diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/uimanager/UIImplementation.java b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/uimanager/UIImplementation.java
index c1adee2e6..2baee93ce 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/uimanager/UIImplementation.java
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/uimanager/UIImplementation.java
@@ -776,8 +776,14 @@ public class UIImplementation {
   }
 
   public void setJSResponder(int reactTag, boolean blockNativeResponder) {
-    assertViewExists(reactTag, "setJSResponder");
     ReactShadowNode node = mShadowNodeRegistry.getNode(reactTag);
+
+    if (node == null) {
+      //TODO: this should only happen when using Fabric renderer. This is a temporary approach
+      //and it will be refactored when fabric supports JS Responder.
+      return;
+    }
+
     while (node.isVirtual() || node.isLayoutOnly()) {
       node = node.getParent();
     }
diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/uimanager/UIManagerModule.java b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/uimanager/UIManagerModule.java
index ed98ab9a0..7c03ec96b 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/uimanager/UIManagerModule.java
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/uimanager/UIManagerModule.java
@@ -586,14 +586,7 @@ public class UIManagerModule extends ReactContextBaseJavaModule implements
   @Override
   @ReactMethod
   public void setJSResponder(int reactTag, boolean blockNativeResponder) {
-    //TODO: this is a temporary approach to support ViewManagerCommands in Fabric until
-    // the dispatchViewManagerCommand() method is supported by Fabric JS API.
-    int uiManagerType = ViewUtil.getUIManagerType(reactTag);
-    if (uiManagerType != DEFAULT) {
-      UIManagerHelper.getUIManager(getReactApplicationContext(), uiManagerType).setJSResponder(reactTag, blockNativeResponder);
-    } else {
-      mUIImplementation.setJSResponder(reactTag, blockNativeResponder);
-    }
+    mUIImplementation.setJSResponder(reactTag, blockNativeResponder);
   }
 
   @Override