diff --git a/packages/live-preview/src/handleMessage.ts b/packages/live-preview/src/handleMessage.ts
index ed7ebeb47f..45f267684b 100644
--- a/packages/live-preview/src/handleMessage.ts
+++ b/packages/live-preview/src/handleMessage.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type { FieldSchemaJSON } from 'payload'
 
-import type { LivePreviewMessageEvent } from './types.js'
+import type { CollectionPopulationRequestHandler, LivePreviewMessageEvent } from './types.js'
 
 import { isLivePreviewEvent } from './isLivePreviewEvent.js'
 import { mergeData } from './mergeData.js'
@@ -29,9 +29,10 @@ export const handleMessage = async <T extends Record<string, any>>(args: {
   depth?: number
   event: LivePreviewMessageEvent<T>
   initialData: T
+  requestHandler?: CollectionPopulationRequestHandler
   serverURL: string
 }): Promise<T> => {
-  const { apiRoute, depth, event, initialData, serverURL } = args
+  const { apiRoute, depth, event, initialData, requestHandler, serverURL } = args
 
   if (isLivePreviewEvent(event, serverURL)) {
     const { data, externallyUpdatedRelationship, fieldSchemaJSON, locale } = event.data
@@ -57,6 +58,7 @@ export const handleMessage = async <T extends Record<string, any>>(args: {
       incomingData: data,
       initialData: _payloadLivePreview?.previousData || initialData,
       locale,
+      requestHandler,
       serverURL,
     })
 
diff --git a/packages/live-preview/src/mergeData.ts b/packages/live-preview/src/mergeData.ts
index 1448377475..60f497fb20 100644
--- a/packages/live-preview/src/mergeData.ts
+++ b/packages/live-preview/src/mergeData.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import type { DocumentEvent, FieldSchemaJSON, PaginatedDocs } from 'payload'
 
-import type { PopulationsByCollection } from './types.js'
+import type { CollectionPopulationRequestHandler, PopulationsByCollection } from './types.js'
 
 import { traverseFields } from './traverseFields.js'
 
@@ -29,21 +29,17 @@ let prevLocale: string | undefined
 
 export const mergeData = async <T extends Record<string, any>>(args: {
   apiRoute?: string
-  collectionPopulationRequestHandler?: ({
-    apiPath,
-    endpoint,
-    serverURL,
-  }: {
-    apiPath: string
-    endpoint: string
-    serverURL: string
-  }) => Promise<Response>
+  /**
+   * @deprecated Use `requestHandler` instead
+   */
+  collectionPopulationRequestHandler?: CollectionPopulationRequestHandler
   depth?: number
   externallyUpdatedRelationship?: DocumentEvent
   fieldSchema: FieldSchemaJSON
   incomingData: Partial<T>
   initialData: T
   locale?: string
+  requestHandler?: CollectionPopulationRequestHandler
   returnNumberOfRequests?: boolean
   serverURL: string
 }): Promise<
@@ -81,7 +77,8 @@ export const mergeData = async <T extends Record<string, any>>(args: {
       let res: PaginatedDocs
 
       const ids = new Set(populations.map(({ id }) => id))
-      const requestHandler = args.collectionPopulationRequestHandler || defaultRequestHandler
+      const requestHandler =
+        args.collectionPopulationRequestHandler || args.requestHandler || defaultRequestHandler
 
       try {
         res = await requestHandler({
diff --git a/packages/live-preview/src/subscribe.ts b/packages/live-preview/src/subscribe.ts
index 6cbe1bf4e7..f6c27e9843 100644
--- a/packages/live-preview/src/subscribe.ts
+++ b/packages/live-preview/src/subscribe.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+import type { CollectionPopulationRequestHandler } from './types.js'
+
 import { handleMessage } from './handleMessage.js'
 
 export const subscribe = <T extends Record<string, any>>(args: {
@@ -5,9 +7,10 @@ export const subscribe = <T extends Record<string, any>>(args: {
   callback: (data: T) => void
   depth?: number
   initialData: T
+  requestHandler?: CollectionPopulationRequestHandler
   serverURL: string
 }): ((event: MessageEvent) => Promise<void> | void) => {
-  const { apiRoute, callback, depth, initialData, serverURL } = args
+  const { apiRoute, callback, depth, initialData, requestHandler, serverURL } = args
 
   const onMessage = async (event: MessageEvent) => {
     const mergedData = await handleMessage<T>({
@@ -15,6 +18,7 @@ export const subscribe = <T extends Record<string, any>>(args: {
       depth,
       event,
       initialData,
+      requestHandler,
       serverURL,
     })
 
diff --git a/packages/live-preview/src/types.ts b/packages/live-preview/src/types.ts
index 94ae0ba447..4128d23720 100644
--- a/packages/live-preview/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/live-preview/src/types.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,15 @@
 import type { DocumentEvent, FieldSchemaJSON } from 'payload'
 
+export type CollectionPopulationRequestHandler = ({
+  apiPath,
+  endpoint,
+  serverURL,
+}: {
+  apiPath: string
+  endpoint: string
+  serverURL: string
+}) => Promise<Response>
+
 export type LivePreviewArgs = {}
 
 export type LivePreview = void
diff --git a/test/live-preview/int.spec.ts b/test/live-preview/int.spec.ts
index 5fe0109cce..0e93bc2844 100644
--- a/test/live-preview/int.spec.ts
+++ b/test/live-preview/int.spec.ts
@@ -13,9 +13,9 @@ import { fileURLToPath } from 'url'
 
 import type { NextRESTClient } from '../helpers/NextRESTClient.js'
 import type { Media, Page, Post, Tenant } from './payload-types.js'
-import config from './config.js'
 
 import { Pages } from './collections/Pages.js'
+import config from './config.js'
 import { postsSlug, tenantsSlug } from './shared.js'
 
 const filename = fileURLToPath(import.meta.url)
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ let restClient: NextRESTClient
 
 import { initPayloadInt } from '../helpers/initPayloadInt.js'
 
-function collectionPopulationRequestHandler({ endpoint }: { endpoint: string }) {
+function requestHandler({ endpoint }: { endpoint: string }) {
   return restClient.GET(`/${endpoint}`)
 }
 
@@ -170,7 +170,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(mergedData.title).toEqual('Test Page (Changed)')
@@ -198,7 +198,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(mergedData.arrayOfRelationships).toEqual([])
@@ -217,7 +217,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(mergedData2.arrayOfRelationships).toEqual([])
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(mergedData.hero.media).toMatchObject(media)
@@ -262,7 +262,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       },
       initialData: mergedData,
       serverURL,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(mergedDataWithoutUpload.hero.media).toBeFalsy()
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1.richTextSlate).toHaveLength(1)
@@ -317,7 +317,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge2.richTextSlate).toHaveLength(1)
@@ -377,7 +377,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1.richTextLexical.root.children).toHaveLength(2)
@@ -423,7 +423,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge2.richTextLexical.root.children).toHaveLength(1)
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -468,7 +468,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -490,7 +490,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -545,7 +545,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge2._numberOfRequests).toEqual(0)
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       },
       initialData,
       serverURL,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1.tab.relationshipInTab).toMatchObject(testPost)
@@ -608,7 +608,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -665,7 +665,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData: merge1,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge2._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -741,7 +741,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1._numberOfRequests).toEqual(2)
@@ -804,7 +804,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData: merge1,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge2._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -870,7 +870,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1._numberOfRequests).toEqual(2)
@@ -937,7 +937,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData: merge1,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge2._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -991,7 +991,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1._numberOfRequests).toEqual(0)
@@ -1051,7 +1051,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     // Check that the relationship on the first has been removed
@@ -1080,7 +1080,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge1._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -1126,7 +1126,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       externallyUpdatedRelationship,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(merge2._numberOfRequests).toEqual(1)
@@ -1183,7 +1183,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
       locale: 'es',
     })
 
@@ -1332,7 +1332,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     // Check that the blocks have been reordered
@@ -1365,7 +1365,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     // Check that the block has been removed
@@ -1385,7 +1385,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler,
     })
 
     // Check that the block has been removed
@@ -1445,7 +1445,7 @@ describe('Collections - Live Preview', () => {
       initialData,
       serverURL,
       returnNumberOfRequests: true,
-      collectionPopulationRequestHandler: customRequestHandler,
+      requestHandler: customRequestHandler,
     })
 
     expect(mergedData.relationshipPolyHasMany).toMatchObject([