diff --git a/src/hooks/__tests__/useRiveProperty.test.ts b/src/hooks/__tests__/useRiveProperty.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..13459a8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/hooks/__tests__/useRiveProperty.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+import { renderHook, act } from '@testing-library/react-native';
+import { useRiveProperty } from '../useRiveProperty';
+import type { ViewModelInstance } from '../../specs/ViewModel.nitro';
+
+describe('useRiveProperty', () => {
+  const createMockProperty = (initialValue: string) => {
+    let currentValue = initialValue;
+    let listener: ((value: string) => void) | null = null;
+
+    return {
+      get value() {
+        return currentValue;
+      },
+      set value(newValue: string) {
+        currentValue = newValue;
+        listener?.(newValue);
+      },
+      addListener: jest.fn((callback: (value: string) => void) => {
+        listener = callback;
+        return () => {
+          listener = null;
+        };
+      }),
+      dispose: jest.fn(),
+    };
+  };
+
+  const createMockViewModelInstance = (
+    propertyMap: Record<string, ReturnType<typeof createMockProperty>>
+  ) => {
+    return {
+      enumProperty: jest.fn((path: string) => propertyMap[path]),
+      numberProperty: jest.fn((path: string) => propertyMap[path]),
+      stringProperty: jest.fn((path: string) => propertyMap[path]),
+      booleanProperty: jest.fn((path: string) => propertyMap[path]),
+    } as unknown as ViewModelInstance;
+  };
+
+  it('should return initial value from property on first render', () => {
+    const mockProperty = createMockProperty('Tea');
+    const mockInstance = createMockViewModelInstance({
+      'favDrink/type': mockProperty,
+    });
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useRiveProperty<any, string>(mockInstance, 'favDrink/type', {
+        getProperty: (vmi, path) => (vmi as any).enumProperty(path),
+      })
+    );
+
+    const [value] = result.current;
+    expect(value).toBe('Tea');
+  });
+
+  it('should update value when property changes', () => {
+    const mockProperty = createMockProperty('Tea');
+    const mockInstance = createMockViewModelInstance({
+      'favDrink/type': mockProperty,
+    });
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useRiveProperty<any, string>(mockInstance, 'favDrink/type', {
+        getProperty: (vmi, path) => (vmi as any).enumProperty(path),
+      })
+    );
+
+    act(() => {
+      mockProperty.value = 'Coffee';
+    });
+
+    const [value] = result.current;
+    expect(value).toBe('Coffee');
+  });
+
+  it('should return undefined when viewModelInstance is null', () => {
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useRiveProperty<any, string>(null, 'favDrink/type', {
+        getProperty: (vmi, path) => (vmi as any).enumProperty(path),
+      })
+    );
+
+    const [value] = result.current;
+    expect(value).toBeUndefined();
+  });
+
+  it('should return error when property is not found', () => {
+    const mockInstance = createMockViewModelInstance({});
+
+    const { result } = renderHook(() =>
+      useRiveProperty<any, string>(mockInstance, 'nonexistent/path', {
+        getProperty: (vmi, path) => (vmi as any).enumProperty(path),
+      })
+    );
+
+    const [, , error] = result.current;
+    expect(error).toBeInstanceOf(Error);
+    expect(error?.message).toContain('nonexistent/path');
+  });
+
+  it('should update value when path changes', () => {
+    const teaProperty = createMockProperty('Tea');
+    const coffeeProperty = createMockProperty('Coffee');
+    const mockInstance = createMockViewModelInstance({
+      'drinks/tea': teaProperty,
+      'drinks/coffee': coffeeProperty,
+    });
+
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(
+      (props: { path: string }) =>
+        useRiveProperty<any, string>(mockInstance, props.path, {
+          getProperty: (vmi, p) => (vmi as any).enumProperty(p),
+        }),
+      { initialProps: { path: 'drinks/tea' } }
+    );
+
+    expect(result.current[0]).toBe('Tea');
+
+    rerender({ path: 'drinks/coffee' });
+
+    expect(result.current[0]).toBe('Coffee');
+  });
+
+  it('should update value when viewModelInstance changes', () => {
+    const instance1Property = createMockProperty('Instance1Value');
+    const instance2Property = createMockProperty('Instance2Value');
+    const mockInstance1 = createMockViewModelInstance({
+      'prop/path': instance1Property,
+    });
+    const mockInstance2 = createMockViewModelInstance({
+      'prop/path': instance2Property,
+    });
+
+    const { result, rerender } = renderHook(
+      (props: { instance: ViewModelInstance }) =>
+        useRiveProperty<any, string>(props.instance, 'prop/path', {
+          getProperty: (vmi, p) => (vmi as any).enumProperty(p),
+        }),
+      { initialProps: { instance: mockInstance1 } }
+    );
+
+    expect(result.current[0]).toBe('Instance1Value');
+
+    rerender({ instance: mockInstance2 });
+
+    expect(result.current[0]).toBe('Instance2Value');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/hooks/useRiveProperty.ts b/src/hooks/useRiveProperty.ts
index c74c002c..a49bdfe9 100644
--- a/src/hooks/useRiveProperty.ts
+++ b/src/hooks/useRiveProperty.ts
@@ -34,15 +34,7 @@ export function useRiveProperty<P extends ViewModelProperty, T>(
   Error | null,
   P | undefined,
 ] {
-  const [value, setValue] = useState<T | undefined>(undefined);
-  const [error, setError] = useState<Error | null>(null);
-
-  // Clear error when path or instance changes
-  useEffect(() => {
-    setError(null);
-  }, [path, viewModelInstance]);
-
-  // Get the property
+  // Get the property first so we can read its initial value
   const property = useMemo(() => {
     if (!viewModelInstance) return;
     return options.getProperty(
@@ -51,6 +43,22 @@ export function useRiveProperty<P extends ViewModelProperty, T>(
     ) as unknown as ObservableViewModelProperty<T>;
   }, [options, viewModelInstance, path]);
 
+  // Initialize state with property's current value (if available)
+  const [value, setValue] = useState<T | undefined>(() => property?.value);
+  const [error, setError] = useState<Error | null>(null);
+
+  // Sync value when property reference changes (path or instance changed)
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (property) {
+      setValue(property.value);
+    }
+  }, [property]);
+
+  // Clear error when path or instance changes
+  useEffect(() => {
+    setError(null);
+  }, [path, viewModelInstance]);
+
   // Set error if property is not found
   useEffect(() => {
     if (viewModelInstance && !property) {