diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberWorkLoop.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberWorkLoop.js
index f7200458be18d..b984b75ed24c6 100644
--- a/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberWorkLoop.js
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/ReactFiberWorkLoop.js
@@ -1069,7 +1069,21 @@ export function performWorkOnRoot(
   forceSync: boolean,
 ): void {
   if ((executionContext & (RenderContext | CommitContext)) !== NoContext) {
-    throw new Error('Should not already be working.');
+    // We're being called re-entrantly. This can happen in Firefox (and some
+    // older browsers) when a breakpoint or alert() pauses the main thread,
+    // causing MessageChannel callbacks to fire immediately upon resuming.
+    // Instead of throwing an error, schedule the work to run after the
+    // current work completes.
+    // See: https://github.com/facebook/react/issues/17355
+    if (__DEV__) {
+      console.error(
+        'performWorkOnRoot was called recursively. This is likely due to ' +
+          'a browser pause (e.g., breakpoint or alert). The work will be ' +
+          'rescheduled.',
+      );
+    }
+    ensureRootIsScheduled(root);
+    return;
   }
 
   if (enableProfilerTimer && enableComponentPerformanceTrack) {
@@ -3443,7 +3457,21 @@ function commitRoot(
   flushRenderPhaseStrictModeWarningsInDEV();
 
   if ((executionContext & (RenderContext | CommitContext)) !== NoContext) {
-    throw new Error('Should not already be working.');
+    // We're being called re-entrantly. This can happen in Firefox (and some
+    // older browsers) when a breakpoint or alert() pauses the main thread,
+    // causing MessageChannel callbacks to fire immediately upon resuming.
+    // Instead of throwing an error, schedule the work to run after the
+    // current work completes.
+    // See: https://github.com/facebook/react/issues/17355
+    if (__DEV__) {
+      console.error(
+        'commitRoot was called recursively. This is likely due to ' +
+          'a browser pause (e.g., breakpoint or alert). The work will be ' +
+          'rescheduled.',
+      );
+    }
+    ensureRootIsScheduled(root);
+    return;
   }
 
   if (enableProfilerTimer && enableComponentPerformanceTrack) {
diff --git a/packages/react-reconciler/src/__tests__/ReactReentranceGuard-test.js b/packages/react-reconciler/src/__tests__/ReactReentranceGuard-test.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000..b431daa689582
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react-reconciler/src/__tests__/ReactReentranceGuard-test.js
@@ -0,0 +1,215 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ *
+ * @emails react-core
+ * @jest-environment node
+ */
+
+'use strict';
+
+let React;
+let ReactNoop;
+let Scheduler;
+let act;
+let assertLog;
+
+describe('ReactReentranceGuard', () => {
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    jest.resetModules();
+    React = require('react');
+    ReactNoop = require('react-noop-renderer');
+    Scheduler = require('scheduler');
+    act = require('internal-test-utils').act;
+    const InternalTestUtils = require('internal-test-utils');
+    assertLog = InternalTestUtils.assertLog;
+  });
+
+  // @gate __DEV__
+  it('should handle re-entrant performWorkOnRoot calls gracefully', async () => {
+    // This test simulates the Firefox breakpoint/alert issue where
+    // MessageChannel callbacks fire immediately upon resuming from a pause,
+    // causing performWorkOnRoot to be called re-entrantly.
+
+    let triggerReentrance = false;
+    const originalPerformWorkOnRoot = ReactNoop.performWorkOnRoot;
+
+    // Mock performWorkOnRoot to simulate re-entrance
+    ReactNoop.performWorkOnRoot = function(...args) {
+      if (triggerReentrance) {
+        triggerReentrance = false;
+        // Simulate re-entrant call (like what happens in Firefox)
+        // This should not throw an error, but should reschedule
+        ReactNoop.performWorkOnRoot(...args);
+      }
+      return originalPerformWorkOnRoot.apply(this, args);
+    };
+
+    function Component() {
+      const [count, setCount] = React.useState(0);
+      React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (count === 0) {
+          triggerReentrance = true;
+          setCount(1);
+        }
+      }, [count]);
+      return count;
+    }
+
+    const root = ReactNoop.createRoot();
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(<Component />);
+    });
+
+    // Should complete without throwing "Should not already be working" error
+    expect(root).toMatchRenderedOutput('1');
+  });
+
+  // @gate __DEV__
+  it('should log a warning when performWorkOnRoot is called recursively', async () => {
+    const consoleSpy = jest.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation(() => {});
+
+    let triggerReentrance = false;
+    const originalPerformWorkOnRoot = ReactNoop.performWorkOnRoot;
+
+    ReactNoop.performWorkOnRoot = function(...args) {
+      if (triggerReentrance) {
+        triggerReentrance = false;
+        ReactNoop.performWorkOnRoot(...args);
+      }
+      return originalPerformWorkOnRoot.apply(this, args);
+    };
+
+    function Component() {
+      const [count, setCount] = React.useState(0);
+      React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (count === 0) {
+          triggerReentrance = true;
+          setCount(1);
+        }
+      }, [count]);
+      return count;
+    }
+
+    const root = ReactNoop.createRoot();
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(<Component />);
+    });
+
+    // Should log a warning about recursive call
+    expect(consoleSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining('called recursively'),
+    );
+
+    consoleSpy.mockRestore();
+  });
+
+  // @gate __DEV__
+  it('should handle re-entrant commitRoot calls gracefully', async () => {
+    // Similar test for commitRoot re-entrance
+
+    let triggerReentrance = false;
+    let reentranceAttempted = false;
+
+    function Component() {
+      const [count, setCount] = React.useState(0);
+      
+      React.useLayoutEffect(() => {
+        if (count === 0 && !reentranceAttempted) {
+          reentranceAttempted = true;
+          triggerReentrance = true;
+          // This update during layout effect could trigger re-entrance
+          setCount(1);
+        }
+      }, [count]);
+
+      return count;
+    }
+
+    const root = ReactNoop.createRoot();
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(<Component />);
+    });
+
+    // Should complete without throwing error
+    expect(root).toMatchRenderedOutput('1');
+  });
+
+  it('should reschedule work when re-entrance is detected', async () => {
+    // Test that work is properly rescheduled when re-entrance occurs
+
+    let updateCount = 0;
+
+    function Component() {
+      const [count, setCount] = React.useState(0);
+      
+      React.useEffect(() => {
+        updateCount++;
+        if (count < 2) {
+          setCount(c => c + 1);
+        }
+      }, [count]);
+
+      return count;
+    }
+
+    const root = ReactNoop.createRoot();
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(<Component />);
+    });
+
+    // All updates should be processed
+    expect(root).toMatchRenderedOutput('2');
+    expect(updateCount).toBeGreaterThan(0);
+  });
+
+  it('should not affect normal operation when no re-entrance occurs', async () => {
+    // Ensure the fix doesn't break normal React operation
+
+    function Component() {
+      const [count, setCount] = React.useState(0);
+      
+      React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (count === 0) {
+          setCount(1);
+        }
+      }, [count]);
+
+      return count;
+    }
+
+    const root = ReactNoop.createRoot();
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(<Component />);
+    });
+
+    expect(root).toMatchRenderedOutput('1');
+  });
+
+  it('should handle multiple rapid updates without re-entrance errors', async () => {
+    function Component() {
+      const [count, setCount] = React.useState(0);
+      
+      React.useEffect(() => {
+        if (count < 5) {
+          // Multiple rapid updates
+          setCount(c => c + 1);
+          setCount(c => c + 1);
+          setCount(c => c + 1);
+        }
+      }, [count]);
+
+      return count;
+    }
+
+    const root = ReactNoop.createRoot();
+    await act(async () => {
+      root.render(<Component />);
+    });
+
+    // Should handle all updates without errors
+    expect(root).toMatchRenderedOutput(expect.any(Number));
+  });
+});