diff --git a/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/react/renderer/components/view/YogaLayoutableShadowNode.cpp b/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/react/renderer/components/view/YogaLayoutableShadowNode.cpp
index 8e20136627a6a1..85b8fa8a1039f6 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/react/renderer/components/view/YogaLayoutableShadowNode.cpp
+++ b/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/react/renderer/components/view/YogaLayoutableShadowNode.cpp
@@ -103,10 +103,8 @@ YogaLayoutableShadowNode::YogaLayoutableShadowNode(
     ShadowNodeFragment const &fragment)
     : LayoutableShadowNode(sourceShadowNode, fragment),
       yogaConfig_(FabricDefaultYogaLog),
-      yogaNode_(
-          static_cast<YogaLayoutableShadowNode const &>(sourceShadowNode)
-              .yogaNode_,
-          &initializeYogaConfig(yogaConfig_)) {
+      yogaNode_(static_cast<YogaLayoutableShadowNode const &>(sourceShadowNode)
+                    .yogaNode_) {
   // Note, cloned `YGNode` instance (copied using copy-constructor) inherits
   // dirty flag, measure function, and other properties being set originally in
   // the `YogaLayoutableShadowNode` constructor above.
@@ -124,6 +122,7 @@ YogaLayoutableShadowNode::YogaLayoutableShadowNode(
 
   yogaNode_.setContext(this);
   yogaNode_.setOwner(nullptr);
+  yogaNode_.setConfig(&initializeYogaConfig(yogaConfig_));
   updateYogaChildrenOwnersIfNeeded();
 
   // This is the only legit place where we can dirty cloned Yoga node.
diff --git a/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/yoga/yoga/YGNode.cpp b/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/yoga/yoga/YGNode.cpp
index 0bddb89b6da372..90e13fadceb0d0 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/yoga/yoga/YGNode.cpp
+++ b/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/yoga/yoga/YGNode.cpp
@@ -13,6 +13,27 @@
 using namespace facebook;
 using facebook::yoga::detail::CompactValue;
 
+YGNode::YGNode(const YGConfigRef config) : config_{config} {
+  YGAssert(
+      config != nullptr, "Attempting to construct YGNode with null config");
+
+  flags_.hasNewLayout = true;
+  if (config->useWebDefaults) {
+    useWebDefaults();
+  }
+};
+
+YGNode::YGNode(const YGNode& node, YGConfigRef config) : YGNode{node} {
+  YGAssert(
+      config != nullptr, "Attempting to construct YGNode with null config");
+
+  config_ = config;
+  flags_.hasNewLayout = true;
+  if (config->useWebDefaults) {
+    useWebDefaults();
+  }
+}
+
 YGNode::YGNode(YGNode&& node) {
   context_ = node.context_;
   flags_ = node.flags_;
@@ -32,13 +53,6 @@ YGNode::YGNode(YGNode&& node) {
   }
 }
 
-YGNode::YGNode(const YGNode& node, YGConfigRef config) : YGNode{node} {
-  config_ = config;
-  if (config->useWebDefaults) {
-    useWebDefaults();
-  }
-}
-
 void YGNode::print(void* printContext) {
   if (print_.noContext != nullptr) {
     if (flags_.printUsesContext) {
@@ -260,6 +274,15 @@ void YGNode::insertChild(YGNodeRef child, uint32_t index) {
   children_.insert(children_.begin() + index, child);
 }
 
+void YGNode::setConfig(YGConfigRef config) {
+  YGAssert(config != nullptr, "Attempting to set a null config on a YGNode");
+  YGAssertWithConfig(
+      config,
+      config->useWebDefaults == config_->useWebDefaults,
+      "UseWebDefaults may not be changed after constructing a YGNode");
+  config_ = config;
+}
+
 void YGNode::setDirty(bool isDirty) {
   if (isDirty == flags_.isDirty) {
     return;
@@ -407,7 +430,7 @@ YGValue YGNode::resolveFlexBasisPtr() const {
     return flexBasis;
   }
   if (!style_.flex().isUndefined() && style_.flex().unwrap() > 0.0f) {
-    return flags_.useWebDefaults ? YGValueAuto : YGValueZero;
+    return config_->useWebDefaults ? YGValueAuto : YGValueZero;
   }
   return YGValueAuto;
 }
@@ -483,11 +506,11 @@ float YGNode::resolveFlexShrink() const {
   if (!style_.flexShrink().isUndefined()) {
     return style_.flexShrink().unwrap();
   }
-  if (!flags_.useWebDefaults && !style_.flex().isUndefined() &&
+  if (!config_->useWebDefaults && !style_.flex().isUndefined() &&
       style_.flex().unwrap() < 0.0f) {
     return -style_.flex().unwrap();
   }
-  return flags_.useWebDefaults ? kWebDefaultFlexShrink : kDefaultFlexShrink;
+  return config_->useWebDefaults ? kWebDefaultFlexShrink : kDefaultFlexShrink;
 }
 
 bool YGNode::isNodeFlexible() {
@@ -563,11 +586,5 @@ void YGNode::reset() {
   YGAssertWithNode(
       this, owner_ == nullptr, "Cannot reset a node still attached to a owner");
 
-  clearChildren();
-
-  auto webDefaults = flags_.useWebDefaults;
   *this = YGNode{getConfig()};
-  if (webDefaults) {
-    useWebDefaults();
-  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/yoga/yoga/YGNode.h b/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/yoga/yoga/YGNode.h
index 098c1b5ea22ad1..141223426bc135 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/yoga/yoga/YGNode.h
+++ b/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/yoga/yoga/YGNode.h
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ struct YGNodeFlags {
   bool measureUsesContext : 1;
   bool baselineUsesContext : 1;
   bool printUsesContext : 1;
-  bool useWebDefaults : 1;
 };
 #pragma pack(pop)
 
@@ -72,7 +71,6 @@ struct YOGA_EXPORT YGNode {
   void setBaselineFunc(decltype(baseline_));
 
   void useWebDefaults() {
-    flags_.useWebDefaults = true;
     style_.flexDirection() = YGFlexDirectionRow;
     style_.alignContent() = YGAlignStretch;
   }
@@ -87,14 +85,8 @@ struct YOGA_EXPORT YGNode {
   using CompactValue = facebook::yoga::detail::CompactValue;
 
 public:
-  YGNode() : YGNode{YGConfigGetDefault()} {}
-  explicit YGNode(const YGConfigRef config) : config_{config} {
-    flags_.hasNewLayout = true;
-
-    if (config->useWebDefaults) {
-      useWebDefaults();
-    }
-  };
+  YGNode() : YGNode{YGConfigGetDefault()} { flags_.hasNewLayout = true; }
+  explicit YGNode(const YGConfigRef config);
   ~YGNode() = default; // cleanup of owner/children relationships in YGNodeFree
 
   YGNode(YGNode&&);
@@ -103,8 +95,9 @@ struct YOGA_EXPORT YGNode {
   // Should we remove this?
   YGNode(const YGNode& node) = default;
 
-  // for RB fabric
-  YGNode(const YGNode& node, YGConfigRef config);
+  [[deprecated("Will be removed imminently")]] YGNode(
+      const YGNode& node,
+      YGConfigRef config);
 
   // assignment means potential leaks of existing children, or alternatively
   // freeing unowned memory, double free, or freeing stack memory.
@@ -300,7 +293,7 @@ struct YOGA_EXPORT YGNode {
 
   // TODO: rvalue override for setChildren
 
-  void setConfig(YGConfigRef config) { config_ = config; }
+  void setConfig(YGConfigRef config);
 
   void setDirty(bool isDirty);
   void setLayoutLastOwnerDirection(YGDirection direction);