const openTestsPanel = () => {
       api.setSelectedPanel(PANEL_ID);
       api.togglePanel(true);
     };
@@ -94,9 +94,9 @@ addons.register(ADDON_ID, (api) => {
                           ? rest.failureMessages.join('\n')
                           : '',
                       data: { testRunId },
-                      onClick: openAddonPanel,
+                      onClick: openTestsPanel,
                       sidebarContextMenu: false,
-                    } as API_StatusObject,
+                    } satisfies API_StatusObject,
                   ])
               )
             )
@@ -108,12 +108,12 @@ addons.register(ADDON_ID, (api) => {
               update.details.testResults.flatMap((testResult) =>
                 testResult.results
                   .filter(({ storyId }) => storyId)
-                  .map(({ storyId, status, testRunId, reports, ...rest }) => {
+                  .map(({ storyId, testRunId, reports }) => {
                     const a11yReport = reports.find((r: any) => r.type === 'a11y');
                     return [
                       storyId,
                       a11yReport
-                        ? {
+                        ? ({
                             title: 'Accessibility tests',
                             description: '',
                             status: statusMap[a11yReport.status],
@@ -123,9 +123,9 @@ addons.register(ADDON_ID, (api) => {
                               api.togglePanel(true);
                             },
                             sidebarContextMenu: false,
-                          }
+                          } satisfies API_StatusObject)
                         : null,
-                    ] as const;
+                    ];
                   })
               )
             )
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/node/reporter.ts b/code/addons/test/src/node/reporter.ts
index 8e4c9bf4f681..43191cbc2fdc 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/node/reporter.ts
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/node/reporter.ts
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export type TestResultResult =
       reports: Report[];
     }
   | {
-      status: Extract<TestStatus, 'failed'>;
+      status: Extract<TestStatus, 'failed' | 'warning'>;
       storyId: string;
       duration: number;
       testRunId: string;
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ export type TestResult = {
   results: TestResultResult[];
   startTime: number;
   endTime: number;
-  status: Extract<TestStatus, 'passed' | 'failed'>;
+  status: Extract<TestStatus, 'passed' | 'failed' | 'warning'>;
   message?: string;
 };
 
@@ -165,6 +165,11 @@ export class StorybookReporter implements Reporter {
         numTotalTests,
         startedAt: this.start,
         finishedAt,
+        percentageCompleted: finishedAt
+          ? 100
+          : numTotalTests
+            ? ((numPassedTests + numFailedTests) / numTotalTests) * 100
+            : 0,
       } as TestingModuleProgressReportProgress,
       details: {
         testResults,
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/node/test-manager.test.ts b/code/addons/test/src/node/test-manager.test.ts
index b674c1d786f7..db77ab2f3e2e 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/node/test-manager.test.ts
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/node/test-manager.test.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
-import { createVitest } from 'vitest/node';
+import { createVitest as actualCreateVitest } from 'vitest/node';
 
 import { Channel, type ChannelTransport } from '@storybook/core/channels';
 import type { StoryIndex } from '@storybook/types';
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ const vitest = vi.hoisted(() => ({
 vi.mock('vitest/node', () => ({
   createVitest: vi.fn(() => Promise.resolve(vitest)),
 }));
+const createVitest = vi.mocked(actualCreateVitest);
 
 const transport = { setHandler: vi.fn(), send: vi.fn() } satisfies ChannelTransport;
 const mockChannel = new Channel({ transport });
@@ -109,7 +110,7 @@ describe('TestManager', () => {
 
     await testManager.handleWatchModeRequest({ providerId: TEST_PROVIDER_ID, watchMode: true });
     expect(testManager.watchMode).toBe(true);
-    expect(createVitest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+    expect(createVitest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1); // shouldn't restart vitest
   });
 
   it('should handle run request', async () => {
@@ -145,4 +146,57 @@ describe('TestManager', () => {
     expect(setTestNamePattern).toHaveBeenCalledWith(/^One$/);
     expect(vitest.runFiles).toHaveBeenCalledWith(tests.slice(0, 1), true);
   });
+
+  it('should handle coverage toggling', async () => {
+    const testManager = await TestManager.start(mockChannel, options);
+    expect(testManager.coverage).toBe(false);
+    expect(createVitest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    createVitest.mockClear();
+
+    await testManager.handleConfigChange({
+      providerId: TEST_PROVIDER_ID,
+      config: { coverage: true, a11y: false },
+    });
+    expect(testManager.coverage).toBe(true);
+    expect(createVitest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    createVitest.mockClear();
+
+    await testManager.handleConfigChange({
+      providerId: TEST_PROVIDER_ID,
+      config: { coverage: false, a11y: false },
+    });
+    expect(testManager.coverage).toBe(false);
+    expect(createVitest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it('should temporarily disable coverage on focused tests', async () => {
+    vitest.globTestSpecs.mockImplementation(() => tests);
+    const testManager = await TestManager.start(mockChannel, options);
+    expect(testManager.coverage).toBe(false);
+    expect(createVitest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+
+    await testManager.handleConfigChange({
+      providerId: TEST_PROVIDER_ID,
+      config: { coverage: true, a11y: false },
+    });
+    expect(testManager.coverage).toBe(true);
+    expect(createVitest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+
+    await testManager.handleRunRequest({
+      providerId: TEST_PROVIDER_ID,
+      indexUrl: 'http://localhost:6006/index.json',
+      storyIds: ['button--primary', 'button--secondary'],
+    });
+    // expect vitest to be restarted twice, without and with coverage
+    expect(createVitest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
+    expect(vitest.runFiles).toHaveBeenCalledWith([], true);
+
+    await testManager.handleRunRequest({
+      providerId: TEST_PROVIDER_ID,
+      indexUrl: 'http://localhost:6006/index.json',
+    });
+    // don't expect vitest to be restarted, as we're running all tests
+    expect(createVitest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(4);
+    expect(vitest.runFiles).toHaveBeenCalledWith(tests, true);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/node/test-manager.ts b/code/addons/test/src/node/test-manager.ts
index 430fd45eb409..4770f2b5a174 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/node/test-manager.ts
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/node/test-manager.ts
@@ -39,9 +39,7 @@ export class TestManager {
     this.vitestManager.startVitest().then(() => options.onReady?.());
   }
 
-  async handleConfigChange(
-    payload: TestingModuleConfigChangePayload<{ coverage: boolean; a11y: boolean }>
-  ) {
+  async handleConfigChange(payload: TestingModuleConfigChangePayload<Config>) {
     if (payload.providerId !== TEST_PROVIDER_ID) {
       return;
     }
@@ -49,10 +47,9 @@ export class TestManager {
     process.env.VITEST_STORYBOOK_CONFIG = JSON.stringify(payload.config);
 
     if (this.coverage !== payload.config.coverage) {
+      this.coverage = payload.config.coverage;
       try {
-        this.coverage = payload.config.coverage;
         await this.vitestManager.restartVitest({
-          watchMode: this.watchMode,
           coverage: this.coverage,
         });
       } catch (e) {
@@ -68,25 +65,31 @@ export class TestManager {
     }
   }
 
-  async handleWatchModeRequest(payload: TestingModuleWatchModeRequestPayload) {
-    try {
-      if (payload.providerId !== TEST_PROVIDER_ID) {
-        return;
-      }
+  async handleWatchModeRequest(payload: TestingModuleWatchModeRequestPayload<Config>) {
+    if (payload.providerId !== TEST_PROVIDER_ID) {
+      return;
+    }
+    this.watchMode = payload.watchMode;
 
-      if (payload.config) {
-        this.handleConfigChange({
-          providerId: payload.providerId,
-          config: payload.config as any,
-        });
-      }
+    if (payload.config) {
+      this.handleConfigChange({
+        providerId: payload.providerId,
+        config: payload.config,
+      });
+    }
 
-      if (this.watchMode !== payload.watchMode) {
-        this.watchMode = payload.watchMode;
-        await this.vitestManager.restartVitest({ watchMode: this.watchMode, coverage: false });
+    if (this.coverage) {
+      try {
+        if (payload.watchMode) {
+          // if watch mode is toggled on and coverage is already enabled, restart vitest without coverage to automatically disable it
+          await this.vitestManager.restartVitest({ coverage: false });
+        } else {
+          // if watch mode is toggled off and coverage is already enabled, restart vitest with coverage to automatically re-enable it
+          await this.vitestManager.restartVitest({ coverage: this.coverage });
+        }
+      } catch (e) {
+        this.reportFatalError('Failed to change watch mode while coverage was enabled', e);
       }
-    } catch (e) {
-      this.reportFatalError('Failed to change watch mode', e);
     }
   }
 
@@ -96,25 +99,22 @@ export class TestManager {
         return;
       }
 
-      const allTestsRun = (payload.storyIds ?? []).length === 0;
-
-      if (payload.config && this.coverage !== payload.config.coverage) {
-        this.coverage = payload.config.coverage;
+      if (payload.config) {
+        this.handleConfigChange({
+          providerId: payload.providerId,
+          config: payload.config,
+        });
       }
 
-      if (this.coverage) {
-        /*
-           If we have coverage enabled and we're running all stories,
-           we have to restart Vitest AND disable watch mode otherwise the coverage report will be incorrect,
-           Vitest behaves wonky when re-using the same Vitest instance but with watch mode disabled,
-           among other things it causes the coverage report to be incorrect and stale.
-
-           If we're only running a subset of stories, we have to temporarily disable coverage,
-           as a coverage report for a subset of stories is not useful.
-         */
+      /*
+        If we're only running a subset of stories, we have to temporarily disable coverage,
+        as a coverage report for a subset of stories is not useful.
+      */
+      const temporarilyDisableCoverage =
+        this.coverage && !this.watchMode && (payload.storyIds ?? []).length > 0;
+      if (temporarilyDisableCoverage) {
         await this.vitestManager.restartVitest({
-          watchMode: allTestsRun ? false : this.watchMode,
-          coverage: allTestsRun,
+          coverage: false,
         });
       } else {
         await this.vitestManager.vitestRestartPromise;
@@ -122,12 +122,9 @@ export class TestManager {
 
       await this.vitestManager.runTests(payload);
 
-      if (this.coverage && !allTestsRun) {
+      if (temporarilyDisableCoverage) {
         // Re-enable coverage if it was temporarily disabled because of a subset of stories was run
-        await this.vitestManager.restartVitest({
-          watchMode: this.watchMode,
-          coverage: this.coverage,
-        });
+        await this.vitestManager.restartVitest({ coverage: this.coverage });
       }
     } catch (e) {
       this.reportFatalError('Failed to run tests', e);
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/node/vitest-manager.ts b/code/addons/test/src/node/vitest-manager.ts
index 78c929732d7d..7267f3dcea38 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/node/vitest-manager.ts
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/node/vitest-manager.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ export class VitestManager {
 
   constructor(private testManager: TestManager) {}
 
-  async startVitest({ watchMode = false, coverage = false } = {}) {
+  async startVitest({ coverage = false } = {}) {
     const { createVitest } = await import('vitest/node');
 
     const storybookCoverageReporter: [string, StorybookCoverageReporterOptions] = [
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ export class VitestManager {
         ? {
             enabled: true,
             clean: false,
-            cleanOnRerun: !watchMode,
+            cleanOnRerun: false,
             reportOnFailure: true,
             reporter: [['html', {}], storybookCoverageReporter],
             reportsDirectory: resolvePathInStorybookCache(COVERAGE_DIRECTORY),
@@ -66,9 +66,8 @@ export class VitestManager {
     this.vitest = await createVitest(
       'test',
       {
-        watch: watchMode,
+        watch: true,
         passWithNoTests: false,
-        changed: watchMode,
         // TODO:
         // Do we want to enable Vite's default reporter?
         // The output in the terminal might be too spamy and it might be better to
@@ -110,18 +109,16 @@ export class VitestManager {
       this.testManager.reportFatalError('Failed to init Vitest', e);
     }
 
-    if (watchMode) {
-      await this.setupWatchers();
-    }
+    await this.setupWatchers();
   }
 
-  async restartVitest({ watchMode, coverage }: { watchMode: boolean; coverage: boolean }) {
+  async restartVitest({ coverage }: { coverage: boolean }) {
     await this.vitestRestartPromise;
     this.vitestRestartPromise = new Promise(async (resolve, reject) => {
       try {
         await this.vitest?.runningPromise;
         await this.closeVitest();
-        await this.startVitest({ watchMode, coverage });
+        await this.startVitest({ coverage });
         resolve();
       } catch (e) {
         reject(e);
@@ -324,6 +321,11 @@ export class VitestManager {
     this.updateLastChanged(id);
     this.storyCountForCurrentRun = 0;
 
+    // when watch mode is disabled, don't trigger any tests (below)
+    // but still invalidate the cache for the changed file, which is handled above
+    if (!this.testManager.watchMode) {
+      return;
+    }
     await this.runAffectedTests(file);
   }
 
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/postinstall.ts b/code/addons/test/src/postinstall.ts
index 4c03c493c1a9..55f97eb6b0da 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/postinstall.ts
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/postinstall.ts
@@ -2,13 +2,17 @@ import { existsSync } from 'node:fs';
 import * as fs from 'node:fs/promises';
 import { writeFile } from 'node:fs/promises';
 
+import { traverse } from 'storybook/internal/babel';
 import {
   JsPackageManagerFactory,
   extractProperFrameworkName,
   loadAllPresets,
   loadMainConfig,
+  serverResolve,
   validateFrameworkName,
+  versions,
 } from 'storybook/internal/common';
+import { readConfig, writeConfig } from 'storybook/internal/csf-tools';
 import { colors, logger } from 'storybook/internal/node-logger';
 
 // eslint-disable-next-line depend/ban-dependencies
@@ -57,6 +61,51 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
   // if Vitest is installed, we use the same version to keep consistency across Vitest packages
   const vitestVersionToInstall = vitestVersionSpecifier ?? 'latest';
 
+  const mainJsPath = serverResolve(resolve(options.configDir, 'main')) as string;
+  const config = await readConfig(mainJsPath);
+
+  const hasCustomWebpackConfig = !!config.getFieldNode(['webpackFinal']);
+
+  if (info.frameworkPackageName === '@storybook/nextjs' && !hasCustomWebpackConfig) {
+    const out = options.yes
+      ? {
+          migrateToExperimentalNextjsVite: true,
+        }
+      : await prompts({
+          type: 'confirm',
+          name: 'migrateToExperimentalNextjsVite',
+          message: dedent`
+            The addon requires the use of @storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite to work with Next.js.
+            https://storybook.js.org/docs/writing-tests/test-addon#install-and-set-up
+
+            Do you want to migrate?
+          `,
+          initial: true,
+        });
+
+    if (out.migrateToExperimentalNextjsVite) {
+      await packageManager.addDependencies({ installAsDevDependencies: true }, [
+        `@storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite@${versions['@storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite']}`,
+      ]);
+
+      await packageManager.removeDependencies({}, ['@storybook/nextjs']);
+
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-underscore-dangle
+      traverse(config._ast, {
+        StringLiteral(path) {
+          if (path.node.value === '@storybook/nextjs') {
+            path.node.value = '@storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite';
+          }
+        },
+      });
+
+      await writeConfig(config, mainJsPath);
+
+      info.frameworkPackageName = '@storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite';
+      info.builderPackageName = '@storybook/builder-vite';
+    }
+  }
+
   const annotationsImport = [
     '@storybook/nextjs',
     '@storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite',
@@ -71,11 +120,16 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
         )
       ? info.rendererPackageName
       : null;
+
   const isRendererSupported = !!annotationsImport;
 
   const prerequisiteCheck = async () => {
     const reasons = [];
 
+    if (hasCustomWebpackConfig) {
+      reasons.push('• The addon can not be used with a custom Webpack configuration.');
+    }
+
     if (
       info.frameworkPackageName !== '@storybook/nextjs' &&
       info.builderPackageName !== '@storybook/builder-vite'
@@ -149,9 +203,7 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
     return;
   }
 
-  const interactionsAddon = info.addons.find((addon) => addon.includes(addonInteractionsName));
-
-  if (!!interactionsAddon) {
+  if (info.hasAddonInteractions) {
     let shouldUninstall = options.yes;
     if (!options.yes) {
       printInfo(
@@ -188,10 +240,9 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
         ],
         {
           shell: true,
+          stdio: 'inherit',
         }
       );
-    } else {
-      return;
     }
   }
 
@@ -205,7 +256,7 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
 
         Adding ${picocolors.bold(colors.pink(`@storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite/vite-plugin`))} so you can use it with Vitest.
 
-        More info about the plugin at: ${picocolors.cyan(`https://github.com/storybookjs/vite-plugin-storybook-nextjs`)}
+        More info about the plugin at ${picocolors.cyan(`https://github.com/storybookjs/vite-plugin-storybook-nextjs`)}
       `
     );
     try {
@@ -218,6 +269,21 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
     }
   }
 
+  const v8Version = await packageManager.getInstalledVersion('@vitest/coverage-v8');
+  const istanbulVersion = await packageManager.getInstalledVersion('@vitest/coverage-istanbul');
+  if (!v8Version && !istanbulVersion) {
+    printInfo(
+      '🙈 Let me cover this for you',
+      dedent`
+        You don't seem to have a coverage reporter installed. Vitest needs either V8 or Istanbul to generate coverage reports.
+
+        Adding ${picocolors.bold(colors.pink(`@vitest/coverage-v8`))} to enable coverage reporting.
+        Read more about Vitest coverage providers at ${picocolors.cyan(`https://vitest.dev/guide/coverage.html#coverage-providers`)}
+      `
+    );
+    dependencies.push(`@vitest/coverage-v8`); // Version specifier is added below
+  }
+
   const versionedDependencies = dependencies.map((p) => {
     if (p.includes('vitest')) {
       return `${p}@${vitestVersionToInstall ?? 'latest'}`;
@@ -267,7 +333,7 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
   logger.plain(colors.gray(`  ${vitestSetupFile}`));
 
   const previewExists = EXTENSIONS.map((ext) => resolve(options.configDir, `preview${ext}`)).some(
-    (config) => existsSync(config)
+    existsSync
   );
 
   const a11yAddon = info.addons.find((addon) => addon.includes(addonA11yName));
@@ -311,7 +377,7 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
         Found an existing Vitest workspace file:
         ${colors.gray(vitestWorkspaceFile)}
 
-        I was able to configure most of the addon but could not safely extend 
+        I was able to configure most of the addon but could not safely extend
         your existing workspace file automatically, you must do it yourself. This was the last step.
 
         Please refer to the documentation to complete the setup manually:
@@ -333,7 +399,7 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
           You seem to have an existing test configuration in your Vite config file:
           ${colors.gray(vitestWorkspaceFile || '')}
 
-          I was able to configure most of the addon but could not safely extend 
+          I was able to configure most of the addon but could not safely extend
           your existing workspace file automatically, you must do it yourself. This was the last step.
 
           Please refer to the documentation to complete the setup manually:
@@ -369,7 +435,7 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
           {
             extends: '${viteConfigFile ? relative(dirname(browserWorkspaceFile), viteConfigFile) : ''}',
             plugins: [
-              // The plugin will run tests for the stories defined in your Storybook config 
+              // The plugin will run tests for the stories defined in your Storybook config
               // See options at: https://storybook.js.org/docs/writing-tests/vitest-plugin#storybooktest
               storybookTest({ configDir: '${options.configDir}' }),${vitestInfo.frameworkPluginDocs + vitestInfo.frameworkPluginCall}
             ],
@@ -406,7 +472,7 @@ export default async function postInstall(options: PostinstallOptions) {
         // More info at: https://storybook.js.org/docs/writing-tests/vitest-plugin
         export default defineConfig({
           plugins: [
-            // The plugin will run tests for the stories defined in your Storybook config 
+            // The plugin will run tests for the stories defined in your Storybook config
             // See options at: https://storybook.js.org/docs/writing-tests/vitest-plugin#storybooktest
             storybookTest({ configDir: '${options.configDir}' }),${vitestInfo.frameworkPluginDocs + vitestInfo.frameworkPluginCall}
           ],
@@ -474,7 +540,7 @@ const getVitestPluginInfo = (framework: string) => {
     frameworkPluginCall = 'storybookReactNativeWeb()';
   }
 
-  // spaces for file identation
+  // spaces for file indentation
   frameworkPluginImport = `\n${frameworkPluginImport}`;
   frameworkPluginDocs = frameworkPluginDocs ? `\n    ${frameworkPluginDocs}` : '';
   frameworkPluginCall = frameworkPluginCall ? `\n    ${frameworkPluginCall},` : '';
@@ -492,7 +558,6 @@ async function getStorybookInfo({ configDir, packageManager: pkgMgr }: Postinsta
   const frameworkName = typeof framework === 'string' ? framework : framework?.name;
   validateFrameworkName(frameworkName);
   const frameworkPackageName = extractProperFrameworkName(frameworkName);
-  const addons = getAddonNames(config);
 
   const presets = await loadAllPresets({
     corePresets: [join(frameworkName, 'preset')],
@@ -504,6 +569,8 @@ async function getStorybookInfo({ configDir, packageManager: pkgMgr }: Postinsta
     isCritical: true,
   });
 
+  const hasAddonInteractions = !!(await presets.apply('ADDON_INTERACTIONS_IN_USE', false));
+
   const core = await presets.apply('core', {});
 
   const { builder, renderer } = core;
@@ -531,6 +598,7 @@ async function getStorybookInfo({ configDir, packageManager: pkgMgr }: Postinsta
     frameworkPackageName,
     builderPackageName,
     rendererPackageName,
-    addons,
+    hasAddonInteractions,
+    addons: getAddonNames(config),
   };
 }
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/utils.ts b/code/addons/test/src/utils.ts
index 066f09af15f1..053f4eec4ffe 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/utils.ts
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/utils.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { type StorybookTheme, useTheme } from 'storybook/internal/theming';
-
-import type { StorybookConfig } from '@storybook/types';
+import type { StorybookConfig } from 'storybook/internal/types';
 
 import Filter from 'ansi-to-html';
 import stripAnsi from 'strip-ansi';
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/vitest-plugin/global-setup.ts b/code/addons/test/src/vitest-plugin/global-setup.ts
index bff48208229a..ca287c105e2b 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/vitest-plugin/global-setup.ts
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/vitest-plugin/global-setup.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,8 @@ import type { GlobalSetupContext } from 'vitest/node';
 
 import { logger } from 'storybook/internal/node-logger';
 
+import treeKill from 'tree-kill';
+
 let storybookProcess: ChildProcess | null = null;
 
 const getIsVitestStandaloneRun = () => {
@@ -59,14 +61,6 @@ const startStorybookIfNotRunning = async () => {
   }
 };
 
-const killProcess = (process: ChildProcess) => {
-  return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
-    process.on('close', resolve);
-    process.on('error', reject);
-    process.kill();
-  });
-};
-
 export const setup = async ({ config }: GlobalSetupContext) => {
   if (config.watch && isVitestStandaloneRun) {
     await startStorybookIfNotRunning();
@@ -74,8 +68,19 @@ export const setup = async ({ config }: GlobalSetupContext) => {
 };
 
 export const teardown = async () => {
-  if (storybookProcess) {
-    logger.verbose('Stopping Storybook process');
-    await killProcess(storybookProcess);
+  if (!storybookProcess) {
+    return;
   }
+  logger.verbose('Stopping Storybook process');
+  await new Promise<void>((resolve, reject) => {
+    // Storybook starts multiple child processes, so we need to kill the whole tree
+    treeKill(storybookProcess.pid, 'SIGTERM', (error) => {
+      if (error) {
+        logger.error('Failed to stop Storybook process:');
+        reject(error);
+        return;
+      }
+      resolve();
+    });
+  });
 };
diff --git a/code/addons/test/src/vitest-plugin/index.ts b/code/addons/test/src/vitest-plugin/index.ts
index def3eab2b796..eadadb4440e5 100644
--- a/code/addons/test/src/vitest-plugin/index.ts
+++ b/code/addons/test/src/vitest-plugin/index.ts
@@ -1,16 +1,21 @@
 /* eslint-disable no-underscore-dangle */
 import type { Plugin } from 'vitest/config';
+import { mergeConfig } from 'vitest/config';
+import type { ViteUserConfig } from 'vitest/config';
 
 import {
   getInterpretedFile,
-  loadAllPresets,
   normalizeStories,
   validateConfigurationFiles,
 } from 'storybook/internal/common';
-import { StoryIndexGenerator, mapStaticDir } from 'storybook/internal/core-server';
+import {
+  StoryIndexGenerator,
+  experimental_loadStorybook,
+  mapStaticDir,
+} from 'storybook/internal/core-server';
 import { readConfig, vitestTransform } from 'storybook/internal/csf-tools';
 import { MainFileMissingError } from 'storybook/internal/server-errors';
-import type { DocsOptions, StoriesEntry } from 'storybook/internal/types';
+import type { Presets } from 'storybook/internal/types';
 
 import { join, resolve } from 'pathe';
 import picocolors from 'picocolors';
@@ -21,9 +26,11 @@ import { dedent } from 'ts-dedent';
 import { TestManager } from '../node/test-manager';
 import type { InternalOptions, UserOptions } from './types';
 
+const WORKING_DIR = process.cwd();
+
 const defaultOptions: UserOptions = {
   storybookScript: undefined,
-  configDir: undefined,
+  configDir: resolve(join(WORKING_DIR, '.storybook')),
   storybookUrl: 'http://localhost:6006',
 };
 
@@ -37,10 +44,32 @@ const extractTagsFromPreview = async (configDir: string) => {
   return previewConfig.getFieldValue(['tags']) ?? [];
 };
 
-export const storybookTest = (options?: UserOptions): Plugin => {
+const getStoryGlobsAndFiles = async (
+  presets: Presets,
+  directories: { configDir: string; workingDir: string }
+) => {
+  const stories = await presets.apply('stories', []);
+  const docs = await presets.apply('docs', {});
+  const indexers = await presets.apply('experimental_indexers', []);
+  const generator = new StoryIndexGenerator(normalizeStories(stories, directories), {
+    ...directories,
+    indexers,
+    docs,
+  });
+  await generator.initialize();
+  return {
+    storiesGlobs: stories,
+    storiesFiles: generator.storyFileNames(),
+  };
+};
+
+export const storybookTest = async (options?: UserOptions): Promise<Plugin> => {
   const finalOptions = {
     ...defaultOptions,
     ...options,
+    configDir: options?.configDir
+      ? resolve(WORKING_DIR, options.configDir)
+      : defaultOptions.configDir,
     tags: {
       include: options?.tags?.include ?? ['test'],
       exclude: options?.tags?.exclude ?? [],
@@ -52,88 +81,180 @@ export const storybookTest = (options?: UserOptions): Plugin => {
     finalOptions.debug = true;
   }
 
-  const storybookUrl = finalOptions.storybookUrl || defaultOptions.storybookUrl;
-
   // To be accessed by the global setup file
-  process.env.__STORYBOOK_URL__ = storybookUrl;
+  process.env.__STORYBOOK_URL__ = finalOptions.storybookUrl;
   process.env.__STORYBOOK_SCRIPT__ = finalOptions.storybookScript;
 
-  if (!finalOptions.configDir) {
-    finalOptions.configDir = resolve(join(process.cwd(), '.storybook'));
-  } else {
-    finalOptions.configDir = resolve(process.cwd(), finalOptions.configDir);
-  }
+  const directories = {
+    configDir: finalOptions.configDir,
+    workingDir: WORKING_DIR,
+  };
 
-  let previewLevelTags: string[];
-  let storiesGlobs: StoriesEntry[];
-  let storiesFiles: string[];
-  const statics: ReturnType<typeof mapStaticDir>[] = [];
+  const { presets } = await experimental_loadStorybook({
+    configDir: finalOptions.configDir,
+    packageJson: {},
+  });
+
+  const [
+    { storiesGlobs, storiesFiles },
+    framework,
+    storybookEnv,
+    viteConfigFromStorybook,
+    staticDirs,
+    previewLevelTags,
+  ] = await Promise.all([
+    getStoryGlobsAndFiles(presets, directories),
+    presets.apply('framework', undefined),
+    presets.apply('env', {}),
+    presets.apply('viteFinal', {}),
+    presets.apply('staticDirs', []),
+    extractTagsFromPreview(finalOptions.configDir),
+  ]);
 
   return {
     name: 'vite-plugin-storybook-test',
     enforce: 'pre',
-    async config(config) {
-      const configDir = finalOptions.configDir;
+    async transformIndexHtml(html) {
+      const [headHtmlSnippet, bodyHtmlSnippet] = await Promise.all([
+        presets.apply('previewHead'),
+        presets.apply('previewBody'),
+      ]);
+
+      return html
+        .replace('</head>', `${headHtmlSnippet ?? ''}</head>`)
+        .replace('<body>', `<body>${bodyHtmlSnippet ?? ''}`);
+    },
+    async config(inputConfig_DoNotMutate) {
+      // ! We're not mutating the input config, instead we're returning a new partial config
+      // ! see https://vite.dev/guide/api-plugin.html#config
       try {
-        await validateConfigurationFiles(configDir);
+        await validateConfigurationFiles(finalOptions.configDir);
       } catch (err) {
         throw new MainFileMissingError({
-          location: configDir,
+          location: finalOptions.configDir,
           source: 'vitest',
         });
       }
 
-      const presets = await loadAllPresets({
-        configDir,
-        corePresets: [],
-        overridePresets: [],
-        packageJson: {},
-      });
-
-      const workingDir = process.cwd();
-      const directories = {
-        configDir,
-        workingDir,
-      };
-      storiesGlobs = await presets.apply('stories');
-      const indexers = await presets.apply('experimental_indexers', []);
-      const docsOptions = await presets.apply<DocsOptions>('docs', {});
-      const normalizedStories = normalizeStories(await storiesGlobs, directories);
-
-      const generator = new StoryIndexGenerator(normalizedStories, {
-        ...directories,
-        indexers: indexers,
-        docs: docsOptions,
-        workingDir,
-      });
-
-      await generator.initialize();
-
-      storiesFiles = generator.storyFileNames();
-
-      previewLevelTags = await extractTagsFromPreview(configDir);
-
-      const framework = await presets.apply('framework', undefined);
       const frameworkName = typeof framework === 'string' ? framework : framework.name;
-      const storybookEnv = await presets.apply('env', {});
-      const staticDirs = await presets.apply('staticDirs', []);
-
-      for (const staticDir of staticDirs) {
-        try {
-          statics.push(mapStaticDir(staticDir, configDir));
-        } catch (e) {
-          console.warn(e);
-        }
-      }
 
       // If we end up needing to know if we are running in browser mode later
       // const isRunningInBrowserMode = config.plugins.find((plugin: Plugin) =>
       //   plugin.name?.startsWith('vitest:browser')
       // )
 
-      config.test ??= {};
+      const baseConfig: Omit<ViteUserConfig, 'plugins'> = {
+        test: {
+          setupFiles: [
+            '@storybook/experimental-addon-test/internal/setup-file',
+            // if the existing setupFiles is a string, we have to include it otherwise we're overwriting it
+            typeof inputConfig_DoNotMutate.test?.setupFiles === 'string' &&
+              inputConfig_DoNotMutate.test?.setupFiles,
+          ].filter(Boolean),
+
+          ...(finalOptions.storybookScript
+            ? {
+                globalSetup: ['@storybook/experimental-addon-test/internal/global-setup'],
+              }
+            : {}),
+
+          env: {
+            ...storybookEnv,
+            // To be accessed by the setup file
+            __STORYBOOK_URL__: finalOptions.storybookUrl,
+            // We signal the test runner that we are not running it via Storybook
+            // We are overriding the environment variable to 'true' if vitest runs via @storybook/addon-test's backend
+            VITEST_STORYBOOK: 'false',
+            __VITEST_INCLUDE_TAGS__: finalOptions.tags.include.join(','),
+            __VITEST_EXCLUDE_TAGS__: finalOptions.tags.exclude.join(','),
+            __VITEST_SKIP_TAGS__: finalOptions.tags.skip.join(','),
+          },
+
+          include: storiesFiles
+            .filter((path) => !path.endsWith('.mdx'))
+            .map((path) => convertPathToPattern(path)),
+
+          // if the existing deps.inline is true, we keep it as-is, because it will inline everything
+          ...(inputConfig_DoNotMutate.test?.server?.deps?.inline !== true
+            ? {
+                server: {
+                  deps: {
+                    inline: ['@storybook/experimental-addon-test'],
+                  },
+                },
+              }
+            : {}),
+
+          browser: {
+            ...inputConfig_DoNotMutate.test?.browser,
+            commands: {
+              getInitialGlobals: () => {
+                const envConfig = JSON.parse(process.env.VITEST_STORYBOOK_CONFIG ?? '{}');
+
+                const isA11yEnabled = process.env.VITEST_STORYBOOK
+                  ? (envConfig.a11y ?? false)
+                  : true;
+
+                return {
+                  a11y: {
+                    manual: !isA11yEnabled,
+                  },
+                };
+              },
+            },
+            // if there is a test.browser config AND test.browser.screenshotFailures is not explicitly set, we set it to false
+            ...(inputConfig_DoNotMutate.test?.browser &&
+            inputConfig_DoNotMutate.test.browser.screenshotFailures === undefined
+              ? {
+                  screenshotFailures: false,
+                }
+              : {}),
+          },
+        },
+
+        envPrefix: Array.from(
+          new Set([...(inputConfig_DoNotMutate.envPrefix || []), 'STORYBOOK_', 'VITE_'])
+        ),
+
+        resolve: {
+          conditions: [
+            'storybook',
+            'stories',
+            'test',
+            // copying straight from https://github.com/vitejs/vite/blob/main/packages/vite/src/node/constants.ts#L60
+            // to avoid having to maintain Vite as a dependency just for this
+            'module',
+            'browser',
+            'development|production',
+          ],
+        },
+
+        optimizeDeps: {
+          include: [
+            '@storybook/experimental-addon-test/**',
+            ...(frameworkName?.includes('react') || frameworkName?.includes('nextjs')
+              ? ['react-dom/test-utils']
+              : []),
+          ],
+        },
+
+        define: {
+          // polyfilling process.env.VITEST_STORYBOOK to 'false' in the browser
+          'process.env.VITEST_STORYBOOK': JSON.stringify('false'),
+          ...(frameworkName?.includes('vue3')
+            ? { __VUE_PROD_HYDRATION_MISMATCH_DETAILS__: 'false' }
+            : {}),
+        },
+      };
+
+      // Merge config from storybook with the plugin config
+      const config: Omit<ViteUserConfig, 'plugins'> = mergeConfig(
+        baseConfig,
+        viteConfigFromStorybook
+      );
 
-      if (config.test.include?.length > 0) {
+      // alert the user of problems
+      if (inputConfig_DoNotMutate.test.include?.length > 0) {
         console.warn(
           picocolors.yellow(dedent`
             Warning: Starting in Storybook 8.5.0-alpha.18, the "test.include" option in Vitest is discouraged in favor of just using the "stories" field in your Storybook configuration.
@@ -145,111 +266,25 @@ export const storybookTest = (options?: UserOptions): Plugin => {
         );
       }
 
-      config.test.include = storiesFiles
-        .filter((path) => !path.endsWith('.mdx'))
-        .map((path) => convertPathToPattern(path));
-
-      config.test.env ??= {};
-      config.test.env = {
-        ...storybookEnv,
-        ...config.test.env,
-        // To be accessed by the setup file
-        __STORYBOOK_URL__: storybookUrl,
-        // We signal the test runner that we are not running it via Storybook
-        // We are overriding the environment variable to 'true' if vitest runs via @storybook/addon-test's backend
-        VITEST_STORYBOOK: 'false',
-        __VITEST_INCLUDE_TAGS__: finalOptions.tags.include.join(','),
-        __VITEST_EXCLUDE_TAGS__: finalOptions.tags.exclude.join(','),
-        __VITEST_SKIP_TAGS__: finalOptions.tags.skip.join(','),
-      };
-
-      config.envPrefix = Array.from(new Set([...(config.envPrefix || []), 'STORYBOOK_', 'VITE_']));
-
-      if (config.test.browser) {
-        config.define ??= {
-          ...config.define,
-          // polyfilling process.env.VITEST_STORYBOOK to 'false' in the browser
-          'process.env.VITEST_STORYBOOK': JSON.stringify('false'),
-        };
-
-        config.test.browser.screenshotFailures ??= false;
-
-        config.test.browser.commands ??= {
-          getInitialGlobals: () => {
-            const envConfig = JSON.parse(process.env.VITEST_STORYBOOK_CONFIG ?? '{}');
-
-            const isA11yEnabled = process.env.VITEST_STORYBOOK ? (envConfig.a11y ?? false) : true;
-
-            return {
-              a11y: {
-                manual: !isA11yEnabled,
-              },
-            };
-          },
-        };
-      }
-
-      // copying straight from https://github.com/vitejs/vite/blob/main/packages/vite/src/node/constants.ts#L60
-      // to avoid having to maintain Vite as a dependency just for this
-      const viteDefaultClientConditions = ['module', 'browser', 'development|production'];
-
-      config.resolve ??= {};
-      config.resolve.conditions ??= [];
-      config.resolve.conditions.push(
-        'storybook',
-        'stories',
-        'test',
-        ...viteDefaultClientConditions
-      );
-
-      config.test.setupFiles ??= [];
-      if (typeof config.test.setupFiles === 'string') {
-        config.test.setupFiles = [config.test.setupFiles];
-      }
-      config.test.setupFiles.push('@storybook/experimental-addon-test/internal/setup-file');
-
-      // when a Storybook script is provided, we spawn Storybook for the user when in watch mode
-      if (finalOptions.storybookScript) {
-        config.test.globalSetup = config.test.globalSetup ?? [];
-        if (typeof config.test.globalSetup === 'string') {
-          config.test.globalSetup = [config.test.globalSetup];
+      // return the new config, it will be deep-merged by vite
+      return config;
+    },
+    async configureServer(server) {
+      for (const staticDir of staticDirs) {
+        try {
+          const { staticPath, targetEndpoint } = mapStaticDir(staticDir, directories.configDir);
+          server.middlewares.use(
+            targetEndpoint,
+            sirv(staticPath, {
+              dev: true,
+              etag: true,
+              extensions: [],
+            })
+          );
+        } catch (e) {
+          console.warn(e);
         }
-        config.test.globalSetup.push('@storybook/experimental-addon-test/internal/global-setup');
-      }
-
-      config.test.server ??= {};
-      config.test.server.deps ??= {};
-      config.test.server.deps.inline ??= [];
-      if (Array.isArray(config.test.server.deps.inline)) {
-        config.test.server.deps.inline.push('@storybook/experimental-addon-test');
       }
-
-      config.optimizeDeps ??= {};
-      config.optimizeDeps = {
-        ...config.optimizeDeps,
-        include: [...(config.optimizeDeps.include ?? []), '@storybook/experimental-addon-test/**'],
-      };
-
-      if (frameworkName?.includes('react') || frameworkName?.includes('nextjs')) {
-        config.optimizeDeps.include.push('react-dom/test-utils');
-      }
-
-      if (frameworkName?.includes('vue3')) {
-        config.define ??= {};
-        config.define.__VUE_PROD_HYDRATION_MISMATCH_DETAILS__ = 'false';
-      }
-    },
-    configureServer(server) {
-      statics.map(({ staticPath, targetEndpoint }) => {
-        server.middlewares.use(
-          targetEndpoint,
-          sirv(staticPath, {
-            dev: true,
-            etag: true,
-            extensions: [],
-          })
-        );
-      });
     },
     async transform(code, id) {
       if (process.env.VITEST !== 'true') {
diff --git a/code/addons/themes/package.json b/code/addons/themes/package.json
index c67ac2dabd3e..3acb32417fbd 100644
--- a/code/addons/themes/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/themes/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-themes",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Switch between multiple themes for you components in Storybook",
   "keywords": [
     "css",
diff --git a/code/addons/toolbars/package.json b/code/addons/toolbars/package.json
index 56b19d684c07..f4917fae862c 100644
--- a/code/addons/toolbars/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/toolbars/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-toolbars",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Create your own toolbar items that control story rendering",
   "keywords": [
     "addon",
diff --git a/code/addons/viewport/package.json b/code/addons/viewport/package.json
index 4c7ad1d5916f..2cad1d10517d 100644
--- a/code/addons/viewport/package.json
+++ b/code/addons/viewport/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/addon-viewport",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Build responsive components by adjusting Storybook’s viewport size and orientation",
   "keywords": [
     "addon",
diff --git a/code/builders/builder-vite/package.json b/code/builders/builder-vite/package.json
index 15111a219775..12c37e443cc2 100644
--- a/code/builders/builder-vite/package.json
+++ b/code/builders/builder-vite/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/builder-vite",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "A plugin to run and build Storybooks with Vite",
   "homepage": "https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/tree/next/code/builders/builder-vite/#readme",
   "bugs": {
diff --git a/code/builders/builder-webpack5/package.json b/code/builders/builder-webpack5/package.json
index 6c7c000ea5cc..31dc74add9ca 100644
--- a/code/builders/builder-webpack5/package.json
+++ b/code/builders/builder-webpack5/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/builder-webpack5",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook framework-agnostic API",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/core/package.json b/code/core/package.json
index ffde669c6209..ac5c8991b31f 100644
--- a/code/core/package.json
+++ b/code/core/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/core",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook framework-agnostic API",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/core/src/common/versions.ts b/code/core/src/common/versions.ts
index 93a8bf53d3b6..766faaec02cf 100644
--- a/code/core/src/common/versions.ts
+++ b/code/core/src/common/versions.ts
@@ -1,88 +1,88 @@
 // auto generated file, do not edit
 export default {
-  '@storybook/addon-a11y': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-actions': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-backgrounds': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-controls': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-docs': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-essentials': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-mdx-gfm': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-highlight': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-interactions': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-jest': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-links': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-measure': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-onboarding': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-outline': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-storysource': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/experimental-addon-test': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-themes': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-toolbars': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/addon-viewport': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/builder-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/builder-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/core': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/builder-manager': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/channels': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/client-logger': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/components': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/core-common': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/core-events': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/core-server': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/csf-tools': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/docs-tools': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/manager': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/manager-api': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/node-logger': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preview': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preview-api': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/router': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/telemetry': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/theming': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/types': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/angular': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/ember': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/html-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/html-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/nextjs': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preact-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preact-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/react-native-web-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/react-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/react-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/server-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/svelte-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/svelte-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/sveltekit': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/vue3-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/vue3-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/web-components-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/web-components-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/blocks': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  storybook: '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  sb: '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/cli': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/codemod': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/core-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  'create-storybook': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/csf-plugin': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/instrumenter': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/react-dom-shim': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/source-loader': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/test': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preset-create-react-app': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preset-html-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preset-preact-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preset-react-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preset-server-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preset-svelte-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preset-vue3-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/html': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/preact': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/react': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/server': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/svelte': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/vue3': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
-  '@storybook/web-components': '8.5.0-alpha.18',
+  '@storybook/addon-a11y': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-actions': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-backgrounds': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-controls': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-docs': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-essentials': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-mdx-gfm': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-highlight': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-interactions': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-jest': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-links': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-measure': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-onboarding': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-outline': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-storysource': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/experimental-addon-test': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-themes': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-toolbars': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/addon-viewport': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/builder-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/builder-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/core': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/builder-manager': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/channels': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/client-logger': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/components': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/core-common': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/core-events': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/core-server': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/csf-tools': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/docs-tools': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/manager': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/manager-api': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/node-logger': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preview': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preview-api': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/router': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/telemetry': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/theming': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/types': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/angular': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/ember': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/html-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/html-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/nextjs': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preact-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preact-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/react-native-web-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/react-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/react-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/server-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/svelte-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/svelte-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/sveltekit': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/vue3-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/vue3-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/web-components-vite': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/web-components-webpack5': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/blocks': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  storybook: '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  sb: '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/cli': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/codemod': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/core-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  'create-storybook': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/csf-plugin': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/instrumenter': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/react-dom-shim': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/source-loader': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/test': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preset-create-react-app': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preset-html-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preset-preact-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preset-react-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preset-server-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preset-svelte-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preset-vue3-webpack': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/html': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/preact': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/react': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/server': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/svelte': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/vue3': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
+  '@storybook/web-components': '8.5.0-alpha.20',
 };
diff --git a/code/core/src/components/components/Button/Button.tsx b/code/core/src/components/components/Button/Button.tsx
index 7c0c8db3da44..a1804ebac153 100644
--- a/code/core/src/components/components/Button/Button.tsx
+++ b/code/core/src/components/components/Button/Button.tsx
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ import { darken, lighten, rgba, transparentize } from 'polished';
 export interface ButtonProps extends ButtonHTMLAttributes<HTMLButtonElement> {
   asChild?: boolean;
   size?: 'small' | 'medium';
-  padding?: 'small' | 'medium';
+  padding?: 'small' | 'medium' | 'none';
   variant?: 'outline' | 'solid' | 'ghost';
   onClick?: (event: SyntheticEvent) => void;
   disabled?: boolean;
@@ -159,18 +159,18 @@ const StyledButton = styled('button', {
   justifyContent: 'center',
   overflow: 'hidden',
   padding: (() => {
+    if (padding === 'none') {
+      return 0;
+    }
     if (padding === 'small' && size === 'small') {
       return '0 7px';
     }
-
     if (padding === 'small' && size === 'medium') {
       return '0 9px';
     }
-
     if (size === 'small') {
       return '0 10px';
     }
-
     if (size === 'medium') {
       return '0 12px';
     }
diff --git a/code/core/src/components/components/ProgressSpinner/ProgressSpinner.stories.tsx b/code/core/src/components/components/ProgressSpinner/ProgressSpinner.stories.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..b0f03752bede
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/core/src/components/components/ProgressSpinner/ProgressSpinner.stories.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+import React from 'react';
+
+import { StopAltIcon } from '@storybook/icons';
+import type { Meta, StoryObj } from '@storybook/react';
+
+import { ProgressSpinner } from './ProgressSpinner';
+
+const meta = {
+  component: ProgressSpinner,
+} satisfies Meta<typeof ProgressSpinner>;
+
+export default meta;
+type Story = StoryObj<typeof meta>;
+
+export const Forty: Story = {
+  args: {
+    percentage: 40,
+  },
+};
+
+export const Seventy: Story = {
+  args: {
+    percentage: 70,
+  },
+};
+
+export const Zero: Story = {
+  args: {
+    percentage: 0,
+  },
+};
+
+export const Small: Story = {
+  args: {
+    percentage: 40,
+    size: 16,
+  },
+};
+
+export const Thick: Story = {
+  args: {
+    percentage: 40,
+    width: 3,
+  },
+};
+
+export const Paused: Story = {
+  args: {
+    percentage: 40,
+    running: false,
+  },
+};
+
+export const Colored: Story = {
+  args: Forty.args,
+  decorators: [
+    (Story) => (
+      <div style={{ color: 'hotpink' }}>
+        <Story />
+      </div>
+    ),
+  ],
+};
+
+export const WithContent: Story = {
+  ...Colored,
+  args: {
+    ...Colored.args,
+    children: <StopAltIcon size={10} />,
+  },
+};
diff --git a/code/core/src/components/components/ProgressSpinner/ProgressSpinner.tsx b/code/core/src/components/components/ProgressSpinner/ProgressSpinner.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..02f81ab6d344
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/core/src/components/components/ProgressSpinner/ProgressSpinner.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+import React, { type ComponentProps } from 'react';
+
+import { keyframes, styled } from '@storybook/core/theming';
+
+const XMLNS = 'http://www.w3.org/2000/svg';
+
+const rotate = keyframes({
+  '0%': {
+    transform: 'rotate(0deg)',
+  },
+  '100%': {
+    transform: 'rotate(360deg)',
+  },
+});
+
+const Wrapper = styled.div<{ size: number }>(({ size }) => ({
+  display: 'inline-flex',
+  alignItems: 'center',
+  justifyContent: 'center',
+  position: 'relative',
+  minWidth: size,
+  minHeight: size,
+}));
+
+const Circle = styled.svg<{ size: number; width: number; progress?: boolean; spinner?: boolean }>(
+  ({ size, width }) => ({
+    position: 'absolute',
+    width: `${size}px!important`,
+    height: `${size}px!important`,
+    transform: 'rotate(-90deg)',
+    circle: {
+      r: (size - Math.ceil(width)) / 2,
+      cx: size / 2,
+      cy: size / 2,
+      opacity: 0.15,
+      fill: 'transparent',
+      stroke: 'currentColor',
+      strokeWidth: width,
+      strokeLinecap: 'round',
+      strokeDasharray: Math.PI * (size - Math.ceil(width)),
+    },
+  }),
+  ({ progress }) =>
+    progress && {
+      circle: {
+        opacity: 0.75,
+      },
+    },
+  ({ spinner }) =>
+    spinner && {
+      animation: `${rotate} 1s linear infinite`,
+      circle: {
+        opacity: 0.25,
+      },
+    }
+);
+
+interface ProgressSpinnerProps extends Omit<ComponentProps<typeof Wrapper>, 'size'> {
+  percentage?: number;
+  running?: boolean;
+  size?: number;
+  width?: number;
+  children?: React.ReactNode;
+}
+
+export const ProgressSpinner = ({
+  percentage = undefined,
+  running = true,
+  size = 24,
+  width = 1.5,
+  children = null,
+  ...props
+}: ProgressSpinnerProps) =>
+  typeof percentage === 'number' ? (
+    <Wrapper size={size} {...props}>
+      {children}
+      <Circle size={size} width={width} xmlns={XMLNS}>
+        <circle />
+      </Circle>
+      {running && (
+        <Circle size={size} width={width} xmlns={XMLNS} spinner>
+          <circle strokeDashoffset={Math.PI * (size - Math.ceil(width)) * (1 - percentage / 100)} />
+        </Circle>
+      )}
+      <Circle size={size} width={width} xmlns={XMLNS} progress>
+        <circle strokeDashoffset={Math.PI * (size - Math.ceil(width)) * (1 - percentage / 100)} />
+      </Circle>
+    </Wrapper>
+  ) : (
+    <Wrapper size={size} {...props}>
+      {children}
+    </Wrapper>
+  );
diff --git a/code/core/src/components/index.ts b/code/core/src/components/index.ts
index eaf6fef4f609..5222b7bd6380 100644
--- a/code/core/src/components/index.ts
+++ b/code/core/src/components/index.ts
@@ -81,6 +81,7 @@ export { StorybookIcon } from './brand/StorybookIcon';
 
 // Loader
 export { Loader } from './components/Loader/Loader';
+export { ProgressSpinner } from './components/ProgressSpinner/ProgressSpinner';
 
 // Utils
 export { getStoryHref } from './components/utils/getStoryHref';
diff --git a/code/core/src/core-server/index.ts b/code/core/src/core-server/index.ts
index e8898fb5767b..5a74e0056c17 100644
--- a/code/core/src/core-server/index.ts
+++ b/code/core/src/core-server/index.ts
@@ -8,3 +8,5 @@ export * from './withTelemetry';
 export { default as build } from './standalone';
 export { mapStaticDir } from './utils/server-statics';
 export { StoryIndexGenerator } from './utils/StoryIndexGenerator';
+
+export { loadStorybook as experimental_loadStorybook } from './load';
diff --git a/code/core/src/core-server/load.ts b/code/core/src/core-server/load.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..cb03ceb5ca7a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/code/core/src/core-server/load.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+import { join, relative, resolve } from 'node:path';
+
+import {
+  getProjectRoot,
+  loadAllPresets,
+  loadMainConfig,
+  resolveAddonName,
+  validateFrameworkName,
+} from '@storybook/core/common';
+import { oneWayHash } from '@storybook/core/telemetry';
+import type { BuilderOptions, CLIOptions, LoadOptions, Options } from '@storybook/core/types';
+import { global } from '@storybook/global';
+
+export async function loadStorybook(
+  options: CLIOptions &
+    LoadOptions &
+    BuilderOptions & {
+      storybookVersion?: string;
+      previewConfigPath?: string;
+    }
+): Promise<Options> {
+  const configDir = resolve(options.configDir);
+
+  const rootDir = getProjectRoot();
+  const cacheKey = oneWayHash(relative(rootDir, configDir));
+
+  options.configType = 'DEVELOPMENT';
+  options.configDir = configDir;
+  options.cacheKey = cacheKey;
+
+  const config = await loadMainConfig(options);
+  const { framework } = config;
+  const corePresets = [];
+
+  let frameworkName = typeof framework === 'string' ? framework : framework?.name;
+  if (!options.ignorePreview) {
+    validateFrameworkName(frameworkName);
+  }
+  if (frameworkName) {
+    corePresets.push(join(frameworkName, 'preset'));
+  }
+
+  frameworkName = frameworkName || 'custom';
+
+  // Load first pass: We need to determine the builder
+  // We need to do this because builders might introduce 'overridePresets' which we need to take into account
+  // We hope to remove this in SB8
+
+  let presets = await loadAllPresets({
+    corePresets,
+    overridePresets: [
+      require.resolve('@storybook/core/core-server/presets/common-override-preset'),
+    ],
+    ...options,
+    isCritical: true,
+  });
+
+  const { renderer } = await presets.apply('core', {});
+  const resolvedRenderer = renderer && resolveAddonName(options.configDir, renderer, options);
+
+  // Load second pass: all presets are applied in order
+
+  presets = await loadAllPresets({
+    corePresets: [
+      require.resolve('@storybook/core/core-server/presets/common-preset'),
+      ...(resolvedRenderer ? [resolvedRenderer] : []),
+      ...corePresets,
+    ],
+    overridePresets: [
+      require.resolve('@storybook/core/core-server/presets/common-override-preset'),
+    ],
+    ...options,
+  });
+
+  const features = await presets.apply('features');
+  global.FEATURES = features;
+
+  return {
+    ...options,
+    presets,
+    features,
+  } as Options;
+}
diff --git a/code/core/src/manager-api/version.ts b/code/core/src/manager-api/version.ts
index b54cfe6a0a07..0e6208fa11f8 100644
--- a/code/core/src/manager-api/version.ts
+++ b/code/core/src/manager-api/version.ts
@@ -1 +1 @@
-export const version = '8.5.0-alpha.18';
+export const version = '8.5.0-alpha.20';
diff --git a/code/core/src/manager/components/sidebar/LegacyRender.tsx b/code/core/src/manager/components/sidebar/LegacyRender.tsx
index 065ad061c995..82bc83bd1b34 100644
--- a/code/core/src/manager/components/sidebar/LegacyRender.tsx
+++ b/code/core/src/manager/components/sidebar/LegacyRender.tsx
@@ -1,8 +1,8 @@
 import React from 'react';
 
-import { Button } from '@storybook/core/components';
+import { Button, ProgressSpinner } from '@storybook/core/components';
 import { styled } from '@storybook/core/theming';
-import { EyeIcon, PlayHollowIcon, StopAltHollowIcon } from '@storybook/icons';
+import { EyeIcon, PlayHollowIcon, StopAltIcon } from '@storybook/icons';
 
 import type { TestProviders } from '@storybook/core/core-events';
 import { useStorybookApi } from '@storybook/core/manager-api';
@@ -35,6 +35,14 @@ const DescriptionWrapper = styled.div(({ theme }) => ({
   color: theme.barTextColor,
 }));
 
+const Progress = styled(ProgressSpinner)({
+  margin: 2,
+});
+
+const StopIcon = styled(StopAltIcon)({
+  width: 10,
+});
+
 export const LegacyRender = ({ ...state }: TestProviders[keyof TestProviders]) => {
   const Description = state.description!;
   const Title = state.title!;
@@ -70,11 +78,18 @@ export const LegacyRender = ({ ...state }: TestProviders[keyof TestProviders]) =
               <Button
                 aria-label={`Stop ${name}`}
                 variant="ghost"
-                padding="small"
+                padding="none"
                 onClick={() => api.cancelTestProvider(state.id)}
                 disabled={state.cancelling}
               >
-                <StopAltHollowIcon />
+                <Progress
+                  percentage={
+                    state.progress?.percentageCompleted ??
+                    (state.details as any)?.buildProgressPercentage
+                  }
+                >
+                  <StopIcon />
+                </Progress>
               </Button>
             ) : (
               <Button
diff --git a/code/core/src/manager/globals/exports.ts b/code/core/src/manager/globals/exports.ts
index 297281e0e93d..e354ce120ffb 100644
--- a/code/core/src/manager/globals/exports.ts
+++ b/code/core/src/manager/globals/exports.ts
@@ -334,6 +334,7 @@ export default {
     'P',
     'Placeholder',
     'Pre',
+    'ProgressSpinner',
     'ResetWrapper',
     'ScrollArea',
     'Separator',
@@ -404,6 +405,7 @@ export default {
     'P',
     'Placeholder',
     'Pre',
+    'ProgressSpinner',
     'ResetWrapper',
     'ScrollArea',
     'Separator',
@@ -474,6 +476,7 @@ export default {
     'P',
     'Placeholder',
     'Pre',
+    'ProgressSpinner',
     'ResetWrapper',
     'ScrollArea',
     'Separator',
diff --git a/code/deprecated/builder-manager/package.json b/code/deprecated/builder-manager/package.json
index 2509c211d6bf..62cda75bafd3 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/builder-manager/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/builder-manager/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/builder-manager",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook manager builder",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/channels/package.json b/code/deprecated/channels/package.json
index abec6882d2dc..f05e0f4b7459 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/channels/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/channels/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/channels",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/client-logger/package.json b/code/deprecated/client-logger/package.json
index caf80b13a3d0..d58ca7e64716 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/client-logger/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/client-logger/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/client-logger",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/components/package.json b/code/deprecated/components/package.json
index 30e9a7ab202f..94f77c383899 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/components/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/components/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/components",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Core Storybook Components",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/core-common/package.json b/code/deprecated/core-common/package.json
index ad5da180fdf5..66994e0d8bdb 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/core-common/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/core-common/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/core-common",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook framework-agnostic API",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/core-events/package.json b/code/deprecated/core-events/package.json
index 9823b20089fb..3bb7a8fb597f 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/core-events/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/core-events/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/core-events",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Event names used in storybook core",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/core-server/package.json b/code/deprecated/core-server/package.json
index 5c42483a47a8..e2a34f4e8af6 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/core-server/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/core-server/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/core-server",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook framework-agnostic API",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/csf-tools/package.json b/code/deprecated/csf-tools/package.json
index a13e29cd0c01..5c83ffcbb119 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/csf-tools/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/csf-tools/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/csf-tools",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Parse and manipulate CSF and Storybook config files",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/docs-tools/package.json b/code/deprecated/docs-tools/package.json
index 9fc426e57327..1c98b0f0d3ec 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/docs-tools/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/docs-tools/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/docs-tools",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Shared utility functions for frameworks to implement docs",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/manager-api/package.json b/code/deprecated/manager-api/package.json
index 955551c55c0b..ba3117ca0233 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/manager-api/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/manager-api/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/manager-api",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Core Storybook Manager API & Context",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/manager/package.json b/code/deprecated/manager/package.json
index b1f00d95a22d..bb7eeb7188b8 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/manager/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/manager/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/manager",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Core Storybook UI",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/node-logger/package.json b/code/deprecated/node-logger/package.json
index d0c86432b964..b1700e6e65ca 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/node-logger/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/node-logger/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/node-logger",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/preview-api/package.json b/code/deprecated/preview-api/package.json
index e3b092c1a9b1..6c23642f7859 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/preview-api/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/preview-api/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preview-api",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/preview/package.json b/code/deprecated/preview/package.json
index 479c337042d7..37550e11099f 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/preview/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/preview/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preview",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/router/package.json b/code/deprecated/router/package.json
index af05453070d3..501562f1e6ea 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/router/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/router/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/router",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Core Storybook Router",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/telemetry/package.json b/code/deprecated/telemetry/package.json
index 22e48c1a6ccd..6fe8cd1b0ac4 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/telemetry/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/telemetry/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/telemetry",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Telemetry logging for crash reports and usage statistics",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/theming/package.json b/code/deprecated/theming/package.json
index c82476b5afc5..e91486a6bebc 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/theming/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/theming/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/theming",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Core Storybook Components",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/deprecated/types/package.json b/code/deprecated/types/package.json
index 13cdd9a8664a..214340eddaa9 100644
--- a/code/deprecated/types/package.json
+++ b/code/deprecated/types/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/types",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Core Storybook TS Types",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/angular/package.json b/code/frameworks/angular/package.json
index 3d073e66109b..06a9b4834586 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/angular/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/angular/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/angular",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Angular: Develop Angular components in isolation with hot reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook",
diff --git a/code/frameworks/ember/package.json b/code/frameworks/ember/package.json
index dabea4045fe4..18ff9618d203 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/ember/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/ember/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/ember",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Ember: Develop Ember Component in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "homepage": "https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/tree/next/code/frameworks/ember",
   "bugs": {
diff --git a/code/frameworks/experimental-nextjs-vite/package.json b/code/frameworks/experimental-nextjs-vite/package.json
index 31810fbfb604..2fe79c99238a 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/experimental-nextjs-vite/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/experimental-nextjs-vite/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/experimental-nextjs-vite",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Next.js and Vite",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook",
diff --git a/code/frameworks/html-vite/package.json b/code/frameworks/html-vite/package.json
index 888dba46797b..02a11a32b867 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/html-vite/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/html-vite/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/html-vite",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for HTML and Vite: Develop HTML in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/html-webpack5/package.json b/code/frameworks/html-webpack5/package.json
index e2c55679ed13..356198becd23 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/html-webpack5/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/html-webpack5/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/html-webpack5",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for HTML: View HTML snippets in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/nextjs/package.json b/code/frameworks/nextjs/package.json
index 8739b514df43..88ccba6855a9 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/nextjs/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/nextjs/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/nextjs",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Next.js",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook",
diff --git a/code/frameworks/preact-vite/package.json b/code/frameworks/preact-vite/package.json
index 3722bec49c14..fb80969ea2a6 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/preact-vite/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/preact-vite/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preact-vite",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Preact and Vite: Develop Preact components in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/preact-webpack5/package.json b/code/frameworks/preact-webpack5/package.json
index 9a177ab76ba7..158b8645be84 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/preact-webpack5/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/preact-webpack5/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preact-webpack5",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Preact: Develop Preact Component in isolation.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/react-native-web-vite/package.json b/code/frameworks/react-native-web-vite/package.json
index a727cb3fe88d..4b6c1143687e 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/react-native-web-vite/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/react-native-web-vite/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/react-native-web-vite",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Develop react-native components an isolated web environment with hot reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/react-vite/package.json b/code/frameworks/react-vite/package.json
index 5f304a9f1abc..178ff614e547 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/react-vite/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/react-vite/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/react-vite",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for React and Vite: Develop React components in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/react-webpack5/package.json b/code/frameworks/react-webpack5/package.json
index a2bcd11ae6b5..ff54c5fbe72c 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/react-webpack5/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/react-webpack5/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/react-webpack5",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for React: Develop React Component in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/server-webpack5/package.json b/code/frameworks/server-webpack5/package.json
index 69d960f2b567..728774d9db91 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/server-webpack5/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/server-webpack5/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/server-webpack5",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Server: View HTML snippets from a server in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/svelte-vite/package.json b/code/frameworks/svelte-vite/package.json
index f65153136284..168c9fdfd5c3 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/svelte-vite/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/svelte-vite/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/svelte-vite",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Svelte and Vite: Develop Svelte components in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/svelte-webpack5/package.json b/code/frameworks/svelte-webpack5/package.json
index f722bd1d401d..ed6fbe94b336 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/svelte-webpack5/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/svelte-webpack5/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/svelte-webpack5",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Svelte: Develop Svelte Component in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/sveltekit/package.json b/code/frameworks/sveltekit/package.json
index 57329852173a..fba6bdb225f6 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/sveltekit/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/sveltekit/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/sveltekit",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for SvelteKit",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook",
diff --git a/code/frameworks/vue3-vite/package.json b/code/frameworks/vue3-vite/package.json
index 519802837256..2f3ae021c76a 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/vue3-vite/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/vue3-vite/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/vue3-vite",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Vue3 and Vite: Develop Vue3 components in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/vue3-webpack5/package.json b/code/frameworks/vue3-webpack5/package.json
index 3df3e880c3de..3100bb0b6289 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/vue3-webpack5/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/vue3-webpack5/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/vue3-webpack5",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Vue 3: Develop Vue 3 Components in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/web-components-vite/package.json b/code/frameworks/web-components-vite/package.json
index a1350863cdcd..836c140ca82c 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/web-components-vite/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/web-components-vite/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/web-components-vite",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for web-components and Vite: Develop Web Components in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/frameworks/web-components-webpack5/package.json b/code/frameworks/web-components-webpack5/package.json
index 9296e9586d5b..4d52e1e849e9 100644
--- a/code/frameworks/web-components-webpack5/package.json
+++ b/code/frameworks/web-components-webpack5/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/web-components-webpack5",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for web-components: View web components snippets in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "lit",
diff --git a/code/lib/blocks/package.json b/code/lib/blocks/package.json
index 99f789eba2f1..c38aa59f379c 100644
--- a/code/lib/blocks/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/blocks/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/blocks",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook Doc Blocks",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/lib/cli-sb/package.json b/code/lib/cli-sb/package.json
index 5a6d260e0e01..9fb9cbcc6121 100644
--- a/code/lib/cli-sb/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/cli-sb/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "sb",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook CLI",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/lib/cli-storybook/package.json b/code/lib/cli-storybook/package.json
index 4539ae8a93fd..fd8411206ce2 100644
--- a/code/lib/cli-storybook/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/cli-storybook/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/cli",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook CLI",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/lib/cli/package.json b/code/lib/cli/package.json
index 985f6ce73c62..8e7150357548 100644
--- a/code/lib/cli/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/cli/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "storybook",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook's CLI - install, dev, build, upgrade, and more",
   "keywords": [
     "cli",
diff --git a/code/lib/codemod/package.json b/code/lib/codemod/package.json
index d289c067736d..4826ca8fc29f 100644
--- a/code/lib/codemod/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/codemod/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/codemod",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "A collection of codemod scripts written with JSCodeshift",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/lib/core-webpack/package.json b/code/lib/core-webpack/package.json
index f51817adb707..af5e0cb57a93 100644
--- a/code/lib/core-webpack/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/core-webpack/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/core-webpack",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook framework-agnostic API",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/lib/create-storybook/package.json b/code/lib/create-storybook/package.json
index abf70ebc4d68..9a05e6de9adb 100644
--- a/code/lib/create-storybook/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/create-storybook/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "create-storybook",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Initialize Storybook into your project",
   "homepage": "https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/tree/next/code/lib/create-storybook",
   "bugs": {
diff --git a/code/lib/csf-plugin/package.json b/code/lib/csf-plugin/package.json
index 2b8cd390b7ea..363ee09250f7 100644
--- a/code/lib/csf-plugin/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/csf-plugin/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/csf-plugin",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Enrich CSF files via static analysis",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/lib/instrumenter/package.json b/code/lib/instrumenter/package.json
index a987140baea3..559bcbad40c4 100644
--- a/code/lib/instrumenter/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/instrumenter/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/instrumenter",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/lib/react-dom-shim/package.json b/code/lib/react-dom-shim/package.json
index 5b007a076649..a25cbdb8c8ed 100644
--- a/code/lib/react-dom-shim/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/react-dom-shim/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/react-dom-shim",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/lib/source-loader/package.json b/code/lib/source-loader/package.json
index e5d50c8b3984..2de7c8411c93 100644
--- a/code/lib/source-loader/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/source-loader/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/source-loader",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Source loader",
   "keywords": [
     "lib",
diff --git a/code/lib/test/package.json b/code/lib/test/package.json
index 3a90a1666f07..792d88e03dd3 100644
--- a/code/lib/test/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/test/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/test",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/package.json b/code/package.json
index fb9c2f690047..35bc57478fb8 100644
--- a/code/package.json
+++ b/code/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/root",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "private": true,
   "description": "Storybook root",
   "homepage": "https://storybook.js.org/",
diff --git a/code/presets/create-react-app/package.json b/code/presets/create-react-app/package.json
index 0abf32c7f106..6e6a149e7606 100644
--- a/code/presets/create-react-app/package.json
+++ b/code/presets/create-react-app/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preset-create-react-app",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Create React App preset",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/presets/html-webpack/package.json b/code/presets/html-webpack/package.json
index 04259562e42f..9ca2cb19ba36 100644
--- a/code/presets/html-webpack/package.json
+++ b/code/presets/html-webpack/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preset-html-webpack",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for HTML: View HTML snippets in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/presets/preact-webpack/package.json b/code/presets/preact-webpack/package.json
index 47a58f5fcc54..6442f22d7c2f 100644
--- a/code/presets/preact-webpack/package.json
+++ b/code/presets/preact-webpack/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preset-preact-webpack",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Preact: Develop Preact Component in isolation.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/presets/react-webpack/package.json b/code/presets/react-webpack/package.json
index 439ac42128e6..ecdae18620ff 100644
--- a/code/presets/react-webpack/package.json
+++ b/code/presets/react-webpack/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preset-react-webpack",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for React: Develop React Component in isolation with Hot Reloading",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/presets/server-webpack/package.json b/code/presets/server-webpack/package.json
index 1b8f29882f35..275e323e0c90 100644
--- a/code/presets/server-webpack/package.json
+++ b/code/presets/server-webpack/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preset-server-webpack",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Server: View HTML snippets from a server in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/presets/svelte-webpack/package.json b/code/presets/svelte-webpack/package.json
index 24182a57dce7..668564406d78 100644
--- a/code/presets/svelte-webpack/package.json
+++ b/code/presets/svelte-webpack/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preset-svelte-webpack",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Svelte: Develop Svelte Component in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/presets/vue3-webpack/package.json b/code/presets/vue3-webpack/package.json
index 78d39c601e8f..a2b686257fae 100644
--- a/code/presets/vue3-webpack/package.json
+++ b/code/presets/vue3-webpack/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preset-vue3-webpack",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook for Vue 3: Develop Vue 3 Components in isolation with Hot Reloading.",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/renderers/html/package.json b/code/renderers/html/package.json
index 05f5083e0ada..c127ef64950c 100644
--- a/code/renderers/html/package.json
+++ b/code/renderers/html/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/html",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook HTML renderer",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/renderers/preact/package.json b/code/renderers/preact/package.json
index 4b9ac43bb3b4..3005d5e0e57e 100644
--- a/code/renderers/preact/package.json
+++ b/code/renderers/preact/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/preact",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook Preact renderer",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/renderers/react/package.json b/code/renderers/react/package.json
index 28bffef0c467..6e2c8d94047e 100644
--- a/code/renderers/react/package.json
+++ b/code/renderers/react/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/react",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook React renderer",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/renderers/server/package.json b/code/renderers/server/package.json
index 650ae067d150..1b5343e462c3 100644
--- a/code/renderers/server/package.json
+++ b/code/renderers/server/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/server",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook Server renderer",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/renderers/svelte/package.json b/code/renderers/svelte/package.json
index 369cebded2bf..4be74559a043 100644
--- a/code/renderers/svelte/package.json
+++ b/code/renderers/svelte/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/svelte",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook Svelte renderer",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/renderers/vue3/package.json b/code/renderers/vue3/package.json
index dbf5c570fcd0..8b342d6c1af3 100644
--- a/code/renderers/vue3/package.json
+++ b/code/renderers/vue3/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/vue3",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook Vue 3 renderer",
   "keywords": [
     "storybook"
diff --git a/code/renderers/web-components/package.json b/code/renderers/web-components/package.json
index 1e77bedb4997..dee6febd448f 100644
--- a/code/renderers/web-components/package.json
+++ b/code/renderers/web-components/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "@storybook/web-components",
-  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.18",
+  "version": "8.5.0-alpha.20",
   "description": "Storybook web-components renderer",
   "keywords": [
     "lit",
diff --git a/code/yarn.lock b/code/yarn.lock
index 129156cf23f6..5cdda7b09462 100644
--- a/code/yarn.lock
+++ b/code/yarn.lock
@@ -6418,7 +6418,6 @@ __metadata:
     "@storybook/icons": "npm:^1.2.12"
     "@storybook/instrumenter": "workspace:*"
     "@storybook/test": "workspace:*"
-    "@storybook/theming": "workspace:*"
     "@types/istanbul-lib-report": "npm:^3.0.3"
     "@types/node": "npm:^22.0.0"
     "@types/semver": "npm:^7"
@@ -6442,6 +6441,7 @@ __metadata:
     slash: "npm:^5.0.0"
     strip-ansi: "npm:^7.1.0"
     tinyglobby: "npm:^0.2.10"
+    tree-kill: "npm:^1.2.2"
     ts-dedent: "npm:^2.2.0"
     typescript: "npm:^5.3.2"
     vitest: "npm:^2.1.3"
@@ -27854,7 +27854,7 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"tree-kill@npm:1.2.2":
+"tree-kill@npm:1.2.2, tree-kill@npm:^1.2.2":
   version: 1.2.2
   resolution: "tree-kill@npm:1.2.2"
   bin:
diff --git a/docs/versions/next.json b/docs/versions/next.json
index 0fee1f4e6446..2406504741af 100644
--- a/docs/versions/next.json
+++ b/docs/versions/next.json
@@ -1 +1 @@
-{"version":"8.5.0-alpha.18","info":{"plain":"- Addon Test: Clarify message when `vitest` detects missing deps - [#29763](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29763), thanks @ndelangen!\n- Addon Test: Refactor test addon to include stories automatically - [#29367](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29367), thanks @yannbf!\n- Addon Test: Replace `glob` with `tinyglobby` - [#29817](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29817), thanks @ghengeveld!\n- Addon Test: Support Storybook environment variables in Vitest - [#29792](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29792), thanks @ghengeveld!\n- Composition: Hide contextMenu on composed storybooks - [#29803](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29803), thanks @ndelangen!\n- Vue: Properly resolve Vite plugin - [#29795](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29795), thanks @tobiasdiez!"}}
+{"version":"8.5.0-alpha.20","info":{"plain":"- Addon Test: Add `@vitest/coverage-v8` during postinstall if no coverage reporter is installed - [#29993](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29993), thanks @ghengeveld!\n- Addon Test: Add support for previewHead - [#29808](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29808), thanks @ndelangen!\n- Addon Test: Always run Vitest in watch mode internally - [#29749](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29749), thanks @JReinhold!\n- Addon Test: Filter out falsy test results in TestProviderRender - [#30001](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/30001), thanks @valentinpalkovic!\n- Addon Test: Handle undefined storyId - [#29998](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29998), thanks @ghengeveld!\n- Addon Test: Make component tests status row link to the story's tests panel - [#29992](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29992), thanks @ghengeveld!\n- Addon Test: Merge viteFinal config into vitest config - [#29806](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29806), thanks @ndelangen!\n- Addon Test: Prompt switch to `experimental-nextjs-vite` - [#29814](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29814), thanks @ndelangen!\n- Addon Test: Use ProgressSpinner for stop button in Testing Module - [#29997](https://github.com/storybookjs/storybook/pull/29997), thanks @ghengeveld!"}}
diff --git a/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/.storybook/main.ts b/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/.storybook/main.ts
index 198deee16402..0a76f80b4d25 100644
--- a/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/.storybook/main.ts
+++ b/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/.storybook/main.ts
@@ -14,5 +14,11 @@ const config: StorybookConfig = {
   core: {
     disableWhatsNewNotifications: true
   },
+  previewHead: (head = '') => `${head}
+  <style>
+    body {
+      border: 1px solid red;
+    }
+  </style>`,
 };
 export default config;
diff --git a/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/.storybook/preview-head.html b/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/.storybook/preview-head.html
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..61252d019910
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/.storybook/preview-head.html
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+<style>
+  body {
+    background-color: rgb(250, 250, 210);
+  }
+</style>
diff --git a/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/e2e-tests/component-testing.spec.ts b/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/e2e-tests/component-testing.spec.ts
index 6b0879fca5f9..1062c627a447 100644
--- a/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/e2e-tests/component-testing.spec.ts
+++ b/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/e2e-tests/component-testing.spec.ts
@@ -28,6 +28,9 @@ const setForceFailureFlag = async (value: boolean) => {
 
   // Write the updated content back to the file asynchronously
   await fs.writeFile(testStoryPath, updatedContent);
+
+  // the file change causes a HMR event, which causes a browser reload,and that can take a few seconds
+  await new Promise((resolve) => setTimeout(resolve, 2000));
 };
 
 test.describe("component testing", () => {
diff --git a/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/yarn.lock b/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/yarn.lock
index b6be56469636..e3484dc01721 100644
--- a/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/yarn.lock
+++ b/test-storybooks/portable-stories-kitchen-sink/react/yarn.lock
@@ -1841,7 +1841,7 @@ __metadata:
 
 "@storybook/experimental-addon-test@file:../../../code/addons/test::locator=portable-stories-react%40workspace%3A.":
   version: 8.5.0-alpha.18
-  resolution: "@storybook/experimental-addon-test@file:../../../code/addons/test#../../../code/addons/test::hash=f1c849&locator=portable-stories-react%40workspace%3A."
+  resolution: "@storybook/experimental-addon-test@file:../../../code/addons/test#../../../code/addons/test::hash=21369f&locator=portable-stories-react%40workspace%3A."
   dependencies:
     "@storybook/csf": "npm:0.1.12"
     "@storybook/global": "npm:^5.0.0"
@@ -1864,7 +1864,7 @@ __metadata:
       optional: true
     vitest:
       optional: true
-  checksum: 10/29f2db97577ff0a3a79ae37a8b0eaebd86d7eca43c3ad364abbb5f4a63e5f9d12dab2927723802752a2c2e2d36561ac89db32a7fd770e31c5b6e573e265bdd27
+  checksum: 10/2081814e214dc1dd31144870a6a4ea7637c9c241ab02044488be57e19402c206c0037d449197f77bb4262147703f6d0b27f09c9f6cc2ee358c97fd7d1cdfa908
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard