diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/bridge/ReactContext.java b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/bridge/ReactContext.java
index d07d4ae28a2..c9ce7e56e6d 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/bridge/ReactContext.java
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/bridge/ReactContext.java
@@ -65,9 +65,21 @@ public class ReactContext extends ContextWrapper {
     mCatalystInstance = catalystInstance;
 
     ReactQueueConfiguration queueConfig = catalystInstance.getReactQueueConfiguration();
-    mUiMessageQueueThread = queueConfig.getUIQueueThread();
-    mNativeModulesMessageQueueThread = queueConfig.getNativeModulesQueueThread();
-    mJSMessageQueueThread = queueConfig.getJSQueueThread();
+    initializeMessageQueueThreads(queueConfig);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Initialize message queue threads using a ReactQueueConfiguration.
+   * TODO (janzer) T43898341 Make this package instead of public
+   */
+  public void initializeMessageQueueThreads(ReactQueueConfiguration queueConfig) {
+    if (mUiMessageQueueThread == null && mNativeModulesMessageQueueThread == null && mJSMessageQueueThread == null) {
+      mUiMessageQueueThread = queueConfig.getUIQueueThread();
+      mNativeModulesMessageQueueThread = queueConfig.getNativeModulesQueueThread();
+      mJSMessageQueueThread = queueConfig.getJSQueueThread();
+    } else {
+      throw new IllegalStateException("Message queue threads already initialized");
+    }
   }
 
   public void resetPerfStats() {