diff --git a/packages/react-native-renderer/src/ReactFabricEventEmitter.js b/packages/react-native-renderer/src/ReactFabricEventEmitter.js
index 52d5136c0c..8fab4bfab6 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-renderer/src/ReactFabricEventEmitter.js
+++ b/packages/react-native-renderer/src/ReactFabricEventEmitter.js
@@ -43,11 +43,9 @@ export function dispatchEvent(
     );
   }
 
-  let eventTarget;
+  let eventTarget = null;
   if (enableNativeTargetAsInstance) {
-    if (targetFiber == null) {
-      eventTarget = null;
-    } else {
+    if (targetFiber != null) {
       eventTarget = targetFiber.stateNode.canonical;
     }
   } else {
diff --git a/packages/react-native-renderer/src/ReactNativeEventEmitter.js b/packages/react-native-renderer/src/ReactNativeEventEmitter.js
index 3bb9fee82c..7c2c6b9430 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-renderer/src/ReactNativeEventEmitter.js
+++ b/packages/react-native-renderer/src/ReactNativeEventEmitter.js
@@ -100,11 +100,9 @@ function _receiveRootNodeIDEvent(
   const nativeEvent = nativeEventParam || EMPTY_NATIVE_EVENT;
   const inst = getInstanceFromNode(rootNodeID);
 
-  let target;
+  let target = null;
   if (enableNativeTargetAsInstance) {
-    if (inst == null) {
-      target = null;
-    } else {
+    if (inst != null) {
       target = inst.stateNode;
     }
   } else {