diff --git a/tests/check-shift-theme-identity.sh b/tests/check-shift-theme-identity.sh
index 77f12f8d..bd1859b3 100644
--- a/tests/check-shift-theme-identity.sh
+++ b/tests/check-shift-theme-identity.sh
@@ -111,22 +111,27 @@ require_line lookandfeel/contents/logout/Logout.qml 'plasma_lookandfeel_org\.shi
 require_line lookandfeel/Messages.sh 'plasma_lookandfeel_org\.shift\.mobile\.pot' \
     "look-and-feel Messages.sh must generate the Shift translation domain"
 
-require_line preview.sh 'PLASMA_THEME=shift-light' \
-    "preview light mode must select the Shift light Plasma desktop theme"
-require_line preview.sh 'PLASMA_THEME=shift-dark' \
-    "preview dark mode must select the Shift dark Plasma desktop theme"
-reject_line preview.sh 'PLASMA_THEME=breeze-' \
-    "preview must not select Breeze Plasma desktop themes"
-require_line preview.sh 'Shift does not ship a QQC2 style plugin yet' \
-    "preview must document the Breeze QQC2 fallback"
+if [[ -f preview.sh ]]; then
+    require_line preview.sh 'PLASMA_THEME=shift-light' \
+        "preview light mode must select the Shift light Plasma desktop theme"
+    require_line preview.sh 'PLASMA_THEME=shift-dark' \
+        "preview dark mode must select the Shift dark Plasma desktop theme"
+    reject_line preview.sh 'PLASMA_THEME=breeze-' \
+        "preview must not select Breeze Plasma desktop themes"
+    require_line preview.sh 'Shift does not ship a QQC2 style plugin yet' \
+        "preview must document the Breeze QQC2 fallback"
+    reject_line preview.sh 'QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE=org\.shift|QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE=SHIFT|QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE=Shift' \
+        "preview must not reference a non-existent Shift QQC2 style"
+else
+    require_line .gitignore '^preview[.]sh$' \
+        "preview.sh is a local developer script and must remain ignored when absent from CI"
+fi
 require_line bin/startplasmamobile.in 'Shift does not ship a QQC2 style plugin yet' \
     "runtime launcher must document the Breeze QQC2 fallback"
 require_line HACKING.md 'Shift does not ship a QQC2 style plugin yet' \
     "HACKING.md must document the Breeze QQC2 fallback"
 require_line .kde-ci.yml 'plasma/qqc2-breeze-style' \
     "CI must keep the Breeze QQC2 runtime dependency until Shift ships a QQC2 style"
-reject_line preview.sh 'QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE=org\.shift|QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE=SHIFT|QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE=Shift' \
-    "preview must not reference a non-existent Shift QQC2 style"
 reject_line bin/startplasmamobile.in 'QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE=org\.shift|QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE=SHIFT|QT_QUICK_CONTROLS_STYLE=Shift' \
     "runtime launcher must not reference a non-existent Shift QQC2 style"