🐛 Bug Report: [RN][Expo 53] TypeError: dispatchEvent parameter 1 is not of type 'Event' when new in-app step arrives. Notification only appears after app restart

[AdzeB]

📜 Description

When an in-app step is delivered to a logged-in subscriber, the app throws:

TypeError: Failed to execute 'dispatchEvent' on 'EventTarget': parameter 1 is not of type 'Event'.

The new in-app notification does not appear in the UI until I force-close and reopen the app.

This happens consistently. When I trigger a workflow test from the Novu Dashboard to my test account, the same error logs three times in a row.

👟 Reproduction steps

• Create a fresh Expo 53 project using React Native 0.79.6.

• Install and set up @novu/react-native ^3.10.1 following the docs (initialize the SDK, authenticate a subscriber, and render the in-app notifications UI/feed).

• In Novu, create a workflow with a single In-App step.

• From the Novu Dashboard, send a test notification to the same subscriber ID used in the app.

• Observe the app console/logs and the UI:

  • The error is printed: "TypeError: Failed to execute 'dispatchEvent' on 'EventTarget': parameter 1 is not of type 'Event'."

  • The new notification does not show up in the in-app list/feed.

• Force-close and reopen the app — the new notification is now visible.

👍 Expected behavior

• No error should be thrown.

• The new in-app notification should appear immediately in the UI without needing to restart the app.

👎 Actual Behavior with Screenshots

• Error thrown when the in-app step arrives:

[TypeError: Failed to execute 'dispatchEvent' on 'EventTarget': parameter 1 is not of type 'Event'.]

• The new notification does not render until the app is closed and reopened.

• Triggering a workflow test from the Dashboard logs this same error three times.

Novu version

Novu SaaS

npm version

NA

node version

22.14.0

📃 Provide any additional context for the Bug.

• Environment:

  • Expo SDK 53

  • React Native 0.79.6

  • @novu/react-native ^3.10.1

• I have not configured push (no google-services.json yet). This issue occurs with the in-app step, so no push is involved.

👀 Have you spent some time to check if this bug has been raised before?

• I checked and didn't find a similar issue

🏢 Have you read the Contributing Guidelines?

• I have read the Contributing Guidelines

Are you willing to submit PR?

None

[linear]

NV-6824