diff --git a/web-app/src/index.tsx b/web-app/src/index.tsx
index 232053d2..0656d0f6 100644
--- a/web-app/src/index.tsx
+++ b/web-app/src/index.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,9 @@
 import * as React from 'react'
 import ReactDOM from 'react-dom'
+
+// mock values for non-extension web use
+import './mock'
+
 import App from './App'
 
 // init error logging
diff --git a/web-app/src/mock/index.ts b/web-app/src/mock/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..04fc0a67
--- /dev/null
+++ b/web-app/src/mock/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,9 @@
+// @ts-ignore
+if (!global.acquireVsCodeApi) {
+  // @ts-ignore
+  global.acquireVsCodeApi = () => ({
+    postMessage(event: string) {
+      console.log('postMessage', event)
+    },
+  })
+}