diff --git a/app/templates/local_workspace.html b/app/templates/local_workspace.html
index 2ad4703..1074ff9 100644
--- a/app/templates/local_workspace.html
+++ b/app/templates/local_workspace.html
@@ -806,6 +806,7 @@
   </div>
 
   <!-- Preview Panel — right side panel for file preview -->
+  <template x-if="previewItem">
   <div class="preview-panel" x-show="previewItem" x-transition:enter="preview-enter" x-transition:leave="preview-leave">
     <div class="preview-panel-header">
       <span x-text="_fileIcon(previewItem.name, previewItem.is_folder, previewItem.content_format)"></span>
@@ -829,6 +830,7 @@
       <button class="btn btn-danger" @click="deleteWithUndo(previewItem)">🗑 Delete</button>
     </div>
   </div>
+  </template>
 
 </div><!-- /ws-split -->