diff --git a/includes/Hooks/HookUtils.php b/includes/Hooks/HookUtils.php
index c4379b603..fbfb8a701 100644
--- a/includes/Hooks/HookUtils.php
+++ b/includes/Hooks/HookUtils.php
@@ -483,19 +483,18 @@ class HookUtils {
 	public static function shouldOpenNewTopicTool( IContextSource $context ): bool {
 		$req = $context->getRequest();
 		$out = $context->getOutput();
+		$hasPreload = $req->getCheck( 'editintro' ) || $req->getCheck( 'preload' ) ||
+			$req->getCheck( 'preloadparams' ) || $req->getCheck( 'preloadtitle' ) ||
+			// Switching or previewing from an external tool (T316333)
+			$req->getCheck( 'wpTextbox1' );
 
 		return (
 			// ?title=...&action=edit&section=new
 			// ?title=...&veaction=editsource&section=new
 			( $req->getRawVal( 'action' ) === 'edit' || $req->getRawVal( 'veaction' ) === 'editsource' ) &&
 			$req->getRawVal( 'section' ) === 'new' &&
-			// Adding a new topic with preloaded text is not supported yet (T269310)
-			!(
-				$req->getCheck( 'editintro' ) || $req->getCheck( 'preload' ) ||
-				$req->getCheck( 'preloadparams' ) || $req->getCheck( 'preloadtitle' ) ||
-				// Switching or previewing from an external tool (T316333)
-				$req->getCheck( 'wpTextbox1' )
-			) &&
+			// Handle new topic with preloaded text only when requested (T269310)
+			( $req->getCheck( 'dtpreload' ) || !$hasPreload ) &&
 			// User has new topic tool enabled (and not using &dtenable=0)
 			static::isFeatureEnabledForOutput( $out, static::NEWTOPICTOOL )
 		);
diff --git a/modules/CommentDetails.js b/modules/CommentDetails.js
index 7f4e520c4..26ec138b6 100644
--- a/modules/CommentDetails.js
+++ b/modules/CommentDetails.js
@@ -7,11 +7,15 @@
  * @param {number} oldId Revision ID of page at time of editing
  * @param {Object.<string,string>} notices Edit notices for the page where the reply is being saved.
  *     Keys are message names; values are HTML to display.
+ * @param {string} preloadContent Preload content, may be wikitext or HTML depending on `preloadContentMode`
+ * @param {string} preloadContentMode 'source' or 'visual'
  */
-function CommentDetails( pageName, oldId, notices ) {
+function CommentDetails( pageName, oldId, notices, preloadContent, preloadContentMode ) {
 	this.pageName = pageName;
 	this.oldId = oldId;
 	this.notices = notices;
+	this.preloadContent = preloadContent;
+	this.preloadContentMode = preloadContentMode;
 }
 
 OO.initClass( CommentDetails );
diff --git a/modules/NewTopicController.js b/modules/NewTopicController.js
index 08fe525b2..ad127d8c6 100644
--- a/modules/NewTopicController.js
+++ b/modules/NewTopicController.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 var
-	utils = require( './utils.js' ),
 	logger = require( './logger.js' ),
 	controller = require( './controller.js' ),
 	CommentController = require( './CommentController.js' ),
@@ -9,9 +8,10 @@ var
  * Handles setup, save and teardown of new topic widget
  *
  * @param {jQuery} $pageContainer Page container
+ * @param {HeadingItem} threadItem
  * @param {ThreadItemSet} threadItemSet
  */
-function NewTopicController( $pageContainer, threadItemSet ) {
+function NewTopicController( $pageContainer, threadItem, threadItemSet ) {
 	this.container = new OO.ui.PanelLayout( {
 		classes: [ 'ext-discussiontools-ui-newTopic' ],
 		expanded: false,
@@ -36,14 +36,10 @@ function NewTopicController( $pageContainer, threadItemSet ) {
 	this.container.$element.append( this.$notices, this.sectionTitleField.$element );
 
 	// HeadingItem representing the heading being added, so that we can pretend we're replying to it
-	var threadItem = new HeadingItem( {
-		startContainer: this.sectionTitleField.$element[ 0 ],
-		startOffset: 0,
-		endContainer: this.sectionTitleField.$element[ 0 ],
-		endOffset: this.sectionTitleField.$element[ 0 ].childNodes.length
-	}, 2 );
-	threadItem.id = utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID;
-	threadItem.isNewTopic = true;
+	threadItem.range.startContainer = this.sectionTitleField.$element[ 0 ];
+	threadItem.range.startOffset = 0;
+	threadItem.range.endContainer = this.sectionTitleField.$element[ 0 ];
+	threadItem.range.endOffset = this.sectionTitleField.$element[ 0 ].childNodes.length;
 
 	NewTopicController.super.call( this, $pageContainer, threadItem, threadItemSet );
 }
@@ -90,6 +86,10 @@ NewTopicController.prototype.setup = function ( mode ) {
 
 	NewTopicController.super.prototype.setup.call( this, mode );
 
+	if ( this.threadItem.preloadtitle ) {
+		this.sectionTitle.setValue( this.threadItem.preloadtitle );
+	}
+
 	// The section title field is added to the page immediately, we can scroll to the bottom and focus
 	// it while the content field is still loading.
 	rootScrollable.scrollTop = rootScrollable.scrollHeight;
@@ -115,7 +115,16 @@ NewTopicController.prototype.setup = function ( mode ) {
 /**
  * @inheritdoc
  */
-NewTopicController.prototype.setupReplyWidget = function ( replyWidget ) {
+NewTopicController.prototype.setupReplyWidget = function ( replyWidget, data ) {
+	if ( replyWidget.commentDetails.preloadContent && ( !data || data.value === undefined ) ) {
+		if ( replyWidget.commentDetails.preloadContentMode !== replyWidget.getMode() ) {
+			// This should never happen
+			throw new Error( 'Preload content was loaded for wrong mode' );
+		}
+		data = $.extend( {}, data, {
+			value: replyWidget.commentDetails.preloadContent
+		} );
+	}
 	NewTopicController.super.prototype.setupReplyWidget.apply( this, arguments );
 
 	this.$notices.empty();
@@ -144,6 +153,7 @@ NewTopicController.prototype.setupReplyWidget = function ( replyWidget ) {
 			this.replyWidget.editSummaryInput.setValue( generatedSummary );
 		}
 	}
+	this.replyWidget.storage.set( this.replyWidget.storagePrefix + '/title', this.sectionTitle.getValue() );
 
 	if ( this.replyWidget.modeTabSelect ) {
 		// Start with the mode-select widget not-tabbable so focus will go from the title to the body
@@ -270,6 +280,11 @@ NewTopicController.prototype.teardown = function ( abandoned ) {
 		url.searchParams.delete( 'action' );
 		url.searchParams.delete( 'veaction' );
 		url.searchParams.delete( 'section' );
+		url.searchParams.delete( 'dtpreload' );
+		url.searchParams.delete( 'editintro' );
+		url.searchParams.delete( 'preload' );
+		url.searchParams.delete( 'preloadparams[]' );
+		url.searchParams.delete( 'preloadtitle' );
 		history.replaceState( null, '', url );
 		mw.config.set( 'wgDiscussionToolsStartNewTopicTool', false );
 	}
diff --git a/modules/ReplyLinksController.js b/modules/ReplyLinksController.js
index 34f548767..ad383832e 100644
--- a/modules/ReplyLinksController.js
+++ b/modules/ReplyLinksController.js
@@ -56,6 +56,8 @@ OO.mixinClass( ReplyLinksController, OO.EventEmitter );
  * @event link-click
  * @param {string} id
  * @param {jQuery} $linkSet
+ * @param {jQuery} $link
+ * @param {Object} [data]
  */
 
 /* Methods */
@@ -104,11 +106,32 @@ ReplyLinksController.prototype.onAnyLinkClick = function ( e ) {
 	if ( !href ) {
 		return;
 	}
+
+	var data = this.parseNewTopicLink( href );
+	if ( !data ) {
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if ( !this.isActivationEvent( e ) ) {
+		return;
+	}
+	e.preventDefault();
+
+	this.emit( 'link-click', utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID, $( e.currentTarget ), data );
+};
+
+/**
+ * Check if the given URL is a new topic link, and if so, return parsed parameters.
+ *
+ * @param {string} href
+ * @return {Object|null} `null` if not a new topic link, parameters otherwise
+ */
+ReplyLinksController.prototype.parseNewTopicLink = function ( href ) {
 	var url = new URL( href );
 
 	var title = mw.Title.newFromText( utils.getTitleFromUrl( href ) || '' );
 	if ( !title ) {
-		return;
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	// Recognize links to add a new topic:
@@ -121,7 +144,7 @@ ReplyLinksController.prototype.onAnyLinkClick = function ( e ) {
 		var param = title.getMainText().slice( parserData.specialNewSectionName.length + 1 );
 		title = mw.Title.newFromText( param );
 		if ( !title ) {
-			return;
+			return null;
 		}
 
 	} else if (
@@ -135,28 +158,34 @@ ReplyLinksController.prototype.onAnyLinkClick = function ( e ) {
 
 	} else {
 		// Not a link to add a new topic
-		return;
+		return null;
 	}
 
 	if ( title.getPrefixedDb() !== mw.config.get( 'wgRelevantPageName' ) ) {
 		// Link to add a section on another page, not supported yet (T282205)
-		return;
+		return null;
 	}
 
-	if (
-		url.searchParams.get( 'editintro' ) || url.searchParams.get( 'preload' ) ||
-		url.searchParams.getAll( 'preloadparams[]' ).length || url.searchParams.get( 'preloadtitle' )
-	) {
-		// Adding a new topic with preloaded text is not supported yet (T269310)
-		return;
+	var data = {};
+	if ( url.searchParams.get( 'editintro' ) ) {
+		data.editintro = url.searchParams.get( 'editintro' );
+	}
+	if ( url.searchParams.get( 'preload' ) ) {
+		data.preload = url.searchParams.get( 'preload' );
+	}
+	if ( url.searchParams.getAll( 'preloadparams[]' ).length ) {
+		data.preloadparams = url.searchParams.getAll( 'preloadparams[]' );
+	}
+	if ( url.searchParams.get( 'preloadtitle' ) ) {
+		data.preloadtitle = url.searchParams.get( 'preloadtitle' );
 	}
 
-	if ( !this.isActivationEvent( e ) ) {
-		return;
+	// Handle new topic with preloaded text only when requested (T269310)
+	if ( !url.searchParams.get( 'dtpreload' ) && !$.isEmptyObject( data ) ) {
+		return null;
 	}
-	e.preventDefault();
 
-	this.emit( 'link-click', utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID, $( e.currentTarget ) );
+	return data;
 };
 
 ReplyLinksController.prototype.isActivationEvent = function ( e ) {
diff --git a/modules/controller.js b/modules/controller.js
index 2ef047792..561c028d4 100644
--- a/modules/controller.js
+++ b/modules/controller.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ var
 	Parser = require( './Parser.js' ),
 	ThreadItemSet = require( './ThreadItemSet.js' ),
 	CommentDetails = require( './CommentDetails.js' ),
+	HeadingItem = require( './HeadingItem.js' ),
 	ReplyLinksController = require( './ReplyLinksController.js' ),
 	logger = require( './logger.js' ),
 	utils = require( './utils.js' ),
@@ -43,13 +44,15 @@ function getApi() {
  *
  * @param {string} pageName Page title
  * @param {number} oldId Revision ID
+ * @param {Object} [apiParams] Additional parameters for the API
  * @return {jQuery.Promise}
  */
-function getPageData( pageName, oldId ) {
+function getPageData( pageName, oldId, apiParams ) {
 	var api = getApi();
+	apiParams = apiParams || {};
 
 	pageDataCache[ pageName ] = pageDataCache[ pageName ] || {};
-	if ( pageDataCache[ pageName ][ oldId ] ) {
+	if ( pageDataCache[ pageName ][ oldId ] && $.isEmptyObject( apiParams ) ) {
 		return pageDataCache[ pageName ][ oldId ];
 	}
 
@@ -77,15 +80,15 @@ function getPageData( pageName, oldId ) {
 		transcludedFromPromise = $.Deferred().resolve( {} ).promise();
 	}
 
-	var veMetadataPromise = api.get( {
+	var veMetadataPromise = api.get( $.extend( {
 		action: 'visualeditor',
 		paction: 'metadata',
 		page: pageName
-	} ).then( function ( response ) {
+	}, apiParams ) ).then( function ( response ) {
 		return OO.getProp( response, 'visualeditor' ) || [];
 	} );
 
-	pageDataCache[ pageName ][ oldId ] = $.when( lintPromise, transcludedFromPromise, veMetadataPromise )
+	var promise = $.when( lintPromise, transcludedFromPromise, veMetadataPromise )
 		.then( function ( linterrors, transcludedfrom, metadata ) {
 			return {
 				linterrors: linterrors,
@@ -98,7 +101,12 @@ function getPageData( pageName, oldId ) {
 			// Let caller handle the error
 			return $.Deferred().rejectWith( this, arguments );
 		} );
-	return pageDataCache[ pageName ][ oldId ];
+
+	if ( $.isEmptyObject( apiParams ) ) {
+		pageDataCache[ pageName ][ oldId ] = promise;
+	}
+
+	return promise;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -112,8 +120,19 @@ function getPageData( pageName, oldId ) {
  */
 function checkThreadItemOnPage( pageName, oldId, threadItem ) {
 	var isNewTopic = threadItem.id === utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID;
+	var defaultMode = mw.user.options.get( 'discussiontools-editmode' ) || mw.config.get( 'wgDiscussionToolsFallbackEditMode' );
+	var apiParams = null;
+	if ( isNewTopic ) {
+		apiParams = {
+			section: 'new',
+			editintro: threadItem.editintro,
+			preload: threadItem.preload,
+			preloadparams: threadItem.preloadparams,
+			paction: defaultMode === 'source' ? 'wikitext' : 'parse'
+		};
+	}
 
-	return getPageData( pageName, oldId )
+	return getPageData( pageName, oldId, apiParams )
 		.then( function ( response ) {
 			var metadata = response.metadata,
 				lintErrors = response.linterrors,
@@ -192,7 +211,7 @@ function checkThreadItemOnPage( pageName, oldId, threadItem ) {
 				} ] } ).promise();
 			}
 
-			return new CommentDetails( pageName, oldId, metadata.notices );
+			return new CommentDetails( pageName, oldId, metadata.notices, metadata.content, defaultMode );
 		} );
 }
 
@@ -286,26 +305,26 @@ function init( $container, state ) {
 	/**
 	 * Setup comment controllers for each comment, and the new topic controller
 	 *
-	 * @param {string} commentId Comment ID, or NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID constant
+	 * @param {ThreadItem} comment
 	 * @param {jQuery} $link Add section link for new topic controller
 	 * @param {string} [mode] Optionally force a mode, 'visual' or 'source'
 	 * @param {boolean} [hideErrors] Suppress errors, e.g. when restoring auto-save
 	 * @param {boolean} [suppressNotifications] Don't notify the user if recovering auto-save
 	 */
-	function setupController( commentId, $link, mode, hideErrors, suppressNotifications ) {
+	function setupController( comment, $link, mode, hideErrors, suppressNotifications ) {
 		var commentController, $addSectionLink;
 
-		if ( commentId === utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID ) {
+		if ( comment.id === utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID ) {
 			// eslint-disable-next-line no-jquery/no-global-selector
 			$addSectionLink = $( '#ca-addsection' ).find( 'a' );
 			// When opening new topic tool using any link, always activate the link in page tabs too
 			$link = $link.add( $addSectionLink );
-			commentController = new NewTopicController( $pageContainer, pageThreads );
+			commentController = new NewTopicController( $pageContainer, comment, pageThreads );
 		} else {
-			commentController = new CommentController( $pageContainer, pageThreads.findCommentById( commentId ), pageThreads );
+			commentController = new CommentController( $pageContainer, comment, pageThreads );
 		}
 
-		activeCommentId = commentId;
+		activeCommentId = comment.id;
 		activeController = commentController;
 		linksController.setActiveLink( $link );
 
@@ -345,11 +364,19 @@ function init( $container, state ) {
 		}
 	}
 
+	function newTopicComment( data ) {
+		var comment = new HeadingItem( {}, 2 );
+		comment.id = utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID;
+		comment.isNewTopic = true;
+		$.extend( comment, data );
+		return comment;
+	}
+
 	// Hook up each link to open a reply widget
 	//
 	// TODO: Allow users to use multiple reply widgets simultaneously.
 	// Currently submitting a reply from one widget would also destroy the other ones.
-	linksController.on( 'link-click', function ( commentId, $link ) {
+	linksController.on( 'link-click', function ( commentId, $link, data ) {
 		// If the reply widget is already open, activate it.
 		// Reply links are also made unclickable using 'pointer-events' in CSS, but that doesn't happen
 		// for new section links, because we don't have a good way of visually disabling them.
@@ -372,7 +399,13 @@ function init( $container, state ) {
 			if ( activeController ) {
 				return;
 			}
-			setupController( commentId, $link );
+			var comment;
+			if ( commentId !== utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID ) {
+				comment = parser.findCommentById( comment.id );
+			} else {
+				comment = newTopicComment( data );
+			}
+			setupController( comment, $link );
 		} );
 	} );
 
@@ -389,7 +422,7 @@ function init( $container, state ) {
 			if ( storage.get( 'reply/' + comment.id + '/saveable' ) ) {
 				mode = storage.get( 'reply/' + comment.id + '/mode' );
 				$link = $( commentNodes[ i ] );
-				setupController( comment.id, $link, mode, true, !state.firstLoad );
+				setupController( comment, $link, mode, true, !state.firstLoad );
 				break;
 			}
 		}
@@ -398,9 +431,10 @@ function init( $container, state ) {
 			storage.get( 'reply/' + utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID + '/title' )
 		) {
 			mode = storage.get( 'reply/' + utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID + '/mode' );
-			setupController( utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID, $( [] ), mode, true, !state.firstLoad );
+			setupController( newTopicComment(), $( [] ), mode, true, !state.firstLoad );
 		} else if ( mw.config.get( 'wgDiscussionToolsStartNewTopicTool' ) ) {
-			setupController( utils.NEW_TOPIC_COMMENT_ID, $( [] ) );
+			var data = linksController.parseNewTopicLink( location.href );
+			setupController( newTopicComment( data ), $( [] ) );
 		}
 	}() );