diff --git a/packages/editor/src/components/editor-environment.tsx b/packages/editor/src/components/editor-environment.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..9e9bf0d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/editor/src/components/editor-environment.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+'use client'
+
+import { Environment } from '@react-three/drei'
+import { Suspense } from 'react'
+
+/**
+ * Scene IBL for the editor — drei's prefiltered environment map. Injected as a
+ * <Viewer> *child* (not baked into the Viewer component) so read-only / embed
+ * viewers don't pull the HDRI. This is what gives PBR metals their reflections
+ * and lifts the lighting on vertical surfaces (walls), which flat directional +
+ * hemisphere lights can't do alone. Intensity is dialled below the preset
+ * default so it complements the scene lights rather than washing them out.
+ */
+export function EditorEnvironment() {
+  return (
+    <Suspense fallback={null}>
+      <Environment preset="sunset" environmentIntensity={0.6} />
+    </Suspense>
+  )
+}
diff --git a/packages/editor/src/components/editor/index.tsx b/packages/editor/src/components/editor/index.tsx
index c6903080..49bd023d 100644
--- a/packages/editor/src/components/editor/index.tsx
+++ b/packages/editor/src/components/editor/index.tsx
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
 } from '../../lib/scene'
 import { initSFXBus } from '../../lib/sfx-bus'
 import useEditor from '../../store/use-editor'
+import { EditorEnvironment } from '../editor-environment'
 import { CeilingSelectionAffordanceSystem } from '../systems/ceiling/ceiling-selection-affordance-system'
 import { CeilingSystem } from '../systems/ceiling/ceiling-system'
 import { RoofEditSystem } from '../systems/roof/roof-edit-system'
@@ -602,6 +603,7 @@ const ViewerSceneContent = memo(function ViewerSceneContent({
   const noEditing = isVersionPreviewMode || isFirstPersonMode || isStudioMode
   return (
     <>
+      <EditorEnvironment />
       {!(isFirstPersonMode || isStudioMode) && <SelectionManager />}
       {!noEditing && <BoxSelectTool />}
       {!noEditing && <NodeArrowHandles />}