diff --git a/ios/RNSScreen.mm b/ios/RNSScreen.mm
index 6d069499f..9b7d1d668 100644
--- a/ios/RNSScreen.mm
+++ b/ios/RNSScreen.mm
@@ -304,15 +304,25 @@ - (void)setActivityStateOrNil:(NSNumber *)activityStateOrNil
 {
   int activityState = [activityStateOrNil intValue];
   if (activityStateOrNil != nil && activityState != -1 && activityState != _activityState) {
-    if ([_controller.navigationController isKindOfClass:RNSNavigationController.class] &&
-        _activityState < activityState) {
-      RCTLogError(@"[RNScreens] activityState can only progress in NativeStack");
-    }
+    [self maybeAssertActivityStateProgressionOldValue:_activityState newValue:activityState];
     _activityState = activityState;
     [_reactSuperview markChildUpdated];
   }
 }
 
+- (void)maybeAssertActivityStateProgressionOldValue:(int)oldValue newValue:(int)newValue
+{
+  if (self.isNativeStackScreen && newValue < oldValue) {
+    RCTLogError(@"[RNScreens] activityState can only progress in NativeStack");
+  }
+}
+
+/// Note that this method works only after the screen is actually mounted under a screen stack view.
+- (BOOL)isNativeStackScreen
+{
+  return [_reactSuperview isKindOfClass:RNSScreenStackView.class];
+}
+
 #if !TARGET_OS_TV && !TARGET_OS_VISION
 - (void)setStatusBarStyle:(RNSStatusBarStyle)statusBarStyle
 {
diff --git a/ios/RNSScreenStack.mm b/ios/RNSScreenStack.mm
index dacdc5f35..ed089be8d 100644
--- a/ios/RNSScreenStack.mm
+++ b/ios/RNSScreenStack.mm
@@ -953,7 +953,7 @@ - (void)navigationController:(UINavigationController *)navigationController
 
 - (void)markChildUpdated
 {
-  // do nothing
+  // In native stack this should be called only for `preload` purposes.
   [self updateContainer];
 }