diff --git a/packages/react-native/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/SectionList-test.js.snap b/packages/react-native/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/SectionList-test.js.snap
index dd3dcacc32ef..dcb40ffe0ae8 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/SectionList-test.js.snap
+++ b/packages/react-native/Libraries/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/SectionList-test.js.snap
@@ -264,31 +264,27 @@ exports[`SectionList renders all the bells and whistles 1`] = `
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <sectionSeparator
-          v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:undefined,leadingSection:undefined,section:s1,trailingItem:i1s1,trailingSection:s2"
-        />
-        <itemForSection1
-          v="item:i1s1,index:0,section:s1,separators:[object Object]"
-        />
-        <itemSeparatorForSection1
-          v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i1s1,leadingSection:undefined,section:s1,trailingItem:i2s1,trailingSection:s2"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <sectionSeparator
+        v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:undefined,leadingSection:undefined,section:s1,trailingItem:i1s1,trailingSection:s2"
+      />
+      <itemForSection1
+        v="item:i1s1,index:0,section:s1,separators:[object Object]"
+      />
+      <itemSeparatorForSection1
+        v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i1s1,leadingSection:undefined,section:s1,trailingItem:i2s1,trailingSection:s2"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <itemForSection1
-          v="item:i2s1,index:1,section:s1,separators:[object Object]"
-        />
-        <sectionSeparator
-          v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i2s1,leadingSection:undefined,section:s1,trailingItem:undefined,trailingSection:s2"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <itemForSection1
+        v="item:i2s1,index:1,section:s1,separators:[object Object]"
+      />
+      <sectionSeparator
+        v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i2s1,leadingSection:undefined,section:s1,trailingItem:undefined,trailingSection:s2"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
@@ -313,31 +309,27 @@ exports[`SectionList renders all the bells and whistles 1`] = `
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <sectionSeparator
-          v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:undefined,leadingSection:s1,section:s2,trailingItem:i1s2,trailingSection:s3"
-        />
-        <defaultItem
-          v="item:i1s2,index:0,section:s2,separators:[object Object]"
-        />
-        <defaultItemSeparator
-          v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i1s2,leadingSection:s1,section:s2,trailingItem:i2s2,trailingSection:s3"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <sectionSeparator
+        v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:undefined,leadingSection:s1,section:s2,trailingItem:i1s2,trailingSection:s3"
+      />
+      <defaultItem
+        v="item:i1s2,index:0,section:s2,separators:[object Object]"
+      />
+      <defaultItemSeparator
+        v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i1s2,leadingSection:s1,section:s2,trailingItem:i2s2,trailingSection:s3"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <defaultItem
-          v="item:i2s2,index:1,section:s2,separators:[object Object]"
-        />
-        <sectionSeparator
-          v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i2s2,leadingSection:s1,section:s2,trailingItem:undefined,trailingSection:s3"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <defaultItem
+        v="item:i2s2,index:1,section:s2,separators:[object Object]"
+      />
+      <sectionSeparator
+        v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i2s2,leadingSection:s1,section:s2,trailingItem:undefined,trailingSection:s3"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
@@ -362,31 +354,27 @@ exports[`SectionList renders all the bells and whistles 1`] = `
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <sectionSeparator
-          v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:undefined,leadingSection:s2,section:s3,trailingItem:i1s3,trailingSection:undefined"
-        />
-        <defaultItem
-          v="item:i1s3,index:0,section:s3,separators:[object Object]"
-        />
-        <defaultItemSeparator
-          v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i1s3,leadingSection:s2,section:s3,trailingItem:i2s3,trailingSection:undefined"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <sectionSeparator
+        v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:undefined,leadingSection:s2,section:s3,trailingItem:i1s3,trailingSection:undefined"
+      />
+      <defaultItem
+        v="item:i1s3,index:0,section:s3,separators:[object Object]"
+      />
+      <defaultItemSeparator
+        v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i1s3,leadingSection:s2,section:s3,trailingItem:i2s3,trailingSection:undefined"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <defaultItem
-          v="item:i2s3,index:1,section:s3,separators:[object Object]"
-        />
-        <sectionSeparator
-          v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i2s3,leadingSection:s2,section:s3,trailingItem:undefined,trailingSection:undefined"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <defaultItem
+        v="item:i2s3,index:1,section:s3,separators:[object Object]"
+      />
+      <sectionSeparator
+        v="highlighted:false,leadingItem:i2s3,leadingSection:s2,section:s3,trailingItem:undefined,trailingSection:undefined"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
diff --git a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/VirtualizedSectionList.js b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/VirtualizedSectionList.js
index 220fc89cfc7f..f078dd649396 100644
--- a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/VirtualizedSectionList.js
+++ b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/VirtualizedSectionList.js
@@ -593,14 +593,17 @@ function ItemWithSeparator(props: ItemWithSeparatorProps): React.Node {
       {...separatorProps}
     />
   );
-  return leadingSeparator || separator ? (
-    <View>
-      {inverted === false ? leadingSeparator : separator}
+
+  const RenderSeparator = leadingSeparator || separator;
+  const firstSeparator = inverted === false ? leadingSeparator : separator;
+  const secondSeparator = inverted === false ? separator : leadingSeparator;
+
+  return (
+    <>
+      {RenderSeparator ? firstSeparator : null}
       {element}
-      {inverted === false ? separator : leadingSeparator}
-    </View>
-  ) : (
-    element
+      {RenderSeparator ? secondSeparator : null}
+    </>
   );
 }
 
diff --git a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap
index 7790f8581bdb..5347a2531a56 100644
--- a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap
+++ b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedList-test.js.snap
@@ -6618,4 +6618,4 @@ exports[`virtualizes away last focused item if focus changes to a new cell 1`] =
     </View>
   </View>
 </RCTScrollView>
-`;
+`;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedSectionList-test.js.snap b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedSectionList-test.js.snap
index 8a01cb58500c..8de2c76b8382 100644
--- a/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedSectionList-test.js.snap
+++ b/packages/virtualized-lists/Lists/__tests__/__snapshots__/VirtualizedSectionList-test.js.snap
@@ -252,80 +252,76 @@ exports[`VirtualizedSectionList handles separators correctly 1`] = `
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <item
-          title="i0"
-        />
-        <separator
-          highlighted={false}
-          leadingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i0",
-            }
+      <item
+        title="i0"
+      />
+      <separator
+        highlighted={false}
+        leadingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i0",
           }
-          section={
-            Object {
-              "data": Array [
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i0",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i1",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i2",
-                },
-              ],
-              "title": "s0",
-            }
+        }
+        section={
+          Object {
+            "data": Array [
+              Object {
+                "key": "i0",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i1",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i2",
+              },
+            ],
+            "title": "s0",
           }
-          trailingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i1",
-            }
+        }
+        trailingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i1",
           }
-        />
-      </View>
+        }
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <item
-          title="i1"
-        />
-        <separator
-          highlighted={false}
-          leadingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i1",
-            }
+      <item
+        title="i1"
+      />
+      <separator
+        highlighted={false}
+        leadingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i1",
           }
-          section={
-            Object {
-              "data": Array [
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i0",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i1",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i2",
-                },
-              ],
-              "title": "s0",
-            }
+        }
+        section={
+          Object {
+            "data": Array [
+              Object {
+                "key": "i0",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i1",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i2",
+              },
+            ],
+            "title": "s0",
           }
-          trailingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i2",
-            }
+        }
+        trailingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i2",
           }
-        />
-      </View>
+        }
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
@@ -390,80 +386,76 @@ exports[`VirtualizedSectionList handles separators correctly 2`] = `
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <item
-          title="i0"
-        />
-        <separator
-          highlighted={true}
-          leadingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i0",
-            }
+      <item
+        title="i0"
+      />
+      <separator
+        highlighted={true}
+        leadingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i0",
           }
-          section={
-            Object {
-              "data": Array [
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i0",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i1",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i2",
-                },
-              ],
-              "title": "s0",
-            }
+        }
+        section={
+          Object {
+            "data": Array [
+              Object {
+                "key": "i0",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i1",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i2",
+              },
+            ],
+            "title": "s0",
           }
-          trailingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i1",
-            }
+        }
+        trailingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i1",
           }
-        />
-      </View>
+        }
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <item
-          title="i1"
-        />
-        <separator
-          highlighted={true}
-          leadingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i1",
-            }
+      <item
+        title="i1"
+      />
+      <separator
+        highlighted={true}
+        leadingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i1",
           }
-          section={
-            Object {
-              "data": Array [
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i0",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i1",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i2",
-                },
-              ],
-              "title": "s0",
-            }
+        }
+        section={
+          Object {
+            "data": Array [
+              Object {
+                "key": "i0",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i1",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i2",
+              },
+            ],
+            "title": "s0",
           }
-          trailingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i2",
-            }
+        }
+        trailingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i2",
           }
-        />
-      </View>
+        }
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
@@ -528,81 +520,77 @@ exports[`VirtualizedSectionList handles separators correctly 3`] = `
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <item
-          title="i0"
-        />
-        <separator
-          highlighted={true}
-          leadingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i0",
-            }
+      <item
+        title="i0"
+      />
+      <separator
+        highlighted={true}
+        leadingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i0",
           }
-          section={
-            Object {
-              "data": Array [
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i0",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i1",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i2",
-                },
-              ],
-              "title": "s0",
-            }
+        }
+        section={
+          Object {
+            "data": Array [
+              Object {
+                "key": "i0",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i1",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i2",
+              },
+            ],
+            "title": "s0",
           }
-          trailingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i1",
-            }
+        }
+        trailingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i1",
           }
-        />
-      </View>
+        }
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <item
-          title="i1"
-        />
-        <separator
-          highlighted={true}
-          leadingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i1",
-            }
+      <item
+        title="i1"
+      />
+      <separator
+        highlighted={true}
+        leadingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i1",
           }
-          press={true}
-          section={
-            Object {
-              "data": Array [
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i0",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i1",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i2",
-                },
-              ],
-              "title": "s0",
-            }
+        }
+        press={true}
+        section={
+          Object {
+            "data": Array [
+              Object {
+                "key": "i0",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i1",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i2",
+              },
+            ],
+            "title": "s0",
           }
-          trailingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i2",
-            }
+        }
+        trailingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i2",
           }
-        />
-      </View>
+        }
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
@@ -667,81 +655,77 @@ exports[`VirtualizedSectionList handles separators correctly 4`] = `
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <item
-          title="i0"
-        />
-        <separator
-          highlighted={false}
-          leadingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i0",
-            }
+      <item
+        title="i0"
+      />
+      <separator
+        highlighted={false}
+        leadingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i0",
           }
-          section={
-            Object {
-              "data": Array [
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i0",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i1",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i2",
-                },
-              ],
-              "title": "s0",
-            }
+        }
+        section={
+          Object {
+            "data": Array [
+              Object {
+                "key": "i0",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i1",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i2",
+              },
+            ],
+            "title": "s0",
           }
-          trailingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i1",
-            }
+        }
+        trailingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i1",
           }
-        />
-      </View>
+        }
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
       onLayout={[Function]}
       style={null}
     >
-      <View>
-        <item
-          title="i1"
-        />
-        <separator
-          highlighted={false}
-          leadingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i1",
-            }
+      <item
+        title="i1"
+      />
+      <separator
+        highlighted={false}
+        leadingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i1",
           }
-          press={true}
-          section={
-            Object {
-              "data": Array [
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i0",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i1",
-                },
-                Object {
-                  "key": "i2",
-                },
-              ],
-              "title": "s0",
-            }
+        }
+        press={true}
+        section={
+          Object {
+            "data": Array [
+              Object {
+                "key": "i0",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i1",
+              },
+              Object {
+                "key": "i2",
+              },
+            ],
+            "title": "s0",
           }
-          trailingItem={
-            Object {
-              "key": "i2",
-            }
+        }
+        trailingItem={
+          Object {
+            "key": "i2",
           }
-        />
-      </View>
+        }
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
@@ -879,12 +863,10 @@ exports[`VirtualizedSectionList renders all the bells and whistles 1`] = `
         ]
       }
     >
-      <View>
-        <separator />
-        <item
-          value="0"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <separator />
+      <item
+        value="0"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
@@ -903,12 +885,10 @@ exports[`VirtualizedSectionList renders all the bells and whistles 1`] = `
         ]
       }
     >
-      <View>
-        <separator />
-        <item
-          value="1"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <separator />
+      <item
+        value="1"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
@@ -927,12 +907,10 @@ exports[`VirtualizedSectionList renders all the bells and whistles 1`] = `
         ]
       }
     >
-      <View>
-        <separator />
-        <item
-          value="2"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <separator />
+      <item
+        value="2"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}
@@ -951,12 +929,10 @@ exports[`VirtualizedSectionList renders all the bells and whistles 1`] = `
         ]
       }
     >
-      <View>
-        <separator />
-        <item
-          value="3"
-        />
-      </View>
+      <separator />
+      <item
+        value="3"
+      />
     </View>
     <View
       onFocusCapture={[Function]}