diff --git a/Libraries/Lists/VirtualizedList.js b/Libraries/Lists/VirtualizedList.js
index 5bfe5427297485..72686db4e322c1 100644
--- a/Libraries/Lists/VirtualizedList.js
+++ b/Libraries/Lists/VirtualizedList.js
@@ -885,17 +885,19 @@ class VirtualizedList extends React.PureComponent<Props, State> {
         <ListEmptyComponent />
       )): any);
       cells.push(
-        <View key="$empty" style={inversionStyle}>
-          {React.cloneElement(element, {
-            onLayout: event => {
-              this._onLayoutEmpty(event);
-              if (element.props.onLayout) {
-                element.props.onLayout(event);
-              }
-            },
-            style: element.props.style,
-          })}
-        </View>,
+        React.cloneElement(element, {
+          key: '$empty',
+          onLayout: event => {
+            this._onLayoutEmpty(event);
+            if (element.props.onLayout) {
+              element.props.onLayout(event);
+            }
+          },
+          style: StyleSheet.compose(
+            inversionStyle,
+            element.props.style,
+          ),
+        }),
       );
     }
     if (ListFooterComponent) {
diff --git a/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap b/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap
index 32ec715a10ba71..2ae233201f72ba 100644
--- a/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap
+++ b/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap
@@ -668,11 +668,7 @@ exports[`VirtualizedList renders empty list with empty component 1`] = `
     >
       <header />
     </View>
-    <View
-      style={null}
-    >
-      <empty />
-    </View>
+    <empty />
     <View
       onLayout={[Function]}
     >