diff --git a/src/core/ScreenSpace.tsx b/src/core/ScreenSpace.tsx
index a2dfc3428..7ea7dab5f 100644
--- a/src/core/ScreenSpace.tsx
+++ b/src/core/ScreenSpace.tsx
@@ -8,11 +8,11 @@ export type ScreenSpaceProps = {
 } & JSX.IntrinsicElements['group']
 
 export const ScreenSpace = React.forwardRef<Group, ScreenSpaceProps>(({ children, depth = -1, ...rest }, ref) => {
-  const localRef = React.useRef<Group>(null)
+  const localRef = React.useRef<Group>(null!)
 
   useFrame(({ camera }) => {
-    localRef.current?.quaternion.copy(camera.quaternion)
-    localRef.current?.position.copy(camera.position)
+    localRef.current.quaternion.copy(camera.quaternion)
+    localRef.current.position.copy(camera.position)
   })
   return (
     <group ref={mergeRefs([ref, localRef])} {...rest}>