diff --git a/packages/core/src/core/mirror.ts b/packages/core/src/core/mirror.ts
index 3f9e04e..f0c2946 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/core/mirror.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/core/mirror.ts
@@ -460,20 +460,46 @@ export class Mirror<S extends SchemaType> {
             string,
             unknown
         >;
+        const rootSchema =
+            this.schema && this.schema.type === "schema"
+                ? (this.schema as RootSchemaType<
+                      Record<string, ContainerSchemaType>
+                  >)
+                : undefined;
         for (const [key, value] of Object.entries(init)) {
-            let container: Container | null = null;
-            if (Array.isArray(value)) {
-                container = this.doc.getList(key);
-            } else if (typeof value === "string") {
-                container = this.doc.getText(key);
-            } else if (isObject(value)) {
-                container = this.doc.getMap(key);
-            }
-            if (container) {
-                this.rootPathById.set(container.id, [key]);
-                this.registerContainerWithRegistry(container.id, undefined);
-            }
+            const fieldSchema = rootSchema?.definition[key];
+            const containerType =
+                (fieldSchema
+                    ? schemaToContainerType(fieldSchema)
+                    : undefined) ??
+                this.inferRootContainerTypeFromInitialValue(value);
+            if (!containerType) continue;
+
+            const container = getRootContainerByType(
+                this.doc,
+                key,
+                containerType,
+            );
+            this.rootPathById.set(container.id, [key]);
+            this.registerContainerWithRegistry(container.id, undefined);
+        }
+    }
+
+    private inferRootContainerTypeFromInitialValue(
+        value: unknown,
+    ): ContainerType | undefined {
+        if (Array.isArray(value)) {
+            return this.options.inferOptions?.defaultMovableList
+                ? "MovableList"
+                : "List";
+        }
+        if (typeof value === "string") {
+            return "Text";
+        }
+        if (isObject(value)) {
+            return "Map";
         }
+        return undefined;
     }
 
     /**
diff --git a/packages/core/tests/mirror-movable-list.test.ts b/packages/core/tests/mirror-movable-list.test.ts
index 29c8a2a..0f097cc 100644
--- a/packages/core/tests/mirror-movable-list.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/tests/mirror-movable-list.test.ts
@@ -753,6 +753,40 @@ describe("MovableList (inferred)", () => {
         );
     });
 
+    it("keeps initialState root arrays snapshot-safe with defaultMovableList", async () => {
+        const doc = new LoroDoc();
+        const mirror = new Mirror({
+            doc,
+            initialState: {
+                payload: {},
+                items: [],
+            },
+            inferOptions: { defaultMovableList: true },
+            validateUpdates: false,
+        });
+        const state = {
+            payload: { title: "hello", count: 42 },
+            items: [
+                { id: "a", value: 1 },
+                { id: "b", value: 2 },
+            ],
+        };
+
+        mirror.setState(state);
+        await waitForSync();
+
+        const serialized = doc.getDeepValueWithID() as Record<string, unknown>;
+        expect(
+            valueIsContainerOfType(serialized["items"], ":MovableList"),
+        ).toBe(true);
+
+        const restored = new LoroDoc();
+        restored.import(doc.export({ mode: "snapshot" }));
+
+        expect(restored.toJSON()).toStrictEqual(state);
+        expect(restored.toJSON()).toStrictEqual(doc.toJSON());
+    });
+
     it("preserves nested map container identity for object items", async () => {
         const doc = new LoroDoc();
         const mirror = new Mirror({