diff --git a/packages/base/src/3dview/mainview.tsx b/packages/base/src/3dview/mainview.tsx
index c7c2e3ad..983f2732 100644
--- a/packages/base/src/3dview/mainview.tsx
+++ b/packages/base/src/3dview/mainview.tsx
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ export class MainView extends React.Component<IProps, IStates> {
     window.addEventListener('jupytercadObjectSelection', (e: Event) => {
       const customEvent = e as CustomEvent;
 
-      if (customEvent.detail.mainViewModel === this._mainViewModel.id) {
+      if (customEvent.detail.mainViewModelId === this._mainViewModel.id) {
         this.lookAtPosition(customEvent.detail.objPosition);
       }
     });
diff --git a/packages/base/src/panelview/model.ts b/packages/base/src/panelview/model.ts
index ce33753e..e343d2f4 100644
--- a/packages/base/src/panelview/model.ts
+++ b/packages/base/src/panelview/model.ts
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import { ISignal } from '@lumino/signaling';
 import { IJupyterCadTracker, IJupyterCadWidget } from '@jupytercad/schema';
 import { IControlPanelModel } from '../types';
 import { JupyterCadWidget } from '../widget';
+import { MainViewModel } from '../3dview/mainviewmodel';
 
 export class ControlPanelModel implements IControlPanelModel {
   constructor(options: ControlPanelModel.IOptions) {
@@ -27,9 +28,9 @@ export class ControlPanelModel implements IControlPanelModel {
     return this._tracker.currentWidget?.context.model.sharedModel;
   }
 
-  get mainViewModel(): string | undefined {
+  get mainViewModel(): MainViewModel | undefined {
     return (this._tracker.currentWidget as JupyterCadWidget | null)?.content
-      .currentViewModel.id;
+      .currentViewModel;
   }
 
   disconnect(f: any): void {
diff --git a/packages/base/src/panelview/objecttree.tsx b/packages/base/src/panelview/objecttree.tsx
index 3ef0cf20..e5ae215b 100644
--- a/packages/base/src/panelview/objecttree.tsx
+++ b/packages/base/src/panelview/objecttree.tsx
@@ -251,7 +251,7 @@ class ObjectTreeReact extends React.Component<IProps, IStates> {
         detail: {
           objectId,
           objPosition,
-          mainViewModel: this.props.cpModel.mainViewModel
+          mainViewModelId: this.props.cpModel.mainViewModel?.id
         }
       });
       window.dispatchEvent(event);
diff --git a/packages/base/src/types.ts b/packages/base/src/types.ts
index 5e5f5ed7..78dc511b 100644
--- a/packages/base/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/base/src/types.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,7 @@
 import { ISignal } from '@lumino/signaling';
 import { IJupyterCadModel, IJupyterCadDoc, IDict } from '@jupytercad/schema';
 import { IJupyterCadTracker, IJupyterCadWidget } from '@jupytercad/schema';
+import { MainViewModel } from './3dview/mainviewmodel';
 
 export { IDict };
 export type ValueOf<T> = T[keyof T];
@@ -42,5 +43,5 @@ export interface IControlPanelModel {
   filePath: string | undefined;
   jcadModel: IJupyterCadModel | undefined;
   sharedModel: IJupyterCadDoc | undefined;
-  mainViewModel: string | undefined;
+  mainViewModel: MainViewModel | undefined;
 }