diff --git a/aesel/package.json b/aesel/package.json
index b3b41c432b..97f6f9e7c1 100644
--- a/aesel/package.json
+++ b/aesel/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "aesel",
-  "version": "0.8.16",
+  "version": "0.8.17",
   "private": true,
   "type": "module",
   "scripts": {
diff --git a/aesel/src/check-piece.mjs b/aesel/src/check-piece.mjs
index 9ec7b32271..7429651d00 100644
--- a/aesel/src/check-piece.mjs
+++ b/aesel/src/check-piece.mjs
@@ -34,10 +34,20 @@ export async function checkPiece(target, { seconds = 4, cwd = process.cwd() } =
   const address = file ? `${SITE}/${scratch}` : target.startsWith("http") ? target : `${SITE}/${target.replace(/^\/+/, "")}`;
   const url = `${address}${address.includes("?") ? "&" : "?"}nogap=true&nolabel=true&noauth=true`;
 
+  // Puppeteer's own headless shell when it is installed: a fresh profile of
+  // full Chrome took ~9s to launch and ~13s to close, most of a 40s check,
+  // and under load booted AC four times slower than the shell did.
+  let shell = "";
+  try { shell = puppeteer.executablePath({ headless: "shell" }); } catch {}
   const browser = await puppeteer.launch({
-    headless: "new",
-    ...(existsSync(CHROME) ? { executablePath: CHROME } : {}),
-    args: ["--no-sandbox", "--mute-audio", "--autoplay-policy=no-user-gesture-required"],
+    ...(shell && existsSync(shell)
+      ? { headless: "shell", executablePath: shell }
+      : { headless: "new", ...(existsSync(CHROME) ? { executablePath: CHROME } : {}) }),
+    args: [
+      "--no-sandbox", "--mute-audio", "--autoplay-policy=no-user-gesture-required",
+      "--no-first-run", "--no-default-browser-check", "--disable-extensions",
+      "--disable-component-update", "--disable-background-networking", "--disable-sync",
+    ],
     timeout: 90000,
     protocolTimeout: 90000,
   });
@@ -94,7 +104,11 @@ export async function checkPiece(target, { seconds = 4, cwd = process.cwd() } =
     await page.keyboard.press("Space").catch(() => {});
     await new Promise((r) => setTimeout(r, Math.max(1000, seconds * 1000 - 1200)));
   } finally {
-    await browser.close();
+    // Nothing is kept from this profile, so there is nothing for a graceful
+    // close to save; it only made every check wait on Chrome's teardown.
+    const chrome = browser.process();
+    if (chrome) chrome.kill("SIGKILL");
+    else await browser.close();
   }
   // A warning whose error was gone before it could be read says nothing the
   // readable one did not; drop it when a readable one exists.
diff --git a/aesel/src/slab-session.mjs b/aesel/src/slab-session.mjs
index 83482e6eb8..c0d74f2b7b 100644
--- a/aesel/src/slab-session.mjs
+++ b/aesel/src/slab-session.mjs
@@ -33,6 +33,17 @@ function summary(text) {
   return words.length > 7 ? `${value.slice(0, 47)}…` : value;
 }
 
+// Any way of naming a piece → the bare host+path the rock encodes:
+// `notepat`, `/notepat:c`, `@jeffrey/butterfly`, `$cow`,
+// `https://aesthetic.computer/@jeffrey/butterfly` → `prompt.ac/…`.
+export function previewAddress(target = "") {
+  const path = String(target || "").trim().split(/\s+/)[0]
+    .replace(/^https?:\/\//, "")
+    .replace(/^(www\.)?(aesthetic\.computer|prompt\.ac)(\/|$)/, "")
+    .replace(/^\/+/, "");
+  return path ? `prompt.ac/${path}` : "";
+}
+
 export class SlabSession {
   constructor({
     cwd,
@@ -58,6 +69,8 @@ export class SlabSession {
     this.running = join(this.stateDir, "running-tools", sessionId);
     this.enabled = false;
     this.heartbeat = null;
+    // Set while the rock shows a piece that is not this session's (`preview`).
+    this.pinned = "";
     this.cursorSocket = join(this.stateDir, "cursor.sock");
     this.shape = "arrow";
     this.cursor = null;
@@ -135,14 +148,31 @@ export class SlabSession {
   // session renames its piece, or switches runtime — so the code on the rock
   // always points at what is actually running.
   live(piece = "", scanUrl = "", channel = "") {
+    this.own = { piece: String(piece || ""), piece_channel: String(channel || ""), scan_url: String(scanUrl || "") };
+    if (this.pinned) return;
     this.#update({
-      ...(this.record.scan_url !== String(scanUrl || "") ? {piece_published_at:""} : {}),
-      piece: String(piece || ""),
-      piece_channel: String(channel || ""),
-      scan_url: String(scanUrl || ""),
+      ...(this.record.scan_url !== this.own.scan_url ? {piece_published_at:""} : {}),
+      ...this.own,
     });
   }
 
+  // Point the rock and its preview at any piece — `notepat`, `@handle/slug`,
+  // `$code`, a full URL — without it becoming this session's piece. The
+  // session goes on writing its own; `preview()` with nothing hands the card
+  // back to it. Returns the address shown, or "" when back on its own.
+  preview(target = "") {
+    const address = previewAddress(target);
+    if (!address) {
+      if (!this.pinned) return "";
+      this.pinned = "";
+      this.#update({ ...(this.own || { piece: "", piece_channel: "", scan_url: "" }), piece_published_at: "", flow: this.ownFlow || "live" });
+      return "";
+    }
+    this.pinned = address;
+    this.#update({ piece: "", piece_channel: "", scan_url: address, piece_published_at: "", flow: "live" });
+    return address;
+  }
+
   published() { this.#update({piece_published_at:new Date().toISOString()}); }
 
   revision(revision) {
@@ -162,6 +192,9 @@ export class SlabSession {
   // question about which to draw that nobody has to answer if it cannot arise.
   flow(state = "live") {
     const clean = ["live", "ahead", "pushing"].includes(state) ? state : "live";
+    this.ownFlow = clean;
+    // Someone else's piece on the card is never ahead of our file.
+    if (this.pinned) return;
     if (this.record.flow === clean) return;
     this.#update({ flow: clean });
   }
diff --git a/aesel/src/tui.mjs b/aesel/src/tui.mjs
index e0d17064b4..a908023bd6 100755
--- a/aesel/src/tui.mjs
+++ b/aesel/src/tui.mjs
@@ -2368,7 +2368,7 @@ async function submitInput(submittedText, submittedMessages = null) {
         "notice",
         pro
           ? "/ask [on|off] · /provider · /model [name] · /mouse [on|off] · /layout · /inbox · /mode · /backend [id] · /login · /logout · /whoami · /handle [name] · /update · /new · /clear · /close · /quit   ctrl-c interrupts a running turn"
-          : "/about · /medium · /artifacts · /select UUID · /artifact · /export FILE · /sharing · /transcript · /profile · /inbox · /mode · /mouse [on|off] · /performance [frames] · /energy · /latest · /login · /logout · /whoami · /publish [file] · /autopublish [on|off] · /ask [on|off] · /piece [name] · /versions · /rollback vN · /runtime [id] · /frame [ocr] · /settings · /backend [id] · /model [name] · /effort · /handle [name] · /update · /open · /qr · /new [thread] · /clear · /quit   ctrl-c interrupts a running turn",
+          : "/about · /medium · /artifacts · /select UUID · /artifact · /export FILE · /sharing · /transcript · /profile · /inbox · /mode · /mouse [on|off] · /performance [frames] · /energy · /latest · /login · /logout · /whoami · /publish [file] · /autopublish [on|off] · /ask [on|off] · /piece [name] · /preview [piece] · /versions · /rollback vN · /runtime [id] · /frame [ocr] · /settings · /backend [id] · /model [name] · /effort · /handle [name] · /update · /open · /qr · /new [thread] · /clear · /quit   ctrl-c interrupts a running turn",
       );
       return redraw();
     }
@@ -2441,6 +2441,14 @@ async function submitInput(submittedText, submittedMessages = null) {
     }
     if (command === "/settings" || command === "/effort") return openSettings(command === "/effort" ? 2 : 0);
     if (command === "/model" || command === "/models") return commandModel(rest);
+    // Look at any piece on the rock's card without making it this session's:
+    // `/preview notepat`, `/preview @handle/slug`, `/preview $cow`. Bare
+    // `/preview` hands the card back to the piece being written here.
+    if (command === "/preview") {
+      const shown = slabSession.preview(rest);
+      addEntry("notice", shown ? `Previewing ${shown} · /preview to come back` : "Previewing this session's own piece");
+      return redraw();
+    }
     if (command === "/piece") {
       if (rest) {
         try {
diff --git a/aesel/test/slab-session.test.mjs b/aesel/test/slab-session.test.mjs
index 355c838036..ae6194bb2d 100644
--- a/aesel/test/slab-session.test.mjs
+++ b/aesel/test/slab-session.test.mjs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ import { mkdtemp, readFile, rm, stat } from "node:fs/promises";
 import { tmpdir } from "node:os";
 import { join } from "node:path";
 import test from "node:test";
-import { SlabSession } from "../src/slab-session.mjs";
+import { SlabSession, previewAddress } from "../src/slab-session.mjs";
 
 const readJson = async (path) => JSON.parse(await readFile(path, "utf8"));
 const exists = async (path) => stat(path).then(() => true, () => false);
@@ -127,3 +127,40 @@ test("a pointer with nobody listening stays quiet", async (context) => {
   session.pointer("arrow");
   session.close();
 });
+
+test("previews any piece without taking it as the session's own", async (context) => {
+  const root = await mkdtemp(join(tmpdir(), "easel-slab-"));
+  context.after(() => rm(root, { recursive: true, force: true }));
+  const session = new SlabSession({ cwd: "/project", pid: process.pid, tty: "ttys099", sessionId: "ac-preview", slabHome: root });
+  const active = join(root, "state", "active-prompts", "ac-preview");
+  session.start();
+  session.live("butterfly.mjs", "prompt.ac/@jeffrey/butterfly", "jeffrey/butterfly");
+  session.flow("ahead");
+
+  assert.equal(session.preview("https://aesthetic.computer/notepat"), "prompt.ac/notepat");
+  let marker = await readJson(active);
+  assert.equal(marker.scan_url, "prompt.ac/notepat");
+  assert.equal(marker.piece, "");
+  assert.equal(marker.flow, "live");
+
+  // The session keeps writing its own piece underneath; the card stays put.
+  session.live("moth.mjs", "prompt.ac/@jeffrey/moth", "jeffrey/moth");
+  session.flow("pushing");
+  marker = await readJson(active);
+  assert.equal(marker.scan_url, "prompt.ac/notepat");
+
+  assert.equal(session.preview(""), "");
+  marker = await readJson(active);
+  assert.equal(marker.scan_url, "prompt.ac/@jeffrey/moth");
+  assert.equal(marker.piece, "moth.mjs");
+  assert.equal(marker.flow, "pushing");
+});
+
+test("names a piece any way it is written", () => {
+  assert.equal(previewAddress("notepat"), "prompt.ac/notepat");
+  assert.equal(previewAddress("/notepat:c"), "prompt.ac/notepat:c");
+  assert.equal(previewAddress("@jeffrey/butterfly"), "prompt.ac/@jeffrey/butterfly");
+  assert.equal(previewAddress("$cow"), "prompt.ac/$cow");
+  assert.equal(previewAddress("prompt.ac/@jeffrey/butterfly"), "prompt.ac/@jeffrey/butterfly");
+  assert.equal(previewAddress("  "), "");
+});
diff --git a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/ClaudeSession.swift b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/ClaudeSession.swift
index 6b2572bb6e..68ab49bf36 100644
--- a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/ClaudeSession.swift
+++ b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/ClaudeSession.swift
@@ -121,9 +121,8 @@ struct ClaudeSession {
     var artifactPreview: LocalArtifactPreview?
 
     /// The piece this session is writing, with its extension — `balozo.mjs`.
-    /// Only Easel sets it, and it names the rock: a session that is
-    /// holding a piece should be addressable by that piece's name rather than
-    /// by a second unrelated word drawn from its session id.
+    /// Only Easel sets it. It titles the piece's card, not the rock: the
+    /// rock keeps its session name (see `SigilRenderer.name(for:)`).
     var piece: String = ""
     var piecePublishedAt: String = ""
     var pieceVersion: Int = 0
diff --git a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/Ledger.swift b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/Ledger.swift
index 6854eb8f02..9753d5dc0f 100644
--- a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/Ledger.swift
+++ b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/Ledger.swift
@@ -55,7 +55,6 @@ struct LedgerEntry: Codable, Equatable {
     var proxNamespace: String?
     var proxName: String?
     var proxIdentity: String?
-    var proxPieceName: String?
 }
 
 struct Ledger: Codable {
@@ -416,8 +415,10 @@ final class LedgerStore {
                 loopboyContact: s.loopboyContact.isEmpty ? nil : s.loopboyContact,
                 scanURL: s.scanURL.isEmpty ? nil : s.scanURL)
         }
-        // Easel namespace follows the current artifact; provider identity stays
-        // stable for resuming. Retain collision choices only for this piece.
+        // The Easel address is the rock's own name, never the piece's, so
+        // `prox:aesel:<name>` keeps pointing at the same session however many
+        // pieces it writes or previews. Provider identity stays stable for
+        // resuming, and a collision choice is kept for as long as the session.
         let previous = (try? JSONDecoder().decode(Ledger.self,
             from: Data(contentsOf: URL(fileURLWithPath: Self.localFile))))?.entries ?? []
         let peerFiles = (try? FileManager.default.contentsOfDirectory(atPath: Self.peersDir)) ?? []
@@ -432,17 +433,12 @@ final class LedgerStore {
         for index in easelIndices {
             let session = sessions[index]
             let identity = session.providerSessionId.isEmpty ? session.sessionId : session.providerSessionId
-            let filename = (session.piece as NSString).lastPathComponent
-            let stem = (filename as NSString).deletingPathExtension
-            let clean = stem.lowercased().filter { $0.isLetter || $0.isNumber || $0 == "-" || $0 == "_" || $0 == "." }
-            let base = clean.isEmpty ? "untitled" : String(clean.prefix(100))
-            let prior = previous.first { $0.proxIdentity == identity && $0.proxPieceName == base }?.proxName
+            let base = entries[index].name
+            // Only a collision variant of this same name carries over; a name
+            // left from when the address followed the piece does not.
+            let prior = previous.first { $0.proxIdentity == identity }?.proxName
+                .flatMap { $0 == base || $0.hasPrefix(base + "-") ? $0 : nil }
             var name = prior ?? base
-            if used.contains(name) {
-                let owner = String(session.pieceChannel.split(separator: "/").first ?? "")
-                    .lowercased().filter { $0.isLetter || $0.isNumber || $0 == "-" || $0 == "_" }
-                name = owner.isEmpty ? base : owner + "/" + base
-            }
             if used.contains(name) {
                 let collisionBase = name
                 let suffix = String(format: "%016llx", SigilRenderer.seed(for: identity + "\u{1}" + selfHost))
@@ -460,7 +456,6 @@ final class LedgerStore {
             entries[index].proxNamespace = "easel"
             entries[index].proxName = name
             entries[index].proxIdentity = identity
-            entries[index].proxPieceName = base
         }
         entries.append(contentsOf: advertisedAgents())
 
diff --git a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/SigilRenderer.swift b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/SigilRenderer.swift
index fa85f4d0d3..283ed71baa 100644
--- a/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/SigilRenderer.swift
+++ b/slab/menubar-swift/Sources/SlabMenubar/SigilRenderer.swift
@@ -70,17 +70,11 @@ enum SigilRenderer {
                 return routeName
             }
         }
-        // An Easel session is holding one named piece, and that name is
-        // already the session's public identity: it is the slug in the address on
-        // the rock and the channel the piece is pushed on. Drawing a second,
-        // unrelated word from the session id meant the rock and the piece
-        // disagreed about what the session was called — you would open `balozo`
-        // and be handed `muzad`. The piece wins, and follows a rename.
-        if session.agentType == "easel" {
-            let slug = (session.piece as NSString).deletingPathExtension
-            let clean = slug.filter { $0.isLetter || $0.isNumber || $0 == "-" || $0 == "_" }
-            if !clean.isEmpty { return String(clean.prefix(16)) }
-        }
+        // An Easel session used to take its piece's name here, so the rock
+        // renamed itself the moment a piece was published (`bunido` became
+        // `butterfly`) and again on every swap. A session is not its piece:
+        // it can write several, and preview any. The rock keeps the one name
+        // it was born with; the piece is named on its card and its address.
         return name(forSessionId: session.sessionId)
     }