diff --git a/file_entity.file_api.inc b/file_entity.file_api.inc
index 428192b..f319281 100644
--- a/file_entity.file_api.inc
+++ b/file_entity.file_api.inc
@@ -298,16 +298,21 @@ function file_view_file($file, $displays = 'full', $langcode = NULL) {
     }
   }
 
-  // If a render element was returned by a formatter or the file type's default
-  // view callback, add some defaults to it and return it.
-  if (isset($element)) {
-    $element += array(
+  // As a last resort, fall back to showing a link to the file.
+  if (!isset($element)) {
+    $element = array(
+      '#theme' => 'file_link',
       '#file' => $file,
-      '#view_mode' => $view_mode,
-      '#language' => $langcode,
     );
-    return $element;
   }
+
+  // Add defaults and return the element.
+  $element += array(
+    '#file' => $file,
+    '#view_mode' => $view_mode,
+    '#language' => $langcode,
+  );
+  return $element;
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/file_entity.module b/file_entity.module
index cd35d9a..4090290 100644
--- a/file_entity.module
+++ b/file_entity.module
@@ -214,9 +214,19 @@ function file_entity_entity_info_alter(&$entity_info) {
   $entity_info['file']['fieldable'] = TRUE;
   $entity_info['file']['entity keys']['bundle'] = 'type';
   $entity_info['file']['bundles'] = array();
-  $entity_info['file']['view modes']['full'] = array(
-    'label' => t('Full'),
-    'custom settings' => FALSE,
+  $entity_info['file']['view modes'] += array(
+    'full' => array(
+      'label' => t('Full'),
+      'custom settings' => FALSE,
+    ),
+    'teaser' => array(
+      'label' => t('Teaser'),
+      'custom settings' => FALSE,
+    ),
+    'preview' => array(
+      'label' => t('Preview'),
+      'custom settings' => FALSE,
+    ),
   );
   foreach (file_info_file_types() as $type => $info) {
     $info += array(
diff --git a/file_entity.pages.inc b/file_entity.pages.inc
index 43f9cff..d425940 100644
--- a/file_entity.pages.inc
+++ b/file_entity.pages.inc
@@ -38,10 +38,7 @@ function file_entity_edit($form, $form_state, $file) {
   $form_state['file'] = $file;
   field_attach_form('file', $file, $form, $form_state);
 
-  $form['preview'] = array(
-    '#theme' => 'file_link',
-    '#file' => $file,
-  );
+  $form['preview'] = file_view_file($file, 'preview');
 
   // Add the buttons.
   $form['actions'] = array('#type' => 'actions');