diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index db806465..7c982aff 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -413,26 +413,40 @@ If you are developing features or fixing bugs that require changes in both Slim
 3. **Link dicom-microscopy-viewer in Slim**  
    In the root directory of your Slim project, run:
    ```sh
-   pnpm link --global dicom-microscopy-viewer
+   pnpm link dicom-microscopy-viewer
+   ```
+   Do **not** run `pnpm link dicom-microscopy-viewer` inside the `dicom-microscopy-viewer` repo itself — only `pnpm link --global` belongs there.
+
+   Verify the link points at your local clone (not the registry copy under `.pnpm`):
+   ```sh
+   node -e "console.log(require('fs').realpathSync('node_modules/dicom-microscopy-viewer'))"
    ```
 
 4. **Enable live rebuilding in dicom-microscopy-viewer**  
-   To automatically rebuild `dicom-microscopy-viewer` when you make changes, run the following command in the `dicom-microscopy-viewer` directory:
+   In a separate terminal, in the `dicom-microscopy-viewer` directory, run:
    ```sh
    pnpm run webpack:dynamic-import:watch
    ```
-   This will watch for file changes and rebuild the library, so Slim can immediately use the updated code.
+   Slim imports the **built** `dist/dynamic-import` bundle, not `src/` directly. Wait for DMV watch to report `[emitted] dicomMicroscopyViewer.min.js` after each change.
 
 5. **Run Slim as usual**  
    In the Slim directory, start the development server:
    ```sh
    pnpm run start
    ```
-   Slim will now use your locally linked version of `dicom-microscopy-viewer`.
+   When linked, `craco.config.js` registers the DMV `dist/` folder as a webpack watch dependency so Slim rebuilds after DMV watch emits a new bundle. Restart Slim after linking or after changing `craco.config.js`.
 
 ### Notes
 
-- If you want to unlink and return to the npm-published version, run `pnpm unlink --global dicom-microscopy-viewer` and `pnpm install` in the Slim directory.
+- Running `pnpm install` in Slim removes the link — re-run step 3 afterward.
+- Do not add `link:` overrides to `package.json`; the commands above are sufficient.
+- Slim imports OpenLayers CSS directly (`ol/ol.css`), so `ol` is listed as a direct dependency. This keeps linked dev working when DMV's transitive dependencies are not hoisted into Slim's `node_modules`.
+- If Slim still serves a stale DMV bundle, confirm step 3 (realpath must not contain `.pnpm`) and that DMV watch logged `[emitted] dicomMicroscopyViewer.min.js` for your change.
+- To unlink and return to the npm-published version:
+  ```sh
+  pnpm unlink dicom-microscopy-viewer
+  pnpm install
+  ```
 
 ## Citation
 
diff --git a/craco.config.js b/craco.config.js
index 1039d728..67eadbf9 100644
--- a/craco.config.js
+++ b/craco.config.js
@@ -1,6 +1,35 @@
+const fs = require('fs')
+const path = require('path')
 const CracoLessPlugin = require('craco-less')
 const CopyWebpackPlugin = require('copy-webpack-plugin')
 
+/**
+ * When dicom-microscopy-viewer is pnpm-linked, resolve the real repo path so
+ * webpack can watch DMV dist/ rebuilds. The import alias must stay under
+ * node_modules (CRA ModuleScopePlugin blocks absolute paths outside src/).
+ */
+function getLinkedDmvPaths() {
+  const dmvEntry = path.resolve(
+    __dirname,
+    'node_modules/dicom-microscopy-viewer',
+  )
+  let dmvRoot
+  try {
+    dmvRoot = fs.realpathSync(dmvEntry)
+  } catch {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  const isLinked = !dmvRoot.includes(`${path.sep}.pnpm${path.sep}`)
+  if (!isLinked) {
+    return null
+  }
+
+  const dmvDist = path.join(dmvRoot, 'dist/dynamic-import')
+  const dmvBundle = path.join(dmvDist, 'dicomMicroscopyViewer.min.js')
+  return { dmvRoot, dmvDist, dmvBundle }
+}
+
 module.exports = {
   plugins: [
     {
@@ -26,8 +55,17 @@ module.exports = {
   ],
   webpack: {
     configure: (config, { env, paths }) => {
+      const linkedDmv =
+        env === 'development' ? getLinkedDmvPaths() : null
+      const dmvDist =
+        './node_modules/dicom-microscopy-viewer/dist/dynamic-import'
+      const dmvAlias =
+        'dicom-microscopy-viewer/dist/dynamic-import/dicomMicroscopyViewer.min.js'
+
       config.resolve = {
+        ...config.resolve,
         fallback: {
+          ...config.resolve?.fallback,
           fs: false,
           path: false
         },
@@ -39,8 +77,8 @@ module.exports = {
          * for the viewer.
         */
         alias: {
-          'dicom-microscopy-viewer':
-            'dicom-microscopy-viewer/dist/dynamic-import/dicomMicroscopyViewer.min.js'
+          ...config.resolve?.alias,
+          'dicom-microscopy-viewer': dmvAlias
         }
       }
       config.plugins.push(
@@ -48,7 +86,7 @@ module.exports = {
         new CopyWebpackPlugin({
           patterns: [
             {
-              from: './node_modules/dicom-microscopy-viewer/dist/dynamic-import',
+              from: dmvDist,
               to: './static/js'
             }
           ]
@@ -58,6 +96,40 @@ module.exports = {
       config.experiments = {
         asyncWebAssembly: true
       }
+
+      if (linkedDmv) {
+        config.watchOptions = {
+          ...config.watchOptions,
+          followSymlinks: true,
+        }
+
+        config.snapshot = {
+          ...config.snapshot,
+          managedPaths: [
+            /^(.+?[\\/]node_modules[\\/])(?!dicom-microscopy-viewer)/,
+          ],
+        }
+
+        config.plugins.push({
+          apply: (compiler) => {
+            compiler.hooks.afterCompile.tap('WatchLinkedDmvDist', (compilation) => {
+              compilation.contextDependencies.add(linkedDmv.dmvDist)
+              compilation.fileDependencies.add(linkedDmv.dmvBundle)
+            })
+          },
+        })
+
+        config.devServer = {
+          ...config.devServer,
+          watchFiles: {
+            paths: [`${linkedDmv.dmvDist}/**/*`],
+            options: {
+              followSymlinks: true,
+            },
+          },
+        }
+      }
+
       return config
     }
   },
diff --git a/src/components/SlideViewer/utils/viewerUtils.ts b/src/components/SlideViewer/utils/viewerUtils.ts
index cb91b127..1bf2c94b 100644
--- a/src/components/SlideViewer/utils/viewerUtils.ts
+++ b/src/components/SlideViewer/utils/viewerUtils.ts
@@ -39,7 +39,6 @@ export const constructViewers = ({
       clientMapping: clients,
       metadata: slide.volumeImages,
       controls: ['overview', 'position'],
-      skipThumbnails: true,
       preload,
       annotationOptions:
         clusteringPixelSizeThreshold !== undefined