diff --git a/ui (gen4)/features/ui-blank-render.js b/ui (gen4)/features/ui-blank-render.js
index b511b896..ed58f451 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/features/ui-blank-render.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/features/ui-blank-render.js	
@@ -7,6 +7,12 @@
 (function(require){ var module={} // make module AMD/node compatible...
 /*********************************************************************/
 
+// XXX should we guard against loading in node???
+if(typeof(window) == 'undefined'){
+	return
+}
+
+
 var object = require('lib/object')
 var actions = require('lib/actions')
 var features = require('lib/features')
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/features/ui-preact-render.js b/ui (gen4)/features/ui-preact-render.js
index 8f8a111f..70747b06 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/features/ui-preact-render.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/features/ui-preact-render.js	
@@ -7,6 +7,17 @@
 (function(require){ var module={} // make module AMD/node compatible...
 /*********************************************************************/
 
+// XXX should we guard against loading in node???
+if(typeof(window) == 'undefined'){
+	return
+}
+
+// NOTE: this needs preact.js to be loaded by index.html
+if(typeof(preact) == 'undefined'){
+	console.error('Preact.js required but not present.')
+}
+var h = preact.h
+
 var object = require('lib/object')
 var actions = require('lib/actions')
 var features = require('lib/features')
@@ -15,8 +26,6 @@ var core = require('features/core')
 
 var ribbons = require('imagegrid/ribbons')
 
-require('ext-lib/preact')
-var h = preact.h
 
 
 /*********************************************************************/
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/features/ui-virtual-dom.js b/ui (gen4)/features/ui-virtual-dom.js
index 0644ba13..ed7a79ff 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/features/ui-virtual-dom.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/features/ui-virtual-dom.js	
@@ -7,6 +7,11 @@
 (function(require){ var module={} // make module AMD/node compatible...
 /*********************************************************************/
 
+if(typeof(window) == 'undefined'){
+	return
+}
+
+
 var vdom = require('ext-lib/virtual-dom')
 
 var object = require('lib/object')
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/index.html b/ui (gen4)/index.html
index 8cd1fd71..fcfb988c 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/index.html	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/index.html	
@@ -51,6 +51,9 @@ if(window.require && window.nw){
 <script src="ext-lib/jquery-ui.js"></script>
 <script src="ext-lib/jquery.ui.touch-punch.min.js"></script>
 
+<!-- preact.js -->
+<script src="node_modules/preact/dist/preact.min.js"></script>
+
 <!-- velocity.js -->
 <script src="ext-lib/velocity.min.js"></script>
 
diff --git a/ui (gen4)/ui.js b/ui (gen4)/ui.js
index 51dc782b..b456db6a 100755
--- a/ui (gen4)/ui.js	
+++ b/ui (gen4)/ui.js	
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ var requirejs_cfg = {
 
 		//'lib/keyboard': './node_modules/ig-keyboard/keyboard',
 		
-		'ext-lib/preact': './node_modules/preact/dist/preact.dev',
+		//'ext-lib/preact': './node_modules/preact/dist/preact.dev',
 	},	
 	map: {
 		'*': {