diff --git a/.changeset/spring-ref-events-strictmode.md b/.changeset/spring-ref-events-strictmode.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..a3a88e0f9f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/spring-ref-events-strictmode.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@react-spring/core': patch
+---
+
+fix: events not firing when SpringRef attached manually under StrictMode
diff --git a/packages/core/src/hooks/useSpring.test.tsx b/packages/core/src/hooks/useSpring.test.tsx
index dbcccf8812..9d26f618e6 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/hooks/useSpring.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/hooks/useSpring.test.tsx
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { SpringContextProvider, type ISpringContext } from '../SpringContext'
 import { SpringValue } from '../SpringValue'
 import { SpringRef } from '../SpringRef'
 import { useSpring } from './useSpring'
+import { useSpringRef } from './useSpringRef'
 
 describe('useSpring', () => {
   let springs: Lookup<SpringValue>
@@ -108,6 +109,119 @@ describe('useSpring', () => {
       testIsRef(ref)
     })
   })
+
+  // Regression test for https://github.com/pmndrs/react-spring/issues/1991
+  describe('when an external SpringRef is attached via the `ref` prop', () => {
+    it('fires events declared on render when `ref.start()` is called with no args', async () => {
+      const externalRef = SpringRef()
+      const onStart = vi.fn()
+      const onRest = vi.fn()
+
+      function Component() {
+        useSpring({
+          ref: externalRef,
+          from: { x: 0 },
+          to: { x: 100 },
+          onStart,
+          onRest,
+        })
+        return null
+      }
+
+      render(<Component />)
+
+      // Animation should not start until `ref.start()` is called.
+      expect(onStart).not.toHaveBeenCalled()
+
+      externalRef.start()
+      await advanceUntilIdle()
+
+      expect(onStart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+      expect(onRest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+
+    it('fires events under StrictMode (double-mount)', async () => {
+      const onStart = vi.fn()
+      const onRest = vi.fn()
+      let capturedRef: SpringRef | undefined
+
+      function Component() {
+        const springRef = useSpringRef()
+        capturedRef = springRef
+
+        useSpring({
+          ref: springRef,
+          from: { x: 0 },
+          to: { x: 100 },
+          onStart,
+          onRest,
+        })
+
+        React.useEffect(() => {
+          springRef.start()
+        }, [springRef])
+
+        return null
+      }
+
+      render(
+        <React.StrictMode>
+          <Component />
+        </React.StrictMode>
+      )
+      await advanceUntilIdle()
+
+      expect(capturedRef).toBeDefined()
+      expect(onStart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+      expect(onRest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+
+    // Exact reproduction from the issue body.
+    it('fires events when `springRef.start()` is called from a useEffect (issue #1991 repro)', async () => {
+      const onStart = vi.fn()
+      const onRest = vi.fn()
+      let capturedRef: SpringRef | undefined
+
+      function Component() {
+        const springRef = useSpringRef()
+        capturedRef = springRef
+
+        useSpring({
+          ref: springRef,
+          config: { duration: 1000 },
+          from: {
+            position: 'relative',
+            opacity: 1,
+            right: 0,
+          },
+          to: {
+            position: 'relative',
+            opacity: 0,
+            right: -300,
+          },
+          onStart,
+          onRest,
+        })
+
+        React.useEffect(() => {
+          springRef.start()
+        }, [springRef])
+
+        return null
+      }
+
+      render(
+        <React.StrictMode>
+          <Component />
+        </React.StrictMode>
+      )
+      await advanceUntilIdle()
+
+      expect(capturedRef).toBeDefined()
+      expect(onStart).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+      expect(onRest).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1)
+    })
+  })
 })
 
 interface TestContext extends ISpringContext {
diff --git a/packages/core/src/hooks/useSprings.ts b/packages/core/src/hooks/useSprings.ts
index 5b90cced27..b2d8f91189 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/hooks/useSprings.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/hooks/useSprings.ts
@@ -220,7 +220,15 @@ export function useSprings(
         // When an injected ref exists, the update is postponed
         // until the ref has its `start` method called.
         if (ctrl.ref) {
-          ctrl.queue.push(update)
+          // Push a shallow copy so `flushUpdate` mutations (e.g. wrapping event
+          // handlers for batching) do not leak back into `updates.current[i]`,
+          // which is reused across renders and StrictMode double-mounts.
+          ctrl.queue.push({
+            ...update,
+            default: is.obj(update.default)
+              ? { ...update.default }
+              : update.default,
+          })
         } else {
           ctrl.start(update)
         }