diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.tsx
index 4edd7a3b0f..6408546adf 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/DomEditOverlay.tsx
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ export interface DomEditOverlayProps {
   hoverSelection: DomEditSelection | null;
   allowCanvasMovement?: boolean;
   allowBodyDrag?: boolean;
-  /** "host": no hover, marquee, box re-select, or body drag if allowBodyDrag is false; Enter still opens text. */
+  /** "host": no marquee, box re-select, or body drag if allowBodyDrag is false; Enter still opens text. */
   canvasInput?: "overlay" | "host";
   onTextEditingChange?: (editing: boolean) => void;
   /** A click on a single selection's box, in either mode; the event may be the pointerup. */
@@ -500,7 +500,7 @@ export const DomEditOverlay = memo(function DomEditOverlay({
       onLostPointerCapture={gestures.onLostPointerCapture}
       onContextMenu={hostInput ? undefined : handleContextMenu}
     >
-      {!hostInput && hoverSelection && hoverRect && compRect.width > 0 && (
+      {hoverSelection && hoverRect && compRect.width > 0 && (
         <div
           aria-hidden="true"
           data-dom-edit-hover-box="true"
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/previewReadOnly.overlay.test.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/previewReadOnly.overlay.test.tsx
index 1385264707..139d16f2e3 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/editor/previewReadOnly.overlay.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/editor/previewReadOnly.overlay.test.tsx
@@ -311,7 +311,7 @@ describe("DomEditOverlay with canvasInput host", () => {
     expect(fixture(HOST).overlay.className).toContain("pointer-events-none");
   });
 
-  it("draws no hover box", () => {
+  it("draws the hover box for the selection the host hovers, and none without one", () => {
     layout.hover = RECT;
     const hovered = (props = {}) => {
       const { overlay } = fixture(props);
@@ -321,7 +321,8 @@ describe("DomEditOverlay with canvasInput host", () => {
     };
     const selection = makeSelection("Hover", textElement("hover"));
     expect(hovered({ hoverSelection: selection })).not.toBeNull();
-    expect(hovered({ ...HOST, hoverSelection: selection })).toBeNull();
+    expect(hovered({ ...HOST, hoverSelection: selection })).not.toBeNull();
+    expect(hovered({ ...HOST, hoverSelection: null })).toBeNull();
   });
 
   it("starts no marquee and makes no selection from a press on empty canvas", () => {
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/nle/NLEPreview.test.ts b/packages/studio/src/components/nle/NLEPreview.test.ts
index 25814a8ff1..6f61f8e671 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/nle/NLEPreview.test.ts
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/nle/NLEPreview.test.ts
@@ -12,6 +12,12 @@ globalThis.IS_REACT_ACT_ENVIRONMENT = true;
 const playerMounts: string[] = [];
 let livePlayerProps: { onReadyToShowChange?: (ready: boolean) => void } = {};
 
+const measured = vi.hoisted(() => ({ size: null as { width: number; height: number } | null }));
+vi.mock("../../utils/previewCompositionSize", async (original) => ({
+  ...(await original<typeof import("../../utils/previewCompositionSize")>()),
+  readPreviewCompositionSize: () => measured.size,
+}));
+
 vi.mock("../../player", async () => {
   const React = await import("react");
 
@@ -81,7 +87,12 @@ function renderPreview(
   {
     box = { width: 800, height: 600 },
     fillBox,
-  }: { box?: { width: number; height: number }; fillBox?: boolean } = {},
+    compositionSizeHint,
+  }: {
+    box?: { width: number; height: number };
+    fillBox?: boolean;
+    compositionSizeHint?: { width: number; height: number };
+  } = {},
 ) {
   resizeCallbacks = [];
   const host = document.createElement("div");
@@ -103,6 +114,7 @@ function renderPreview(
           setShadowIframeNode: () => {},
           resetPreviewSlots: () => {},
           fillBox,
+          compositionSizeHint,
         }),
       );
     });
@@ -378,6 +390,37 @@ describe("NLEPreview", () => {
     filled.cleanup();
   });
 
+  it("takes the host's composition size as the stage's shape until the preview measures its own", () => {
+    const box = { width: 800, height: 600 };
+    const plain = renderPreview(undefined, { box });
+    expect([plain.stage.style.width, plain.stage.style.height]).toEqual(["784px", "441px"]);
+    plain.cleanup();
+
+    const hinted = renderPreview(undefined, {
+      box,
+      compositionSizeHint: { width: 1276, height: 1078 },
+    });
+    const shape = parseFloat(hinted.stage.style.width) / parseFloat(hinted.stage.style.height);
+    expect(shape).toBeCloseTo(1276 / 1078, 3);
+    expect(hinted.stage.style.height).toBe("584px");
+    hinted.cleanup();
+  });
+
+  it("lets the size the preview measures win over the host's hint", () => {
+    measured.size = { width: 1920, height: 1080 };
+    try {
+      const box = { width: 800, height: 600 };
+      const hinted = renderPreview(undefined, {
+        box,
+        compositionSizeHint: { width: 1276, height: 1078 },
+      });
+      expect([hinted.stage.style.width, hinted.stage.style.height]).toEqual(["784px", "441px"]);
+      hinted.cleanup();
+    } finally {
+      measured.size = null;
+    }
+  });
+
   it("clips a shadow reload so its own loading overlay cannot paint over the live frame", () => {
     const view = renderPreview([
       { gen: 0, role: "live" },
diff --git a/packages/studio/src/components/nle/NLEPreview.tsx b/packages/studio/src/components/nle/NLEPreview.tsx
index 1b4ad5ce11..e41c77e7c2 100644
--- a/packages/studio/src/components/nle/NLEPreview.tsx
+++ b/packages/studio/src/components/nle/NLEPreview.tsx
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ interface NLEPreviewProps extends Pick<
   onCompositionSizeChange?: (size: PreviewCompositionSize | null) => void;
   /** Draws the picture edge to edge in this box, without Studio's inset band. */
   fillBox?: boolean;
+  compositionSizeHint?: PreviewCompositionSize;
 }
 
 export function getPreviewPlayerKey({
@@ -127,6 +128,7 @@ export const NLEPreview = memo(function NLEPreview({
   onStageRef,
   onCompositionSizeChange,
   fillBox,
+  compositionSizeHint,
 }: NLEPreviewProps) {
   const activeKey = getPreviewPlayerKey({ projectId, directUrl });
   const viewportRef = useRef<HTMLDivElement>(null);
@@ -151,6 +153,8 @@ export const NLEPreview = memo(function NLEPreview({
   const gutterPx = usePreviewGuidesStore((s) => (s.rulerVisible ? RULER_GUTTER_PX : 0));
   const insetPx = fillBox ? 0 : PREVIEW_STAGE_INSET_PX;
   const [stageSize, setStageSize] = useState(() => resolvePreviewStageSize(0, 0, null, portrait));
+  const hintWidth = compositionSizeHint?.width;
+  const hintHeight = compositionSizeHint?.height;
 
   const zoomRef = useRef<PreviewZoomState>(DEFAULT_PREVIEW_ZOOM);
   const [settledZoom, setSettledZoom] = useState<PreviewZoomState>(DEFAULT_PREVIEW_ZOOM);
@@ -183,7 +187,8 @@ export const NLEPreview = memo(function NLEPreview({
         resolvePreviewStageSize(
           rect.width,
           rect.height,
-          compositionSize,
+          compositionSize ??
+            (hintWidth && hintHeight ? { width: hintWidth, height: hintHeight } : null),
           portrait,
           gutterPx,
           insetPx,
@@ -195,7 +200,7 @@ export const NLEPreview = memo(function NLEPreview({
     const observer = new ResizeObserver(updateStageSize);
     observer.observe(viewport);
     return () => observer.disconnect();
-  }, [compositionSize, portrait, gutterPx, insetPx]);
+  }, [compositionSize, hintWidth, hintHeight, portrait, gutterPx, insetPx]);
 
   const onCompositionSizeChangeRef = useRef(onCompositionSizeChange);
   onCompositionSizeChangeRef.current = onCompositionSizeChange;