diff --git a/React/Views/RCTModalHostView.m b/React/Views/RCTModalHostView.m
index 75e50105c..b5908d0ab 100644
--- a/React/Views/RCTModalHostView.m
+++ b/React/Views/RCTModalHostView.m
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
   BOOL _isPresented;
   RCTModalHostViewController *_modalViewController;
   RCTTouchHandler *_touchHandler;
+  UIView *_reactSubview;
 }
 
 RCT_NOT_IMPLEMENTED(- (instancetype)initWithFrame:(CGRect)frame)
@@ -32,6 +33,9 @@ RCT_NOT_IMPLEMENTED(- (instancetype)initWithCoder:coder)
   if ((self = [super initWithFrame:CGRectZero])) {
     _bridge = bridge;
     _modalViewController = [RCTModalHostViewController new];
+    UIView *containerView = [UIView new];
+    containerView.autoresizingMask =  UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleHeight | UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleWidth;
+    _modalViewController.view = containerView;
     _touchHandler = [[RCTTouchHandler alloc] initWithBridge:bridge];
     _isPresented = NO;
 
@@ -46,30 +50,33 @@ RCT_NOT_IMPLEMENTED(- (instancetype)initWithCoder:coder)
 
 - (void)notifyForBoundsChange:(CGRect)newBounds
 {
-  if (_modalViewController.view && _isPresented) {
-    [_bridge.uiManager setFrame:newBounds forView:_modalViewController.view];
+  if (_reactSubview && _isPresented) {
+    [_bridge.uiManager setFrame:newBounds forView:_reactSubview];
   }
 }
 
 - (NSArray<UIView *> *)reactSubviews
 {
-  return _modalViewController.view ? @[_modalViewController.view] : @[];
+  return _reactSubview ? @[_reactSubview] : @[];
 }
 
 - (void)insertReactSubview:(UIView *)subview atIndex:(__unused NSInteger)atIndex
 {
-  RCTAssert([_modalViewController.view reactTag] == nil, @"Modal view can only have one subview");
+  RCTAssert(_reactSubview == nil, @"Modal view can only have one subview");
   [subview addGestureRecognizer:_touchHandler];
   subview.autoresizingMask = UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleHeight |
                              UIViewAutoresizingFlexibleWidth;
-  _modalViewController.view = subview;
+
+  [_modalViewController.view insertSubview:subview atIndex:0];
+  _reactSubview = subview;
 }
 
 - (void)removeReactSubview:(UIView *)subview
 {
-  RCTAssert(subview == _modalViewController.view, @"Cannot remove view other than modal view");
+  RCTAssert(subview == _reactSubview, @"Cannot remove view other than modal view");
   [subview removeGestureRecognizer:_touchHandler];
-  _modalViewController.view = nil;
+  [subview removeFromSuperview];
+  _reactSubview = nil;
 }
 
 - (void)dismissModalViewController