diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Orders/PlaceBuildingOrderGenerator.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Orders/PlaceBuildingOrderGenerator.cs
index a25706fd36..717e47b8f7 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Orders/PlaceBuildingOrderGenerator.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Orders/PlaceBuildingOrderGenerator.cs
@@ -198,6 +198,8 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Orders
 			{
 				if (!initialized)
 				{
+					var actor = rules.Actors[building];
+
 					var td = new TypeDictionary()
 					{
 						new FactionInit(faction),
@@ -205,7 +207,11 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Orders
 						new HideBibPreviewInit()
 					};
 
-					var init = new ActorPreviewInitializer(rules.Actors[building], wr, td);
+					foreach (var api in actor.TraitInfos<IActorPreviewInitInfo>())
+						foreach (var o in api.ActorPreviewInits(actor, ActorPreviewType.PlaceBuilding))
+							td.Add(o);
+
+					var init = new ActorPreviewInitializer(actor, wr, td);
 					preview = rules.Actors[building].TraitInfos<IRenderActorPreviewInfo>()
 						.SelectMany(rpi => rpi.RenderPreview(init))
 						.ToArray();
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/TraitsInterfaces.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/TraitsInterfaces.cs
index fccf1fb169..e15f00da4f 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/TraitsInterfaces.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/TraitsInterfaces.cs
@@ -290,4 +290,12 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Traits
 	{
 		Order IssueDeployOrder(Actor self);
 	}
+
+	public enum ActorPreviewType { PlaceBuilding, ColorPicker, MapEditorSidebar }
+
+	[RequireExplicitImplementation]
+	public interface IActorPreviewInitInfo : ITraitInfo
+	{
+		IEnumerable<object> ActorPreviewInits(ActorInfo ai, ActorPreviewType type);
+	}
 }
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/ColorPickerLogic.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/ColorPickerLogic.cs
index 679759950b..2ef06a2f28 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/ColorPickerLogic.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/ColorPickerLogic.cs
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Widgets.Logic
 			td.Add(new HideBibPreviewInit());
 			td.Add(new OwnerInit(world.WorldActor.Owner));
 			td.Add(new FactionInit(world.WorldActor.Owner.PlayerReference.Faction));
+			foreach (var api in actor.TraitInfos<IActorPreviewInitInfo>())
+				foreach (var o in api.ActorPreviewInits(actor, ActorPreviewType.ColorPicker))
+					td.Add(o);
 
 			if (preview != null)
 				preview.SetPreview(actor, td);
diff --git a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/Editor/ActorSelectorLogic.cs b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/Editor/ActorSelectorLogic.cs
index 0df6710afa..e85878bc6c 100644
--- a/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/Editor/ActorSelectorLogic.cs
+++ b/OpenRA.Mods.Common/Widgets/Logic/Editor/ActorSelectorLogic.cs
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ namespace OpenRA.Mods.Common.Widgets.Logic
 				td.Add(new HideBibPreviewInit());
 				td.Add(new OwnerInit(selectedOwner.Name));
 				td.Add(new FactionInit(selectedOwner.Faction));
+				foreach (var api in actor.TraitInfos<IActorPreviewInitInfo>())
+					foreach (var o in api.ActorPreviewInits(actor, ActorPreviewType.MapEditorSidebar))
+						td.Add(o);
 
 				try
 				{