diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/dragndrop/LivePreviewWidgetCell.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/dragndrop/LivePreviewWidgetCell.java
index fa062f572e..826ddb0b4e 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/dragndrop/LivePreviewWidgetCell.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/dragndrop/LivePreviewWidgetCell.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package com.android.launcher3.dragndrop;
 
 import static com.android.launcher3.Utilities.ATLEAST_S;
 
+import android.appwidget.AppWidgetHostView;
 import android.content.Context;
 import android.content.res.Resources;
 import android.graphics.Bitmap;
@@ -25,6 +26,8 @@ public class LivePreviewWidgetCell extends WidgetCell {
 
     private RemoteViews mPreview;
 
+    private AppWidgetHostView mPreviewAppWidgetHostView;
+
     public LivePreviewWidgetCell(Context context) {
         this(context, null);
     }
@@ -46,8 +49,11 @@ public class LivePreviewWidgetCell extends WidgetCell {
     }
 
     /** Resets any resource. This should be called before recycling this view. */
-    public void reset() {
+    @Override
+    public void clear() {
+        super.clear();
         mPreview = null;
+        mPreviewAppWidgetHostView = null;
     }
 
     @Override
@@ -60,6 +66,15 @@ public class LivePreviewWidgetCell extends WidgetCell {
                 return;
             }
         }
+
+        if (mPreviewAppWidgetHostView != null) {
+            Bitmap preview = generateFromView(mActivity, mPreviewAppWidgetHostView,
+                    mItem.widgetInfo, mPreviewWidth, new int[1]);
+            if (preview != null) {
+                applyPreview(preview);
+                return;
+            }
+        }
         super.ensurePreview();
     }
 
@@ -69,8 +84,19 @@ public class LivePreviewWidgetCell extends WidgetCell {
                 && mPreview == null
                 && item.widgetInfo != null
                 && item.widgetInfo.previewLayout != Resources.ID_NULL) {
-            mPreview = new RemoteViews(item.widgetInfo.provider.getPackageName(),
-                    item.widgetInfo.previewLayout);
+            mPreviewAppWidgetHostView = new AppWidgetHostView(getContext());
+            LauncherAppWidgetProviderInfo launcherAppWidgetProviderInfo =
+                    LauncherAppWidgetProviderInfo.fromProviderInfo(getContext(),
+                            item.widgetInfo.clone());
+            // A hack to force the initial layout to be the preview layout since there is no API for
+            // rendering a preview layout for work profile apps yet. For non-work profile layout, a
+            // proper solution is to use RemoteViews(PackageName, LayoutId).
+            launcherAppWidgetProviderInfo.initialLayout = item.widgetInfo.previewLayout;
+            mPreviewAppWidgetHostView.setAppWidget(/* appWidgetId= */ -1,
+                    launcherAppWidgetProviderInfo);
+            mPreviewAppWidgetHostView.setPadding(/* left= */ 0, /* top= */0, /* right= */
+                    0, /* bottom= */ 0);
+            mPreviewAppWidgetHostView.updateAppWidget(/* remoteViews= */ null);
         }
 
         super.applyFromCellItem(item, loader);
@@ -84,23 +110,27 @@ public class LivePreviewWidgetCell extends WidgetCell {
      */
     public static Bitmap generateFromRemoteViews(BaseActivity activity, RemoteViews views,
             LauncherAppWidgetProviderInfo info, int previewSize, int[] preScaledWidthOut) {
+        try {
+            return generateFromView(activity, views.apply(activity, new FrameLayout(activity)),
+                    info, previewSize, preScaledWidthOut);
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            return null;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static Bitmap generateFromView(BaseActivity activity, View v,
+            LauncherAppWidgetProviderInfo info, int previewSize, int[] preScaledWidthOut) {
 
         DeviceProfile dp = activity.getDeviceProfile();
         int viewWidth = dp.cellWidthPx * info.spanX;
         int viewHeight = dp.cellHeightPx * info.spanY;
 
-        final View v;
-        try {
-            v = views.apply(activity, new FrameLayout(activity));
-            v.measure(MeasureSpec.makeMeasureSpec(viewWidth, MeasureSpec.EXACTLY),
-                    MeasureSpec.makeMeasureSpec(viewHeight, MeasureSpec.EXACTLY));
+        v.measure(MeasureSpec.makeMeasureSpec(viewWidth, MeasureSpec.EXACTLY),
+                MeasureSpec.makeMeasureSpec(viewHeight, MeasureSpec.EXACTLY));
 
-            viewWidth = v.getMeasuredWidth();
-            viewHeight = v.getMeasuredHeight();
-            v.layout(0, 0, viewWidth, viewHeight);
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            return null;
-        }
+        viewWidth = v.getMeasuredWidth();
+        viewHeight = v.getMeasuredHeight();
+        v.layout(0, 0, viewWidth, viewHeight);
 
         preScaledWidthOut[0] = viewWidth;
         final int bitmapWidth, bitmapHeight;
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/widget/WidgetCell.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/widget/WidgetCell.java
index 8c315fd604..ea6f0c35c1 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/widget/WidgetCell.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/widget/WidgetCell.java
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@ public class WidgetCell extends LinearLayout implements OnLayoutChangeListener {
     /** Widget preview width is calculated by multiplying this factor to the widget cell width. */
     private static final float PREVIEW_SCALE = 0.8f;
 
-    private int mPreviewWidth;
-    private int mPreviewHeight;
+    protected int mPreviewWidth;
+    protected int mPreviewHeight;
     protected int mPresetPreviewSize;
     private int mCellSize;
 
diff --git a/src/com/android/launcher3/widget/picker/WidgetsListTableViewHolderBinder.java b/src/com/android/launcher3/widget/picker/WidgetsListTableViewHolderBinder.java
index 9c8684a0bc..28ffd5473a 100644
--- a/src/com/android/launcher3/widget/picker/WidgetsListTableViewHolderBinder.java
+++ b/src/com/android/launcher3/widget/picker/WidgetsListTableViewHolderBinder.java
@@ -153,7 +153,7 @@ public final class WidgetsListTableViewHolderBinder
             } else {
                 for (int j = tableRow.getChildCount(); j < widgetItems.size(); j++) {
                     WidgetCell widget = (WidgetCell) mLayoutInflater.inflate(
-                            R.layout.widget_cell, tableRow, false);
+                            R.layout.live_preview_widget_cell, tableRow, false);
                     // set up touch.
                     widget.setOnClickListener(mIconClickListener);
                     widget.setOnLongClickListener(mIconLongClickListener);