diff --git a/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/react/renderer/components/image/ImageProps.h b/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/react/renderer/components/image/ImageProps.h
index 4e3417bbbd6733..30cd68dd3da308 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/react/renderer/components/image/ImageProps.h
+++ b/packages/react-native/ReactCommon/react/renderer/components/image/ImageProps.h
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@ class ImageProps final : public ViewProps {
   Float resizeMultiplier{1.f};
   bool shouldNotifyLoadEvents{};
   SharedColor overlayColor{};
-  Float fadeDuration{};
+  Float fadeDuration{-1.f};
   bool progressiveRenderingEnabled{};
 
 #ifdef RN_SERIALIZABLE_STATE