diff --git a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/store/csf/prepareStory.test.ts b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/store/csf/prepareStory.test.ts
index b15c3a955659..ec355c02169d 100644
--- a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/store/csf/prepareStory.test.ts
+++ b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/store/csf/prepareStory.test.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,20 @@ describe('prepareStory', () => {
       expect(tags).toEqual(['component-1', 'component-2', 'story']);
     });
 
+    it('component tags work if story do not have tags', () => {
+      const { tags } = prepareStory(
+        { id, name, tags: [], moduleExport },
+        {
+          id,
+          title,
+          tags: ['component-1', 'component-2'],
+        },
+        { render }
+      );
+
+      expect(tags).toEqual(['component-1', 'component-2', 'story']);
+    });
+
     it('sets a value even if annotations do not have tags', () => {
       const { tags } = prepareStory({ id, name, moduleExport }, { id, title }, { render });
 
diff --git a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/store/csf/prepareStory.ts b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/store/csf/prepareStory.ts
index 311a4467c789..4a3b0415f0e4 100644
--- a/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/store/csf/prepareStory.ts
+++ b/code/lib/preview-api/src/modules/store/csf/prepareStory.ts
@@ -145,7 +145,10 @@ function preparePartialAnnotations<TRenderer extends Renderer>(
   // anything at render time. The assumption is that as we don't load all the stories at once, this
   // will have a limited cost. If this proves misguided, we can refactor it.
 
-  const tags = [...(storyAnnotations?.tags || componentAnnotations.tags || []), 'story'];
+  const tags = [
+    ...(storyAnnotations?.tags?.length ? storyAnnotations.tags : componentAnnotations.tags || []),
+    'story',
+  ];
 
   const parameters: Parameters = combineParameters(
     projectAnnotations.parameters,