diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/BaseNavigationContainer.test.tsx b/packages/core/src/__tests__/BaseNavigationContainer.test.tsx
index 71c9dd1676..20248af2da 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/BaseNavigationContainer.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/BaseNavigationContainer.test.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
 import { act, render } from 'react-native-testing-library';
-import {
-  DefaultRouterOptions,
-  NavigationState,
-  Router,
-} from '@react-navigation/routers';
+import { NavigationState, Router } from '@react-navigation/routers';
 import BaseNavigationContainer from '../BaseNavigationContainer';
 import NavigationStateContext from '../NavigationStateContext';
 import MockRouter, { MockActions } from './__fixtures__/MockRouter';
@@ -79,8 +75,8 @@ it('throws when nesting containers', () => {
 it('handle dispatching with ref', () => {
   const CurrentParentRouter = MockRouter;
 
-  function CurrentChildRouter(options: DefaultRouterOptions) {
-    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter(options);
+  function CurrentChildRouter() {
+    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter();
     const ChildRouter: Router<
       NavigationState,
       MockActions | { type: 'REVERSE' }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/MockRouter.tsx b/packages/core/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/MockRouter.tsx
index 62cc622903..5ad03b016c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/MockRouter.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/__fixtures__/MockRouter.tsx
@@ -4,22 +4,21 @@ import {
   CommonNavigationAction,
   NavigationState,
   Route,
-  DefaultRouterOptions,
 } from '@react-navigation/routers';
 
 export type MockActions = CommonNavigationAction | { type: 'NOOP' | 'UPDATE' };
 
 export const MockRouterKey = { current: 0 };
 
-export default function MockRouter(options: DefaultRouterOptions) {
+export default function MockRouter() {
   const router: Router<NavigationState, MockActions> = {
     type: 'test',
 
-    getInitialState({ routeNames, routeParamList }) {
+    getInitialState({ initialRouteName, routeNames, routeParamList }) {
       const index =
-        options.initialRouteName === undefined
+        initialRouteName === undefined
           ? 0
-          : routeNames.indexOf(options.initialRouteName);
+          : routeNames.indexOf(initialRouteName);
 
       return {
         stale: false,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/index.test.tsx b/packages/core/src/__tests__/index.test.tsx
index e91788fe23..ca2bd937b6 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/index.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/index.test.tsx
@@ -742,8 +742,8 @@ it('navigates to nested child in a navigator', () => {
 });
 
 it('navigates to nested child in a navigator with initial: false', () => {
-  const TestRouter: typeof MockRouter = (options) => {
-    const router = MockRouter(options);
+  const TestRouter: typeof MockRouter = () => {
+    const router = MockRouter();
 
     return {
       ...router,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/useDescriptors.test.tsx b/packages/core/src/__tests__/useDescriptors.test.tsx
index 7def6b1f3d..7b1e077dda 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/useDescriptors.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/useDescriptors.test.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
 import { render, act } from 'react-native-testing-library';
-import {
-  DefaultRouterOptions,
-  NavigationState,
-  Router,
-} from '@react-navigation/routers';
+import { NavigationState, Router } from '@react-navigation/routers';
 import useNavigationBuilder from '../useNavigationBuilder';
 import BaseNavigationContainer from '../BaseNavigationContainer';
 import Screen from '../Screen';
@@ -420,8 +416,8 @@ it("returns correct value for canGoBack when it's not overridden", () => {
 });
 
 it(`returns false for canGoBack when current router doesn't handle GO_BACK`, () => {
-  function TestRouter(options: DefaultRouterOptions) {
-    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter(options);
+  function TestRouter() {
+    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter();
     const ChildRouter: Router<NavigationState, MockActions> = {
       ...CurrentMockRouter,
 
@@ -471,8 +467,8 @@ it(`returns false for canGoBack when current router doesn't handle GO_BACK`, ()
 });
 
 it('returns true for canGoBack when current router handles GO_BACK', () => {
-  function ParentRouter(options: DefaultRouterOptions) {
-    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter(options);
+  function ParentRouter() {
+    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter();
     const ChildRouter: Router<NavigationState, MockActions> = {
       ...CurrentMockRouter,
 
@@ -538,8 +534,8 @@ it('returns true for canGoBack when current router handles GO_BACK', () => {
 });
 
 it('returns true for canGoBack when parent router handles GO_BACK', () => {
-  function OverrodeRouter(options: DefaultRouterOptions) {
-    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter(options);
+  function OverrodeRouter() {
+    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter();
     const ChildRouter: Router<NavigationState, MockActions> = {
       ...CurrentMockRouter,
 
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/useEventEmitter.test.tsx b/packages/core/src/__tests__/useEventEmitter.test.tsx
index a505e3f44f..ca070e2e13 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/useEventEmitter.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/useEventEmitter.test.tsx
@@ -296,17 +296,19 @@ it('fires focus and blur events in nested navigator', () => {
 });
 
 it('fires blur event when a route is removed with a delay', async () => {
-  const TestRouter = (options: any): Router<NavigationState, any> => {
-    const router = MockRouter(options);
+  const TestRouter = (): Router<NavigationState, any> => {
+    const router = MockRouter();
 
     return {
       ...router,
 
-      getInitialState({ routeNames, routeParamList }) {
+      getInitialState({
+        initialRouteName: _initialRouteName,
+        routeNames,
+        routeParamList,
+      }) {
         const initialRouteName =
-          options.initialRouteName !== undefined
-            ? options.initialRouteName
-            : routeNames[0];
+          _initialRouteName !== undefined ? _initialRouteName : routeNames[0];
 
         return {
           stale: false,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/useNavigationCache.test.tsx b/packages/core/src/__tests__/useNavigationCache.test.tsx
index 59a4ac2ceb..226890c2ae 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/useNavigationCache.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/useNavigationCache.test.tsx
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ it('preserves reference for navigation objects', () => {
   const getState = () => state;
   const navigation = {} as any;
   const setOptions = (() => {}) as any;
-  const router = MockRouter({});
+  const router = MockRouter();
 
   const Test = () => {
     const previous = React.useRef<any>();
@@ -101,10 +101,8 @@ it('returns correct value for isFocused', () => {
 });
 
 it('returns correct value for isFocused after changing screens', () => {
-  const TestRouter = (
-    options: Parameters<typeof MockRouter>[0]
-  ): ReturnType<typeof MockRouter> => {
-    const router = MockRouter(options);
+  const TestRouter = (): ReturnType<typeof MockRouter> => {
+    const router = MockRouter();
 
     return {
       ...router,
diff --git a/packages/core/src/__tests__/useOnAction.test.tsx b/packages/core/src/__tests__/useOnAction.test.tsx
index ee99676d9a..4de11ae4c2 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/__tests__/useOnAction.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/__tests__/useOnAction.test.tsx
@@ -1,10 +1,6 @@
 import * as React from 'react';
 import { render } from 'react-native-testing-library';
-import {
-  Router,
-  DefaultRouterOptions,
-  NavigationState,
-} from '@react-navigation/routers';
+import { Router, NavigationState } from '@react-navigation/routers';
 import useNavigationBuilder from '../useNavigationBuilder';
 import BaseNavigationContainer from '../BaseNavigationContainer';
 import Screen from '../Screen';
@@ -16,8 +12,8 @@ import MockRouter, {
 beforeEach(() => (MockRouterKey.current = 0));
 
 it("lets parent handle the action if child didn't", () => {
-  function CurrentRouter(options: DefaultRouterOptions) {
-    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter(options);
+  function CurrentRouter() {
+    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter();
     const ParentRouter: Router<
       NavigationState,
       MockActions | { type: 'REVERSE' }
@@ -95,8 +91,8 @@ it("lets parent handle the action if child didn't", () => {
 it("lets children handle the action if parent didn't", () => {
   const CurrentParentRouter = MockRouter;
 
-  function CurrentChildRouter(options: DefaultRouterOptions) {
-    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter(options);
+  function CurrentChildRouter() {
+    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter();
     const ChildRouter: Router<
       NavigationState,
       MockActions | { type: 'REVERSE' }
@@ -227,8 +223,8 @@ it("lets children handle the action if parent didn't", () => {
 it("action doesn't bubble if target is specified", () => {
   const CurrentParentRouter = MockRouter;
 
-  function CurrentChildRouter(options: DefaultRouterOptions) {
-    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter(options);
+  function CurrentChildRouter() {
+    const CurrentMockRouter = MockRouter();
     const ChildRouter: Router<
       NavigationState,
       MockActions | { type: 'REVERSE' }
diff --git a/packages/core/src/useNavigationBuilder.tsx b/packages/core/src/useNavigationBuilder.tsx
index 7c98972ff0..d627b29cb5 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/useNavigationBuilder.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/useNavigationBuilder.tsx
@@ -179,17 +179,20 @@ export default function useNavigationBuilder<
   }, [route]);
 
   const { children, ...rest } = options;
+  const routerOptions = {
+    ...((rest as unknown) as RouterOptions),
+    ...(route?.params &&
+    route.params.initial !== false &&
+    typeof route.params.screen === 'string'
+      ? { initialRouteName: route.params.screen }
+      : null),
+  };
   const { current: router } = React.useRef<Router<State, any>>(
-    createRouter({
-      ...((rest as unknown) as RouterOptions),
-      ...(route?.params &&
-      route.params.initial !== false &&
-      typeof route.params.screen === 'string'
-        ? { initialRouteName: route.params.screen }
-        : null),
-    })
+    createRouter(routerOptions)
   );
 
+  const { initialRouteName } = routerOptions;
+
   const routeConfigs = getRouteConfigsFromChildren<
     State,
     ScreenOptions,
@@ -267,6 +270,7 @@ export default function useNavigationBuilder<
     if (currentState === undefined || !isStateValid(currentState)) {
       return [
         router.getInitialState({
+          initialRouteName,
           routeNames,
           routeParamList,
         }),
@@ -275,6 +279,7 @@ export default function useNavigationBuilder<
     } else {
       return [
         router.getRehydratedState(currentState as PartialState<State>, {
+          initialRouteName,
           routeNames,
           routeParamList,
         }),
@@ -303,6 +308,7 @@ export default function useNavigationBuilder<
   if (!isArrayEqual(state.routeNames, routeNames)) {
     // When the list of route names change, the router should handle it to remove invalid routes
     nextState = router.getStateForRouteNamesChange(state, {
+      initialRouteName,
       routeNames,
       routeParamList,
     });
@@ -327,6 +333,7 @@ export default function useNavigationBuilder<
     nextState =
       updatedState !== null
         ? router.getRehydratedState(updatedState, {
+            initialRouteName,
             routeNames,
             routeParamList,
           })
@@ -448,6 +455,7 @@ export default function useNavigationBuilder<
     key: route?.key,
     listeners: actionListeners,
     routerConfigOptions: {
+      initialRouteName,
       routeNames,
       routeParamList,
     },
diff --git a/packages/routers/src/DrawerRouter.tsx b/packages/routers/src/DrawerRouter.tsx
index aa657f1d0d..0e3419b652 100644
--- a/packages/routers/src/DrawerRouter.tsx
+++ b/packages/routers/src/DrawerRouter.tsx
@@ -100,7 +100,7 @@ const closeDrawer = (state: DrawerNavigationState): DrawerNavigationState => {
 export default function DrawerRouter({
   openByDefault,
   ...rest
-}: DrawerRouterOptions): Router<
+}: DrawerRouterOptions = {}): Router<
   DrawerNavigationState,
   DrawerActionType | CommonNavigationAction
 > {
@@ -114,8 +114,8 @@ export default function DrawerRouter({
 
     type: 'drawer',
 
-    getInitialState({ routeNames, routeParamList }) {
-      let state = router.getInitialState({ routeNames, routeParamList });
+    getInitialState(configOptions) {
+      let state = router.getInitialState(configOptions);
 
       if (openByDefault) {
         state = openDrawer(state);
@@ -129,15 +129,12 @@ export default function DrawerRouter({
       };
     },
 
-    getRehydratedState(partialState, { routeNames, routeParamList }) {
+    getRehydratedState(partialState, configOptions) {
       if (partialState.stale === false) {
         return partialState;
       }
 
-      let state = router.getRehydratedState(partialState, {
-        routeNames,
-        routeParamList,
-      });
+      let state = router.getRehydratedState(partialState, configOptions);
 
       if (isDrawerOpen(partialState)) {
         state = openDrawer(state);
@@ -160,7 +157,7 @@ export default function DrawerRouter({
       return closeDrawer(result);
     },
 
-    getStateForAction(state, action, options) {
+    getStateForAction(state, action, configOptions) {
       switch (action.type) {
         case 'OPEN_DRAWER':
           return openDrawer(state);
@@ -186,10 +183,10 @@ export default function DrawerRouter({
             }
           }
 
-          return router.getStateForAction(state, action, options);
+          return router.getStateForAction(state, action, configOptions);
 
         default:
-          return router.getStateForAction(state, action, options);
+          return router.getStateForAction(state, action, configOptions);
       }
     },
 
diff --git a/packages/routers/src/StackRouter.tsx b/packages/routers/src/StackRouter.tsx
index 329c2afef6..3d3e8a66ab 100644
--- a/packages/routers/src/StackRouter.tsx
+++ b/packages/routers/src/StackRouter.tsx
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export const StackActions = {
   },
 };
 
-export default function StackRouter(options: StackRouterOptions) {
+export default function StackRouter() {
   const router: Router<
     StackNavigationState,
     CommonNavigationAction | StackActionType
@@ -103,11 +103,15 @@ export default function StackRouter(options: StackRouterOptions) {
 
     type: 'stack',
 
-    getInitialState({ routeNames, routeParamList }) {
+    getInitialState({
+      initialRouteName: _initialRouteName,
+      routeNames,
+      routeParamList,
+    }) {
       const initialRouteName =
-        options.initialRouteName !== undefined &&
-        routeNames.includes(options.initialRouteName)
-          ? options.initialRouteName
+        _initialRouteName !== undefined &&
+        routeNames.includes(_initialRouteName)
+          ? _initialRouteName
           : routeNames[0];
 
       return {
@@ -126,7 +130,10 @@ export default function StackRouter(options: StackRouterOptions) {
       };
     },
 
-    getRehydratedState(partialState, { routeNames, routeParamList }) {
+    getRehydratedState(
+      partialState,
+      { initialRouteName: _initialRouteName, routeNames, routeParamList }
+    ) {
       let state = partialState;
 
       if (state.stale === false) {
@@ -152,9 +159,7 @@ export default function StackRouter(options: StackRouterOptions) {
 
       if (routes.length === 0) {
         const initialRouteName =
-          options.initialRouteName !== undefined
-            ? options.initialRouteName
-            : routeNames[0];
+          _initialRouteName !== undefined ? _initialRouteName : routeNames[0];
 
         routes.push({
           key: `${initialRouteName}-${nanoid()}`,
@@ -173,16 +178,19 @@ export default function StackRouter(options: StackRouterOptions) {
       };
     },
 
-    getStateForRouteNamesChange(state, { routeNames, routeParamList }) {
+    getStateForRouteNamesChange(
+      state,
+      { initialRouteName: _initialRouteName, routeNames, routeParamList }
+    ) {
       const routes = state.routes.filter((route) =>
         routeNames.includes(route.name)
       );
 
       if (routes.length === 0) {
         const initialRouteName =
-          options.initialRouteName !== undefined &&
-          routeNames.includes(options.initialRouteName)
-            ? options.initialRouteName
+          _initialRouteName !== undefined &&
+          routeNames.includes(_initialRouteName)
+            ? _initialRouteName
             : routeNames[0];
 
         routes.push({
diff --git a/packages/routers/src/TabRouter.tsx b/packages/routers/src/TabRouter.tsx
index 77ce24d414..25ae4f1d2c 100644
--- a/packages/routers/src/TabRouter.tsx
+++ b/packages/routers/src/TabRouter.tsx
@@ -123,9 +123,9 @@ const changeIndex = (
 };
 
 export default function TabRouter({
-  initialRouteName,
   backBehavior = 'history',
-}: TabRouterOptions) {
+  ...options
+}: TabRouterOptions = {}) {
   const router: Router<
     TabNavigationState,
     TabActionType | CommonNavigationAction
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ export default function TabRouter({
 
     type: 'tab',
 
-    getInitialState({ routeNames, routeParamList }) {
+    getInitialState({ initialRouteName, routeNames, routeParamList }) {
       const index =
         initialRouteName !== undefined && routeNames.includes(initialRouteName)
           ? routeNames.indexOf(initialRouteName)
@@ -164,7 +164,10 @@ export default function TabRouter({
       };
     },
 
-    getRehydratedState(partialState, { routeNames, routeParamList }) {
+    getRehydratedState(
+      partialState,
+      { initialRouteName, routeNames, routeParamList }
+    ) {
       let state = partialState;
 
       if (state.stale === false) {
@@ -229,7 +232,10 @@ export default function TabRouter({
       };
     },
 
-    getStateForRouteNamesChange(state, { routeNames, routeParamList }) {
+    getStateForRouteNamesChange(
+      state,
+      { initialRouteName, routeNames, routeParamList }
+    ) {
       const routes = routeNames.map(
         (name) =>
           state.routes.find((r) => r.name === name) || {
@@ -275,10 +281,10 @@ export default function TabRouter({
         return state;
       }
 
-      return changeIndex(state, index, backBehavior, initialRouteName);
+      return changeIndex(state, index, backBehavior, options.initialRouteName);
     },
 
-    getStateForAction(state, action) {
+    getStateForAction(state, action, { initialRouteName }) {
       switch (action.type) {
         case 'JUMP_TO':
         case 'NAVIGATE': {
diff --git a/packages/routers/src/__tests__/DrawerRouter.test.tsx b/packages/routers/src/__tests__/DrawerRouter.test.tsx
index 4ec95b9058..57b286b602 100644
--- a/packages/routers/src/__tests__/DrawerRouter.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/routers/src/__tests__/DrawerRouter.test.tsx
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ it('gets initial state from route names and params with initialRouteName', () =>
 
   expect(
     router.getInitialState({
+      initialRouteName: 'baz',
       routeNames: ['bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
       routeParamList: {
         baz: { answer: 42 },
@@ -34,7 +35,7 @@ it('gets initial state from route names and params with initialRouteName', () =>
 });
 
 it('gets initial state from route names and params without initialRouteName', () => {
-  const router = DrawerRouter({});
+  const router = DrawerRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getInitialState({
@@ -60,7 +61,7 @@ it('gets initial state from route names and params without initialRouteName', ()
 });
 
 it('gets rehydrated state from partial state', () => {
-  const router = DrawerRouter({});
+  const router = DrawerRouter();
 
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
@@ -197,7 +198,7 @@ it('gets rehydrated state from partial state', () => {
 });
 
 it("doesn't rehydrate state if it's not stale", () => {
-  const router = DrawerRouter({});
+  const router = DrawerRouter();
 
   const state: DrawerNavigationState = {
     index: 0,
@@ -222,7 +223,7 @@ it("doesn't rehydrate state if it's not stale", () => {
 });
 
 it('handles navigate action', () => {
-  const router = DrawerRouter({});
+  const router = DrawerRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -263,7 +264,7 @@ it('handles navigate action', () => {
 });
 
 it('handles navigate action with open drawer', () => {
-  const router = DrawerRouter({});
+  const router = DrawerRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -304,7 +305,7 @@ it('handles navigate action with open drawer', () => {
 });
 
 it('handles open drawer action', () => {
-  const router = DrawerRouter({});
+  const router = DrawerRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -359,7 +360,7 @@ it('handles open drawer action', () => {
 });
 
 it('handles close drawer action', () => {
-  const router = DrawerRouter({});
+  const router = DrawerRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -417,7 +418,7 @@ it('handles close drawer action', () => {
 });
 
 it('handles toggle drawer action', () => {
-  const router = DrawerRouter({});
+  const router = DrawerRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar'],
     routeParamList: {},
diff --git a/packages/routers/src/__tests__/StackRouter.test.tsx b/packages/routers/src/__tests__/StackRouter.test.tsx
index f1c71f78b7..bd101266a0 100644
--- a/packages/routers/src/__tests__/StackRouter.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/routers/src/__tests__/StackRouter.test.tsx
@@ -3,10 +3,11 @@ import { CommonActions, StackRouter, StackActions } from '..';
 jest.mock('nanoid/non-secure', () => ({ nanoid: () => 'test' }));
 
 it('gets initial state from route names and params with initialRouteName', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({ initialRouteName: 'baz' });
+  const router = StackRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getInitialState({
+      initialRouteName: 'baz',
       routeNames: ['bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
       routeParamList: {
         baz: { answer: 42 },
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ it('gets initial state from route names and params with initialRouteName', () =>
 });
 
 it('gets initial state from route names and params without initialRouteName', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getInitialState({
@@ -45,7 +46,7 @@ it('gets initial state from route names and params without initialRouteName', ()
 });
 
 it('gets rehydrated state from partial state', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
 
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
@@ -121,7 +122,7 @@ it('gets rehydrated state from partial state', () => {
 });
 
 it("doesn't rehydrate state if it's not stale", () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
 
   const state = {
     index: 0,
@@ -141,7 +142,7 @@ it("doesn't rehydrate state if it's not stale", () => {
 });
 
 it('gets state on route names change', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getStateForRouteNamesChange(
@@ -208,7 +209,7 @@ it('gets state on route names change', () => {
 });
 
 it('gets state on route names change with initialRouteName', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({ initialRouteName: 'qux' });
+  const router = StackRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getStateForRouteNamesChange(
@@ -224,6 +225,7 @@ it('gets state on route names change with initialRouteName', () => {
         type: 'stack',
       },
       {
+        initialRouteName: 'qux',
         routeNames: ['baz', 'qux'],
         routeParamList: {
           baz: { name: 'John' },
@@ -241,7 +243,7 @@ it('gets state on route names change with initialRouteName', () => {
 });
 
 it('handles navigate action', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -428,7 +430,7 @@ it('handles navigate action', () => {
 });
 
 it('handles go back action', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -476,7 +478,7 @@ it('handles go back action', () => {
 });
 
 it('handles pop action', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -649,7 +651,7 @@ it('handles pop action', () => {
 });
 
 it('handles pop to top action', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -683,7 +685,7 @@ it('handles pop to top action', () => {
 });
 
 it('replaces focused screen with replace', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -721,7 +723,7 @@ it('replaces focused screen with replace', () => {
 });
 
 it('replaces active screen with replace', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -762,7 +764,7 @@ it('replaces active screen with replace', () => {
 });
 
 it("doesn't handle replace if source key isn't present", () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -793,7 +795,7 @@ it("doesn't handle replace if source key isn't present", () => {
 });
 
 it("doesn't handle replace if screen to replace with isn't present", () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -823,7 +825,7 @@ it("doesn't handle replace if screen to replace with isn't present", () => {
 });
 
 it('handles push action', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['baz', 'bar', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {
@@ -898,7 +900,7 @@ it('handles push action', () => {
 });
 
 it('changes index on focus change', () => {
-  const router = StackRouter({});
+  const router = StackRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getStateForRouteFocus(
diff --git a/packages/routers/src/__tests__/TabRouter.test.tsx b/packages/routers/src/__tests__/TabRouter.test.tsx
index e6fb2f5843..1cebfc4e6c 100644
--- a/packages/routers/src/__tests__/TabRouter.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/routers/src/__tests__/TabRouter.test.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ it('gets initial state from route names and params with initialRouteName', () =>
 
   expect(
     router.getInitialState({
+      initialRouteName: 'baz',
       routeNames: ['bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
       routeParamList: {
         baz: { answer: 42 },
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ it('gets initial state from route names and params with initialRouteName', () =>
 });
 
 it('gets initial state from route names and params without initialRouteName', () => {
-  const router = TabRouter({});
+  const router = TabRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getInitialState({
@@ -55,7 +56,7 @@ it('gets initial state from route names and params without initialRouteName', ()
 });
 
 it('gets rehydrated state from partial state', () => {
-  const router = TabRouter({});
+  const router = TabRouter();
 
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
@@ -190,7 +191,7 @@ it('gets rehydrated state from partial state', () => {
 });
 
 it("doesn't rehydrate state if it's not stale", () => {
-  const router = TabRouter({});
+  const router = TabRouter();
 
   const state: TabNavigationState = {
     index: 0,
@@ -370,7 +371,7 @@ it('restores correct history on rehydrating with backBehavior: none', () => {
 });
 
 it('gets state on route names change', () => {
-  const router = TabRouter({});
+  const router = TabRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getStateForRouteNamesChange(
@@ -444,7 +445,7 @@ it('gets state on route names change', () => {
 });
 
 it('preserves focused route on route names change', () => {
-  const router = TabRouter({});
+  const router = TabRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getStateForRouteNamesChange(
@@ -485,8 +486,50 @@ it('preserves focused route on route names change', () => {
   });
 });
 
+it('falls back to initial route if route is removed on route names change and initialRouteName is given', () => {
+  const router = TabRouter({ initialRouteName: 'bar' });
+
+  expect(
+    router.getStateForRouteNamesChange(
+      {
+        index: 1,
+        key: 'tab-test',
+        routeNames: ['bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
+        routes: [
+          { key: 'bar-test', name: 'bar' },
+          { key: 'baz-test', name: 'baz', params: { answer: 42 } },
+          { key: 'qux-test', name: 'qux', params: { name: 'Jane' } },
+        ],
+        history: [{ type: 'route', key: 'baz-test' }],
+        stale: false,
+        type: 'tab',
+      },
+      {
+        initialRouteName: 'fiz',
+        routeNames: ['qux', 'foo', 'fiz'],
+        routeParamList: {
+          qux: { name: 'John' },
+          fiz: { fruit: 'apple' },
+        },
+      }
+    )
+  ).toEqual({
+    index: 2,
+    key: 'tab-test',
+    routeNames: ['qux', 'foo', 'fiz'],
+    routes: [
+      { key: 'qux-test', name: 'qux', params: { name: 'Jane' } },
+      { key: 'foo-test', name: 'foo', params: undefined },
+      { key: 'fiz-test', name: 'fiz', params: { fruit: 'apple' } },
+    ],
+    history: [{ type: 'route', key: 'fiz-test' }],
+    stale: false,
+    type: 'tab',
+  });
+});
+
 it('falls back to first route if route is removed on route names change', () => {
-  const router = TabRouter({});
+  const router = TabRouter();
 
   expect(
     router.getStateForRouteNamesChange(
@@ -527,7 +570,7 @@ it('falls back to first route if route is removed on route names change', () =>
 });
 
 it('handles navigate action', () => {
-  const router = TabRouter({});
+  const router = TabRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['bar', 'baz'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -617,7 +660,7 @@ it('handles navigate action', () => {
 });
 
 it('handles jump to action', () => {
-  const router = TabRouter({});
+  const router = TabRouter();
   const options = {
     routeNames: ['bar', 'baz'],
     routeParamList: {},
@@ -889,6 +932,7 @@ it('handles back action with backBehavior: initialRoute and initialRouteName', (
   });
 
   const options = {
+    initialRouteName: 'baz',
     routeNames: ['bar', 'baz', 'qux'],
     routeParamList: {},
   };
diff --git a/packages/routers/src/types.tsx b/packages/routers/src/types.tsx
index 60179f542f..0c79130dc7 100644
--- a/packages/routers/src/types.tsx
+++ b/packages/routers/src/types.tsx
@@ -109,6 +109,7 @@ export type RouterFactory<
 > = (options: RouterOptions) => Router<State, Action>;
 
 export type RouterConfigOptions = {
+  initialRouteName?: string;
   routeNames: string[];
   routeParamList: ParamListBase;
 };