diff --git a/code/lib/channels/package.json b/code/lib/channels/package.json
index 6020059195b0..2c32a9940490 100644
--- a/code/lib/channels/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/channels/package.json
@@ -47,7 +47,6 @@
     "@storybook/client-logger": "workspace:*",
     "@storybook/core-events": "workspace:*",
     "@storybook/global": "^5.0.0",
-    "qs": "^6.10.0",
     "telejson": "^7.2.0",
     "tiny-invariant": "^1.3.1"
   },
diff --git a/code/lib/channels/src/postmessage/index.ts b/code/lib/channels/src/postmessage/index.ts
index 267e8a34f18a..1320a6577b4c 100644
--- a/code/lib/channels/src/postmessage/index.ts
+++ b/code/lib/channels/src/postmessage/index.ts
@@ -5,7 +5,6 @@ import { global } from '@storybook/global';
 import * as EVENTS from '@storybook/core-events';
 import { logger, pretty } from '@storybook/client-logger';
 import { isJSON, parse, stringify } from 'telejson';
-import qs from 'qs';
 import invariant from 'tiny-invariant';
 import type {
   ChannelTransport,
@@ -102,13 +101,13 @@ export class PostMessageTransport implements ChannelTransport {
 
     const frames = this.getFrames(target);
 
-    const query = qs.parse(location?.search || '', { ignoreQueryPrefix: true });
+    const query = new URLSearchParams(location?.search || '');
 
     const data = stringify(
       {
         key: KEY,
         event,
-        refId: query.refId,
+        refId: query.get('refId'),
       },
       stringifyOptions
     );
diff --git a/code/lib/manager-api/package.json b/code/lib/manager-api/package.json
index 6ce5d7c94478..285799d6434e 100644
--- a/code/lib/manager-api/package.json
+++ b/code/lib/manager-api/package.json
@@ -65,7 +65,6 @@
     "@types/qs": "^6",
     "@types/semver": "^7.3.4",
     "flush-promises": "^1.0.2",
-    "qs": "^6.10.0",
     "react": "^18.2.0",
     "react-dom": "^18.2.0",
     "semver": "^7.3.7",
diff --git a/code/lib/manager-api/src/tests/url.test.js b/code/lib/manager-api/src/tests/url.test.js
index 02048e903c37..817cb118ff41 100644
--- a/code/lib/manager-api/src/tests/url.test.js
+++ b/code/lib/manager-api/src/tests/url.test.js
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
 import { describe, beforeEach, it, expect, vi } from 'vitest';
-import qs from 'qs';
 
 import { SET_CURRENT_STORY, GLOBALS_UPDATED, UPDATE_QUERY_PARAMS } from '@storybook/core-events';
 
@@ -15,7 +14,7 @@ describe('initial state', () => {
   describe('config query parameters', () => {
     it('handles full parameter', () => {
       const navigate = vi.fn();
-      const location = { search: qs.stringify({ full: '1' }) };
+      const location = { search: new URLSearchParams({ full: '1' }).toString() };
 
       const {
         state: { layout },
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ describe('initial state', () => {
 
     it('handles nav parameter', () => {
       const navigate = vi.fn();
-      const location = { search: qs.stringify({ nav: '0' }) };
+      const location = { search: new URLSearchParams({ nav: '0' }).toString() };
 
       const {
         state: { layout },
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ describe('initial state', () => {
 
     it('handles shortcuts parameter', () => {
       const navigate = vi.fn();
-      const location = { search: qs.stringify({ shortcuts: '0' }) };
+      const location = { search: new URLSearchParams({ shortcuts: '0' }).toString() };
 
       const {
         state: { ui },
@@ -52,7 +51,7 @@ describe('initial state', () => {
 
     it('handles panel parameter, bottom', () => {
       const navigate = vi.fn();
-      const location = { search: qs.stringify({ panel: 'bottom' }) };
+      const location = { search: new URLSearchParams({ panel: 'bottom' }).toString() };
 
       const {
         state: { layout },
@@ -63,7 +62,7 @@ describe('initial state', () => {
 
     it('handles panel parameter, right', () => {
       const navigate = vi.fn();
-      const location = { search: qs.stringify({ panel: 'right' }) };
+      const location = { search: new URLSearchParams({ panel: 'right' }).toString() };
 
       const {
         state: { layout },
@@ -74,7 +73,7 @@ describe('initial state', () => {
 
     it('handles panel parameter, 0', () => {
       const navigate = vi.fn();
-      const location = { search: qs.stringify({ panel: '0' }) };
+      const location = { search: new URLSearchParams({ panel: '0' }).toString() };
 
       const {
         state: { layout },
diff --git a/code/yarn.lock b/code/yarn.lock
index a34bb7d5f3b7..2162ad549315 100644
--- a/code/yarn.lock
+++ b/code/yarn.lock
@@ -5588,7 +5588,6 @@ __metadata:
     "@storybook/client-logger": "workspace:*"
     "@storybook/core-events": "workspace:*"
     "@storybook/global": "npm:^5.0.0"
-    qs: "npm:^6.10.0"
     telejson: "npm:^7.2.0"
     tiny-invariant: "npm:^1.3.1"
     typescript: "npm:^5.3.2"
@@ -6109,7 +6108,6 @@ __metadata:
     flush-promises: "npm:^1.0.2"
     lodash: "npm:^4.17.21"
     memoizerific: "npm:^1.11.3"
-    qs: "npm:^6.10.0"
     react: "npm:^18.2.0"
     react-dom: "npm:^18.2.0"
     semver: "npm:^7.3.7"