diff --git a/code/jest.config.js b/code/jest.config.js
index ee2ebd55a9ac..6e72f4acb974 100644
--- a/code/jest.config.js
+++ b/code/jest.config.js
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ module.exports = {
     '<rootDir>/frameworks/!(angular)*',
     '<rootDir>/lib/*',
     '<rootDir>/renderers/*',
-    '<rootDir>/ui/*',
+    '<rootDir>/ui/!(node_modules)*',
   ],
   collectCoverage: false,
   collectCoverageFrom: [
diff --git a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/Preview.tsx b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/Preview.tsx
index f1c2da44c15b..18aba716d046 100644
--- a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/Preview.tsx
+++ b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/Preview.tsx
@@ -265,7 +265,11 @@ export class Preview<TFramework extends Renderer> {
   async onUpdateArgs({ storyId, updatedArgs }: { storyId: StoryId; updatedArgs: Args }) {
     this.storyStore.args.update(storyId, updatedArgs);
 
-    await Promise.all(this.storyRenders.filter((r) => r.id === storyId).map((r) => r.rerender()));
+    await Promise.all(
+      this.storyRenders
+        .filter((r) => r.id === storyId && !r.renderOptions.forceInitialArgs)
+        .map((r) => r.rerender())
+    );
 
     this.channel.emit(STORY_ARGS_UPDATED, {
       storyId,
diff --git a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/PreviewWeb.test.ts b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/PreviewWeb.test.ts
index 9639db4617a2..e6dc88486c0a 100644
--- a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/PreviewWeb.test.ts
+++ b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/PreviewWeb.test.ts
@@ -1131,6 +1131,39 @@ describe('PreviewWeb', () => {
             'story-element'
           );
         });
+
+        it('does not re-render the story when forceInitialArgs=true', async () => {
+          document.location.search = '?id=component-one--docs&viewMode=docs';
+
+          const preview = await createAndRenderPreview();
+          await waitForRender();
+
+          mockChannel.emit.mockClear();
+          const story = await preview.storyStore.loadStory({ storyId: 'component-one--a' });
+          preview.renderStoryToElement(story, 'story-element' as any, { forceInitialArgs: true });
+          await waitForRender();
+
+          expect(projectAnnotations.renderToCanvas).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+            expect.objectContaining({
+              storyContext: expect.objectContaining({
+                args: { foo: 'a' },
+              }),
+            }),
+            'story-element'
+          );
+
+          docsRenderer.render.mockClear();
+          mockChannel.emit.mockClear();
+          emitter.emit(UPDATE_STORY_ARGS, {
+            storyId: 'component-one--a',
+            updatedArgs: { new: 'arg' },
+          });
+          await waitForEvents([STORY_ARGS_UPDATED]);
+
+          // We don't re-render the story
+          await expect(waitForRender).rejects.toThrow();
+          expect(projectAnnotations.renderToCanvas).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+        });
       });
     });
   });
diff --git a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/render/StoryRender.test.ts b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/render/StoryRender.test.ts
index d40adca995f0..cb382cb3506b 100644
--- a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/render/StoryRender.test.ts
+++ b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/render/StoryRender.test.ts
@@ -101,4 +101,47 @@ describe('StoryRender', () => {
     await render.renderToElement({} as any);
     expect(story.playFunction).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
   });
+
+  it('passes the initialArgs to loaders and render function if forceInitialArgs is true', async () => {
+    const story = {
+      id: 'id',
+      title: 'title',
+      name: 'name',
+      tags: [],
+      initialArgs: { a: 'b' },
+      applyLoaders: jest.fn(),
+      unboundStoryFn: jest.fn(),
+      playFunction: jest.fn(),
+    };
+
+    const renderToScreen = jest.fn();
+
+    const render = new StoryRender(
+      new Channel(),
+      { getStoryContext: () => ({ args: { a: 'c ' } }) } as any,
+      renderToScreen as any,
+      {} as any,
+      entry.id,
+      'story',
+      { forceInitialArgs: true },
+      story as any
+    );
+
+    await render.renderToElement({} as any);
+
+    expect(story.applyLoaders).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        args: { a: 'b' },
+      })
+    );
+
+    expect(renderToScreen).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.objectContaining({
+        storyContext: expect.objectContaining({
+          args: { a: 'b' },
+        }),
+      }),
+      expect.any(Object)
+    );
+  });
 });
diff --git a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/render/StoryRender.ts b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/render/StoryRender.ts
index 89c7422872cd..9df19ae2d1d6 100644
--- a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/render/StoryRender.ts
+++ b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/preview-web/render/StoryRender.ts
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ export class StoryRender<TRenderer extends Renderer> implements Render<TRenderer
     private callbacks: RenderContextCallbacks<TRenderer>,
     public id: StoryId,
     public viewMode: ViewMode,
-    public renderOptions: StoryRenderOptions = { autoplay: true },
+    public renderOptions: StoryRenderOptions = { autoplay: true, forceInitialArgs: false },
     story?: PreparedStory<TRenderer>
   ) {
     this.abortController = new AbortController();
@@ -154,8 +154,17 @@ export class StoryRender<TRenderer extends Renderer> implements Render<TRenderer
     if (!this.story) throw new Error('cannot render when not prepared');
     if (!canvasElement) throw new Error('cannot render when canvasElement is unset');
 
-    const { id, componentId, title, name, tags, applyLoaders, unboundStoryFn, playFunction } =
-      this.story;
+    const {
+      id,
+      componentId,
+      title,
+      name,
+      tags,
+      applyLoaders,
+      unboundStoryFn,
+      playFunction,
+      initialArgs,
+    } = this.story;
 
     if (forceRemount && !initial) {
       // NOTE: we don't check the cancel actually worked here, so the previous
@@ -170,10 +179,15 @@ export class StoryRender<TRenderer extends Renderer> implements Render<TRenderer
     const abortSignal = (this.abortController as AbortController).signal;
 
     try {
+      const getCurrentContext = () => ({
+        ...this.storyContext(),
+        ...(this.renderOptions.forceInitialArgs && { args: initialArgs }),
+      });
+
       let loadedContext: Awaited<ReturnType<typeof applyLoaders>>;
       await this.runPhase(abortSignal, 'loading', async () => {
         loadedContext = await applyLoaders({
-          ...this.storyContext(),
+          ...getCurrentContext(),
           viewMode: this.viewMode,
         } as StoryContextForLoaders<TRenderer>);
       });
@@ -185,7 +199,7 @@ export class StoryRender<TRenderer extends Renderer> implements Render<TRenderer
         ...loadedContext!,
         // By this stage, it is possible that new args/globals have been received for this story
         // and we need to ensure we render it with the new values
-        ...this.storyContext(),
+        ...getCurrentContext(),
         abortSignal,
         // We should consider parameterizing the story types with TRenderer['canvasElement'] in the future
         canvasElement: canvasElement as any,
diff --git a/code/lib/types/src/modules/docs.ts b/code/lib/types/src/modules/docs.ts
index 8c15e5366d6e..f819a9fea1d7 100644
--- a/code/lib/types/src/modules/docs.ts
+++ b/code/lib/types/src/modules/docs.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import type { ModuleExport, ModuleExports, PreparedStory } from './story';
 
 export type StoryRenderOptions = {
   autoplay?: boolean;
+  forceInitialArgs?: boolean;
 };
 
 export interface DocsContextProps<TRenderer extends Renderer = Renderer> {
diff --git a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/DocsStory.tsx b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/DocsStory.tsx
index 44063200d09d..62341ecfcc93 100644
--- a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/DocsStory.tsx
+++ b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/DocsStory.tsx
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ export const DocsStory: FC<DocsStoryProps> = ({
   expanded = true,
   withToolbar = false,
   parameters = {},
+  __forceInitialArgs = false,
 }) => {
   let description;
   const { docs } = parameters;
@@ -27,7 +28,7 @@ export const DocsStory: FC<DocsStoryProps> = ({
       {subheading && <Subheading>{subheading}</Subheading>}
       {description && <Description markdown={description} />}
       <Canvas withToolbar={withToolbar}>
-        <Story id={id} parameters={parameters} />
+        <Story id={id} parameters={parameters} __forceInitialArgs={__forceInitialArgs} />
       </Canvas>
     </Anchor>
   );
diff --git a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Stories.tsx b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Stories.tsx
index 7f635e0d110c..76cb3a6a1e04 100644
--- a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Stories.tsx
+++ b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Stories.tsx
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ interface StoriesProps {
   includePrimary?: boolean;
 }
 
-export const Stories: FC<StoriesProps> = ({ title, includePrimary = false }) => {
+export const Stories: FC<StoriesProps> = ({ title, includePrimary = true }) => {
   const { componentStories } = useContext(DocsContext);
 
   let stories: DocsStoryProps[] = componentStories();
@@ -23,7 +23,9 @@ export const Stories: FC<StoriesProps> = ({ title, includePrimary = false }) =>
   return (
     <>
       <Heading>{title}</Heading>
-      {stories.map((story) => story && <DocsStory key={story.id} {...story} expanded />)}
+      {stories.map(
+        (story) => story && <DocsStory key={story.id} {...story} expanded __forceInitialArgs />
+      )}
     </>
   );
 };
diff --git a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Story.stories.tsx b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Story.stories.tsx
index a64517faf40f..7d99064d3960 100644
--- a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Story.stories.tsx
+++ b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Story.stories.tsx
@@ -2,11 +2,12 @@
 import React from 'react';
 import type { Meta, StoryObj } from '@storybook/react';
 
-import { Story as StoryComponent } from './Story';
+import { Story as StoryBlock } from './Story';
 import * as ButtonStories from '../examples/Button.stories';
+import * as StoryComponentStories from '../components/Story.stories';
 
-const meta: Meta<typeof StoryComponent> = {
-  component: StoryComponent,
+const meta: Meta<typeof StoryBlock> = {
+  component: StoryBlock,
   parameters: {
     relativeCsfPaths: ['../examples/Button.stories', '../blocks/Story.stories'],
   },
@@ -178,3 +179,12 @@ export const WithInteractionsAutoplayInStory: Story = {
     chromatic: { delay: 500 },
   },
 };
+
+export const IgnoreArgsUpdates: Story = {
+  ...StoryComponentStories.ForceInitialArgs,
+  args: {
+    of: ButtonStories.Primary,
+    storyExport: ButtonStories.Primary,
+    __forceInitialArgs: true,
+  } as any,
+};
diff --git a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Story.tsx b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Story.tsx
index 439550156a24..ef8309d027d5 100644
--- a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Story.tsx
+++ b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/Story.tsx
@@ -72,6 +72,10 @@ type StoryParameters = {
    * Whether to run the story's play function
    */
   autoplay?: boolean;
+  /**
+   * Internal prop to control if a story re-renders on args updates
+   */
+  __forceInitialArgs?: boolean;
 };
 
 export type StoryProps = (StoryDefProps | StoryRefProps) & StoryParameters;
@@ -131,6 +135,8 @@ export const getStoryProps = <TFramework extends Renderer>(
       inline: true,
       height,
       autoplay,
+      // eslint-disable-next-line no-underscore-dangle
+      forceInitialArgs: !!props.__forceInitialArgs,
       renderStoryToElement: context.renderStoryToElement,
     };
   }
@@ -145,7 +151,7 @@ export const getStoryProps = <TFramework extends Renderer>(
   };
 };
 
-const Story: FC<StoryProps> = (props) => {
+const Story: FC<StoryProps> = (props = { __forceInitialArgs: false }) => {
   const context = useContext(DocsContext);
   const storyId = getStoryId(props, context);
   const story = useStory(storyId, context);
diff --git a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/types.ts b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/types.ts
index b48e9ac5f2bf..27d62c250387 100644
--- a/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/types.ts
+++ b/code/ui/blocks/src/blocks/types.ts
@@ -14,4 +14,5 @@ export interface StoryData {
 export type DocsStoryProps = StoryData & {
   expanded?: boolean;
   withToolbar?: boolean;
+  __forceInitialArgs?: boolean;
 };
diff --git a/code/ui/blocks/src/components/Story.stories.tsx b/code/ui/blocks/src/components/Story.stories.tsx
index 20c4107bc7dc..15c9f1c447f7 100644
--- a/code/ui/blocks/src/components/Story.stories.tsx
+++ b/code/ui/blocks/src/components/Story.stories.tsx
@@ -1,6 +1,10 @@
 import React from 'react';
-import type { StoryObj, Meta } from '@storybook/react';
-import type { StoryProps } from './Story';
+import type { Meta } from '@storybook/react';
+import { within } from '@storybook/testing-library';
+import type { PlayFunctionContext } from '@storybook/csf';
+import type { WebRenderer } from '@storybook/types';
+import { RESET_STORY_ARGS, STORY_ARGS_UPDATED, UPDATE_STORY_ARGS } from '@storybook/core-events';
+
 import { Story as StoryComponent, StorySkeleton } from './Story';
 import type { DocsContextProps } from '../blocks';
 import * as ButtonStories from '../examples/Button.stories';
@@ -8,26 +12,22 @@ import * as ButtonStories from '../examples/Button.stories';
 const preview = __STORYBOOK_PREVIEW__;
 const renderStoryToElement = preview.renderStoryToElement.bind(preview);
 
-// TODO: can't quite figure out types here.
-// type OverriddenStoryProps = StoryProps & {
-//   story: typeof ButtonStories.Primary;
-// };
-
-const meta: Meta<typeof StoryComponent> = {
+const meta: Meta = {
   component: StoryComponent,
   parameters: {
     relativeCsfPaths: ['../examples/Button.stories'],
   },
   args: {
     height: '100px',
-    // NOTE: the real story arg is a PreparedStory, which we'll get in the render function below
-    story: ButtonStories.Primary as any,
+    storyExport: ButtonStories.Primary,
+    autoplay: false,
+    ignoreArgsUpdates: false,
   },
   render(args, { loaded }) {
     const docsContext = loaded.docsContext as DocsContextProps;
-    const storyId = docsContext.storyIdByModuleExport(args.story);
+    const storyId = docsContext.storyIdByModuleExport(args.storyExport);
     const story = docsContext.storyById(storyId);
-    return <StoryComponent {...args} story={story} />;
+    return <StoryComponent {...(args as any)} story={story} />;
   },
 };
 export default meta;
@@ -48,9 +48,38 @@ export const IFrame = {
   },
 };
 
+export const ForceInitialArgs = {
+  args: {
+    storyExport: ButtonStories.Primary,
+    inline: true,
+    autoplay: true,
+    forceInitialArgs: true,
+    renderStoryToElement,
+  },
+  play: async ({ args, canvasElement, loaded }: PlayFunctionContext<WebRenderer>) => {
+    const docsContext = loaded.docsContext as DocsContextProps;
+    const storyId = docsContext.storyIdByModuleExport(args.storyExport);
+
+    const channel = globalThis.__STORYBOOK_ADDONS_CHANNEL__;
+    await within(canvasElement).findByText(/Button/);
+
+    const updatedPromise = new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      channel.once(STORY_ARGS_UPDATED, resolve);
+    });
+    await channel.emit(UPDATE_STORY_ARGS, { storyId, updatedArgs: { label: 'Updated' } });
+    await updatedPromise;
+
+    await within(canvasElement).findByText(/Button/);
+    await channel.emit(RESET_STORY_ARGS, { storyId });
+    await new Promise<void>((resolve) => {
+      channel.once(STORY_ARGS_UPDATED, resolve);
+    });
+  },
+};
+
 export const Autoplay = {
   args: {
-    story: ButtonStories.Clicking,
+    storyExport: ButtonStories.Clicking,
     inline: true,
     autoplay: true,
     renderStoryToElement,
diff --git a/code/ui/blocks/src/components/Story.tsx b/code/ui/blocks/src/components/Story.tsx
index e5b9b20c0f80..e0907d466d47 100644
--- a/code/ui/blocks/src/components/Story.tsx
+++ b/code/ui/blocks/src/components/Story.tsx
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ interface InlineStoryProps extends CommonProps {
   inline: true;
   height?: string;
   autoplay: boolean;
+  forceInitialArgs: boolean;
   renderStoryToElement: DocsContextProps['renderStoryToElement'];
 }
 
@@ -32,6 +33,7 @@ const InlineStory: FunctionComponent<InlineStoryProps> = ({
   story,
   height,
   autoplay,
+  forceInitialArgs,
   renderStoryToElement,
 }) => {
   const storyRef = useRef();
@@ -42,7 +44,7 @@ const InlineStory: FunctionComponent<InlineStoryProps> = ({
       return () => {};
     }
     const element = storyRef.current as HTMLElement;
-    const cleanup = renderStoryToElement(story, element, { autoplay });
+    const cleanup = renderStoryToElement(story, element, { autoplay, forceInitialArgs });
     setShowLoader(false);
     return () => {
       cleanup();