diff --git a/.changeset/breezy-files-divide.md b/.changeset/breezy-files-divide.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..14b2d7f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/breezy-files-divide.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@openai/chatkit-react': patch
+---
+
+Removed usage of React 19 only ref callback cleanup function
diff --git a/.changeset/thick-eggs-know.md b/.changeset/thick-eggs-know.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7298d44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/thick-eggs-know.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@openai/chatkit-react': minor
+---
+
+Exposed a ref to the underlying `OpenAIChatKit` DOM element in the return value of `useChatKit`
diff --git a/packages/chatkit-react/src/ChatKit.tsx b/packages/chatkit-react/src/ChatKit.tsx
index 0395d85..d05314c 100644
--- a/packages/chatkit-react/src/ChatKit.tsx
+++ b/packages/chatkit-react/src/ChatKit.tsx
@@ -45,46 +45,39 @@ export const ChatKit = React.forwardRef<OpenAIChatKit, ChatKitProps>(
     return (
       <openai-chatkit
         ref={(chatKit) => {
-          ref.current = chatKit;
           control.setInstance(chatKit);
+
           if (typeof forwardedRef === 'function') {
             forwardedRef(chatKit);
           } else if (forwardedRef) {
             forwardedRef.current = chatKit;
           }
 
-          if (ref.current) {
-            const abortController = new AbortController();
-            const events = {
-              'chatkit.error': 'onError',
-              'chatkit.response.end': 'onResponseEnd',
-              'chatkit.response.start': 'onResponseStart',
-              'chatkit.log': 'onLog',
-              'chatkit.thread.change': 'onThreadChange',
-              'chatkit.thread.load.start': 'onThreadLoadStart',
-              'chatkit.thread.load.end': 'onThreadLoadEnd',
-            } satisfies {
-              [K in keyof ChatKitEvents]: ToEventHandlerKey<K>;
-            };
+          if (!ref.current) {
+            return;
+          }
+
+          const events: {
+            [K in keyof ChatKitEvents]: ToEventHandlerKey<K>;
+          } = {
+            'chatkit.error': 'onError',
+            'chatkit.response.end': 'onResponseEnd',
+            'chatkit.response.start': 'onResponseStart',
+            'chatkit.log': 'onLog',
+            'chatkit.thread.change': 'onThreadChange',
+            'chatkit.thread.load.start': 'onThreadLoadStart',
+            'chatkit.thread.load.end': 'onThreadLoadEnd',
+          };
 
-            for (const eventName of Object.keys(
-              events,
-            ) as (keyof ChatKitEvents)[]) {
-              ref.current.addEventListener(
-                eventName,
-                (e) => {
-                  const handler = control.handlers[events[eventName]];
-                  if (typeof handler === 'function') {
-                    handler(e.detail as any);
-                  }
-                },
-                { signal: abortController.signal },
-              );
-            }
+          const eventNames = Object.keys(events) as (keyof ChatKitEvents)[];
 
-            return () => {
-              abortController.abort();
-            };
+          for (const event of eventNames) {
+            ref.current.addEventListener(event, (e) => {
+              const handler = control.handlers[events[event]];
+              if (typeof handler === 'function') {
+                handler(e.detail as any);
+              }
+            });
           }
         }}
         {...htmlProps}
diff --git a/packages/chatkit-react/src/useChatKit.ts b/packages/chatkit-react/src/useChatKit.ts
index 1a4e8e8..dc2a790 100644
--- a/packages/chatkit-react/src/useChatKit.ts
+++ b/packages/chatkit-react/src/useChatKit.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export type ChatKitControl = {
 
 export type UseChatKitReturn = ChatKitMethods & {
   control: ChatKitControl;
+  ref: React.RefObject<OpenAIChatKit | null>;
 };
 
 export function useChatKit(options: UseChatKitOptions): UseChatKitReturn {
@@ -98,5 +99,8 @@ export function useChatKit(options: UseChatKitOptions): UseChatKitReturn {
     };
   }, [stableOptions, setInstance]);
 
-  return React.useMemo(() => ({ ...methods, control }), [methods, control]);
+  return React.useMemo(
+    () => ({ ...methods, control, ref }),
+    [methods, control],
+  );
 }