A model on the preionization requirements for initiating a volume‐stabilized glow discharge is proposed. The basic requirement of the model is that the preionized electron density be large enough to cause appreciable spatial overlap of the primary avalanches and consequent smoothing of space‐charge field gradients at the stage when streamer formation would otherwise occur. A minimum required preionization electron density of ∼ 104cm−3is predicted for a typical CO2TEA laser discharge and is consistent with experimental observations.