diff --git a/packages/react-native/Libraries/Components/TextInput/TextInput.js b/packages/react-native/Libraries/Components/TextInput/TextInput.js
index ab3d401bcc3854..e4acb94268e488 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/Libraries/Components/TextInput/TextInput.js
+++ b/packages/react-native/Libraries/Components/TextInput/TextInput.js
@@ -1099,12 +1099,14 @@ function InternalTextInput(props: Props): React.Node {
         };
 
   const [mostRecentEventCount, setMostRecentEventCount] = useState<number>(0);
-
   const [lastNativeText, setLastNativeText] = useState<?Stringish>(props.value);
   const [lastNativeSelectionState, setLastNativeSelection] = useState<{|
-    selection: ?Selection,
+    selection: Selection,
     mostRecentEventCount: number,
-  |}>({selection, mostRecentEventCount});
+  |}>({
+    selection: {start: -1, end: -1},
+    mostRecentEventCount: mostRecentEventCount,
+  });
 
   const lastNativeSelection = lastNativeSelectionState.selection;