diff --git a/.changeset/lucky-hounds-tell.md b/.changeset/lucky-hounds-tell.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..72b13378
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/lucky-hounds-tell.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@optimizely/cms-sdk': minor
+---
+
+Fix slow and dropped preview updates in `PreviewComponent` and `NextPreviewComponent`
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/__test__/test-website/src/app/preview/page.tsx b/__test__/test-website/src/app/preview/page.tsx
index 6dce25d4..e2e72597 100644
--- a/__test__/test-website/src/app/preview/page.tsx
+++ b/__test__/test-website/src/app/preview/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { GraphClient, type PreviewParams } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk';
 import { OptimizelyComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/server';
-import { PreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/client';
+import { NextPreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/nextjs';
 import Script from 'next/script';
 
 type Props = {
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ export default async function Page({ searchParams }: Props) {
           ).href
         }
       ></Script>
-      <PreviewComponent />
+      <NextPreviewComponent />
       <OptimizelyComponent content={response} />
     </>
   );
diff --git a/packages/optimizely-cms-create-app/scripts/prepare-templates.ts b/packages/optimizely-cms-create-app/scripts/prepare-templates.ts
index ae8ee68d..cc2fa9b0 100644
--- a/packages/optimizely-cms-create-app/scripts/prepare-templates.ts
+++ b/packages/optimizely-cms-create-app/scripts/prepare-templates.ts
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const MONOREPO_ROOT = path.resolve(ROOT, '..', '..');
 
 const EXCLUDE = new Set([
   'node_modules',
+  '__test__',
   '.next',
   '.tanstack',
   'certificates',
diff --git a/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/__test__/previewComponent.test.tsx b/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/__test__/previewComponent.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dd50067d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/__test__/previewComponent.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,115 @@
+import { describe, it, expect, vi, beforeEach, afterEach } from 'vitest';
+import { render, act } from '@testing-library/react';
+import { useState } from 'react';
+import { PreviewComponent } from '../client.js';
+
+const save = (link: string | number) =>
+  act(() => {
+    window.dispatchEvent(
+      new CustomEvent('optimizely:cms:contentSaved', {
+        detail: {
+          contentLink: `c${link}`,
+          previewUrl: window.location.href,
+          previewToken: 't',
+        },
+      }),
+    );
+  });
+
+beforeEach(() => vi.useFakeTimers());
+afterEach(() => vi.useRealTimers());
+
+describe('PreviewComponent', () => {
+  it('keeps a pending refresh alive when the parent re-renders', async () => {
+    const onNavigate = vi.fn();
+    let bump: () => void = () => {};
+
+    function Parent() {
+      const [, setN] = useState(0);
+      bump = () => setN(x => x + 1);
+      // Unstable identity, exactly like NextPreviewComponent's inline arrow
+      return (
+        <PreviewComponent refreshTimeout={300} onNavigate={(u, s) => onNavigate(u, s)} />
+      );
+    }
+
+    render(<Parent />);
+    save(1);
+    await act(async () => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(100));
+    await act(async () => bump());
+    await act(async () => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(500));
+
+    expect(onNavigate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it('defaults to a 50ms trailing debounce', async () => {
+    const onNavigate = vi.fn();
+    render(<PreviewComponent onNavigate={onNavigate} />);
+
+    save(1);
+    await act(async () => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(49));
+    expect(onNavigate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(0);
+    await act(async () => void vi.advanceTimersByTime(1));
+    expect(onNavigate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it('coalesces the burst the CMS emits for one save', async () => {
+    const onNavigate = vi.fn();
+    render(<PreviewComponent onNavigate={onNavigate} />);
+
+    // Page plus two nested blocks, different contentLinks, a few ms apart
+    await act(async () => {
+      save('page');
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5);
+      save('blockA');
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(5);
+      save('blockB');
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(500);
+    });
+    expect(onNavigate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it('still dedupes repeats when debouncing is disabled', async () => {
+    const onNavigate = vi.fn();
+    render(<PreviewComponent refreshTimeout={false} onNavigate={onNavigate} />);
+
+    await act(async () => {
+      save('page');
+      save('page');
+    });
+    expect(onNavigate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  });
+
+  it('keeps the loading indicator up while `busy` is set', async () => {
+    const mask = <div>loading</div>;
+    const props = { refreshTimeout: 100, onNavigate: () => undefined };
+
+    const { container, rerender } = render(
+      <PreviewComponent {...props} busy={false}>
+        {mask}
+      </PreviewComponent>,
+    );
+
+    save(1);
+    expect(container.textContent).toBe('loading');
+
+    // Navigation starts: `onNavigate` returns void, so the internal mask drops
+    // immediately - `busy` is what covers the actual server round-trip.
+    await act(async () => {
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(100);
+      rerender(
+        <PreviewComponent {...props} busy={true}>
+          {mask}
+        </PreviewComponent>,
+      );
+    });
+    expect(container.textContent).toBe('loading');
+
+    rerender(
+      <PreviewComponent {...props} busy={false}>
+        {mask}
+      </PreviewComponent>,
+    );
+    expect(container.textContent).toBe('');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/client.tsx b/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/client.tsx
index c11dc5e2..bd0135e8 100644
--- a/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/client.tsx
+++ b/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/client.tsx
@@ -40,8 +40,9 @@ export interface PreviewComponentProps {
 
   /**
    * Delay in ms before triggering navigation. False to disable.
-   * Useful for debouncing rapid saves.
-   * @default 300
+   * Coalesces the burst of events the CMS emits for a single save (page plus each
+   * nested block), which land within a few ms of each other.
+   * @default 50
    */
   refreshTimeout?: number | false;
 
@@ -49,21 +50,35 @@ export interface PreviewComponentProps {
    * Optional loading indicator shown during refresh delay.
    */
   children?: ReactNode;
+
+  /**
+   * Keeps the loading indicator visible while the caller is still navigating.
+   * Needed because router APIs like Next.js `router.refresh()` return `void`,
+   * so `onNavigate` resolving does not mean the new content has arrived.
+   */
+  busy?: boolean;
 }
 
 /**
  * Listens for Optimizely CMS content saved events and triggers navigation/refresh.
- * Deduplication prevents duplicate refreshes.
+ * Rapid saves are coalesced into a single refresh.
  */
 export const PreviewComponent: FunctionComponent<
   PropsWithChildren<PreviewComponentProps>
-> = ({ onNavigate, refreshTimeout = 300, children }) => {
+> = ({ onNavigate, refreshTimeout = 50, children, busy = false }) => {
   const [showMask, setShowMask] = useState<boolean>(false);
   const reloadDelay = useRef<NodeJS.Timeout | undefined>(undefined);
   const lastProcessedRef = useRef<{ contentLink: string; timestamp: number } | null>(
     null,
   );
 
+  // Read through a ref so the listener effect never re-runs. Callers pass an inline
+  // arrow for `onNavigate`, and re-subscribing would clearTimeout a pending refresh.
+  const optionsRef = useRef({ onNavigate, refreshTimeout });
+  useEffect(() => {
+    optionsRef.current = { onNavigate, refreshTimeout };
+  });
+
   useEffect(() => {
     const normalizeUrl = (url: string): string => {
       const parsed = new URL(url);
@@ -72,19 +87,22 @@ export const PreviewComponent: FunctionComponent<
     };
 
     const handleContentSaved = (eventData: ContentSavedEvent) => {
-      const now = Date.now();
-
-      // Ignore same contentLink within 50ms (deduplication for dual events)
-      if (
-        lastProcessedRef.current &&
-        lastProcessedRef.current.contentLink === eventData.contentLink &&
-        now - lastProcessedRef.current.timestamp < 50
-      ) {
-        return;
+      const { onNavigate, refreshTimeout } = optionsRef.current;
+
+      // With debouncing on, the timer already coalesces repeats. Only the
+      // `refreshTimeout={false}` path needs an explicit dupe guard.
+      if (!refreshTimeout) {
+        const now = Date.now();
+        if (
+          lastProcessedRef.current &&
+          lastProcessedRef.current.contentLink === eventData.contentLink &&
+          now - lastProcessedRef.current.timestamp < 50
+        ) {
+          return;
+        }
+        lastProcessedRef.current = { contentLink: eventData.contentLink, timestamp: now };
       }
 
-      lastProcessedRef.current = { contentLink: eventData.contentLink, timestamp: now };
-
       const currentUrl = window.location.href;
 
       setShowMask(true);
@@ -128,7 +146,7 @@ export const PreviewComponent: FunctionComponent<
       window.removeEventListener('optimizely:cms:contentSaved', customEventListener);
       if (reloadDelay.current) clearTimeout(reloadDelay.current);
     };
-  }, [onNavigate, refreshTimeout]);
+  }, []);
 
-  return showMask && children ? <>{children}</> : null;
+  return (showMask || busy) && children ? <>{children}</> : null;
 };
diff --git a/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/nextjs.tsx b/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/nextjs.tsx
index 991a6123..783009f2 100644
--- a/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/nextjs.tsx
+++ b/packages/optimizely-cms-sdk/src/react/nextjs.tsx
@@ -3,13 +3,13 @@
 // @ts-ignore - next/navigation is optional peer dependency
 import { useRouter } from 'next/navigation';
 import { PreviewComponent } from './client.js';
-import type { ReactNode } from 'react';
+import { useTransition, type ReactNode } from 'react';
 
 export interface NextPreviewComponentProps {
   /**
    * Delay in ms before triggering navigation. False to disable.
-   * Useful for debouncing rapid saves.
-   * @default 300
+   * Coalesces the burst of events the CMS emits for a single save.
+   * @default 50
    */
   refreshTimeout?: number | false;
 
@@ -28,28 +28,36 @@ export interface NextPreviewComponentProps {
  * import { NextPreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/nextjs';
  *
  * export default function PreviewPage() {
- *   return <NextPreviewComponent refreshTimeout={300} />;
+ *   return <NextPreviewComponent refreshTimeout={50} />;
  * }
  * ```
  */
 export function NextPreviewComponent({
-  refreshTimeout = 300,
+  refreshTimeout = 50,
   children,
 }: NextPreviewComponentProps = {}) {
   const router = useRouter();
 
+  // `router.refresh()` and `router.push()` return void, so the loading indicator would
+  // otherwise disappear a microtask later. Inside a transition `isPending` stays true
+  // until the new Server Component payload has actually landed.
+  const [isPending, startTransition] = useTransition();
+
   return (
     <PreviewComponent
       refreshTimeout={refreshTimeout}
+      busy={isPending}
       onNavigate={(url: string, isSameUrl: boolean) => {
-        if (isSameUrl) {
-          // Same URL - soft refresh to revalidate Server Components
-          router.refresh();
-        } else {
-          // Different URL - client-side navigation
-          const parsed = new URL(url);
-          router.push(parsed.pathname + parsed.search, { scroll: false });
-        }
+        startTransition(() => {
+          if (isSameUrl) {
+            // Same URL - soft refresh to revalidate Server Components
+            router.refresh();
+          } else {
+            // Different URL - client-side navigation
+            const parsed = new URL(url);
+            router.push(parsed.pathname + parsed.search, { scroll: false });
+          }
+        });
       }}
     >
       {children}
diff --git a/samples/fx-integration/src/app/preview/page.tsx b/samples/fx-integration/src/app/preview/page.tsx
index 6ec8ce34..321a3e89 100644
--- a/samples/fx-integration/src/app/preview/page.tsx
+++ b/samples/fx-integration/src/app/preview/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { getClient, type PreviewParams } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk';
 import { OptimizelyComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/server';
-import { PreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/client';
+import { NextPreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/nextjs';
 import { withAppContext } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/server';
 import Script from 'next/script';
 
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ async function Page({ searchParams }: Props) {
           ).href
         }
       ></Script>
-      <PreviewComponent />
+      <NextPreviewComponent />
       <OptimizelyComponent content={content} />
     </>
   );
diff --git a/samples/hello-world/src/app/preview/page.tsx b/samples/hello-world/src/app/preview/page.tsx
index fde7b138..29d9f91b 100644
--- a/samples/hello-world/src/app/preview/page.tsx
+++ b/samples/hello-world/src/app/preview/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { getClient, type PreviewParams } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk';
 import { OptimizelyComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/server';
-import { PreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/client';
+import { NextPreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/nextjs';
 import { withAppContext } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/server';
 import Script from 'next/script';
 
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ async function Page({ searchParams }: Props) {
           ).href
         }
       ></Script>
-      <PreviewComponent />
+      <NextPreviewComponent />
       <OptimizelyComponent content={content} />
     </>
   );
diff --git a/samples/nextjs-template/src/app/preview/page.tsx b/samples/nextjs-template/src/app/preview/page.tsx
index 15de120c..9f76dc4c 100644
--- a/samples/nextjs-template/src/app/preview/page.tsx
+++ b/samples/nextjs-template/src/app/preview/page.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { getClient, type PreviewParams } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk';
 import { OptimizelyComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/server';
-import { PreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/client';
+import { NextPreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/nextjs';
 import { withAppContext } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/server';
 import Script from 'next/script';
 
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ async function Page({ searchParams }: Props) {
           ).href
         }
       ></Script>
-      <PreviewComponent />
+      <NextPreviewComponent />
       <OptimizelyComponent content={content} />
     </>
   );
diff --git a/samples/tanstack-template/src/routes/preview.tsx b/samples/tanstack-template/src/routes/preview.tsx
index 1e51a737..ef83fcd3 100644
--- a/samples/tanstack-template/src/routes/preview.tsx
+++ b/samples/tanstack-template/src/routes/preview.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { createFileRoute } from '@tanstack/react-router';
+import { createFileRoute, useRouter } from '@tanstack/react-router';
 import { type PreviewParams } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk';
 import { OptimizelyComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/server';
 import { PreviewComponent } from '@optimizely/cms-sdk/react/client';
@@ -36,7 +36,6 @@ async function Page({ search }: Props) {
           ).href
         }
       ></script>
-      <PreviewComponent />
       <OptimizelyComponent content={content} />
     </>
   );
@@ -50,7 +49,11 @@ const getPreviewPage = createServerFn().handler(async ({ data: { search } }: any
 });
 
 export const Route = createFileRoute('/preview')({
-  loader: async ({ location: { search } }) => {
+  // The match id is `routeId + path + hash(loaderDeps)`. Without this the id is the
+  // same for every `ver`, so navigating to a new version reuses the existing match
+  // and the loader never re-runs.
+  loaderDeps: ({ search }) => search,
+  loader: async ({ deps: search }) => {
     const { Renderable } = await getPreviewPage({
       data: { search },
     } as any);
@@ -61,5 +64,20 @@ export const Route = createFileRoute('/preview')({
 
 function Preview() {
   const { Renderable } = Route.useLoaderData();
-  return <>{Renderable}</>;
+  const router = useRouter();
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      <PreviewComponent
+        onNavigate={(url, isSameUrl) => {
+          // `invalidate` re-runs the loader, which re-renders the page on the server.
+          // It returns a promise, so the loading indicator tracks the real round-trip.
+          if (isSameUrl) return router.invalidate();
+          const parsed = new URL(url);
+          return router.navigate({ href: parsed.pathname + parsed.search });
+        }}
+      />
+      {Renderable}
+    </>
+  );
 }