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[GH-ISSUE #3123] Better Auth's React hooks fail when used with Next.js 15 App Router, throwing "Cannot read properties of null (reading 'useRef')" error. #18112

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opened 2026-04-15 16:29:37 -05:00 by GiteaMirror · 3 comments
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-15 16:29:37 -05:00
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Originally created by @panp2000 on GitHub (Jun 21, 2025).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/issues/3123

Is this suited for github?

  • Yes, this is suited for github

To Reproduce

  1. Create Next.js 15 app with App Router
  2. Install better-auth@1.2.10
  3. Create auth client: 
    import { createAuthClient } from

"better-auth/react";
export const authClient = createAuthClient({
baseURL: "http://localhost:3000",
});
export const { useSession } = authClient;
4. Use in client component with "use client" directive
5. Access the page

Current vs. Expected behavior

Component should render without errors

Actual Behavior

TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'useRef') at process.env.NODE_ENV.exports.useRef (/node_modules/react/cjs/react.development.js:1218:33) at useStore (file:///node_modules/better-auth/dist/client/react/index.mjs:12:21)

What version of Better Auth are you using?

1.2.10

Provide environment information

- OS: Ubuntu 24.04LTS
  - Node: v22.13.0 & v22.16.0 (tested both)
  - Next.js: 15.3.3
  - Better Auth: 1.2.10
  - React: 18.3.1 (also tested with 19.1.0 - same issue)
  - Browser: Chrome 137.0.7151.120

Which area(s) are affected? (Select all that apply)

Backend

Auth config (if applicable)

import { betterAuth } from "better-auth"
export const auth = betterAuth({
  emailAndPassword: {  
    enabled: true
  },
});

Additional context

  • Works fine with dynamic import and ssr: false
  • Issue appears to be App Router specific
  • Not related to Node.js version
Originally created by @panp2000 on GitHub (Jun 21, 2025). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/issues/3123 ### Is this suited for github? - [x] Yes, this is suited for github ### To Reproduce 1. Create Next.js 15 app with App Router 2. Install better-auth@1.2.10 3. Create auth client: ```ts import { createAuthClient } from "better-auth/react"; export const authClient = createAuthClient({ baseURL: "http://localhost:3000", }); export const { useSession } = authClient; 4. Use in client component with "use client" directive 5. Access the page ### Current vs. Expected behavior Component should render without errors Actual Behavior TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'useRef') at process.env.NODE_ENV.exports.useRef (/node_modules/react/cjs/react.development.js:1218:33) at useStore (file:///node_modules/better-auth/dist/client/react/index.mjs:12:21) ### What version of Better Auth are you using? 1.2.10 ### Provide environment information ```bash - OS: Ubuntu 24.04LTS - Node: v22.13.0 & v22.16.0 (tested both) - Next.js: 15.3.3 - Better Auth: 1.2.10 - React: 18.3.1 (also tested with 19.1.0 - same issue) - Browser: Chrome 137.0.7151.120 ``` ### Which area(s) are affected? (Select all that apply) Backend ### Auth config (if applicable) ```typescript import { betterAuth } from "better-auth" export const auth = betterAuth({ emailAndPassword: { enabled: true }, }); ``` ### Additional context - Works fine with dynamic import and ssr: false - Issue appears to be App Router specific - Not related to Node.js version
GiteaMirror added the locked label 2026-04-15 16:29:37 -05:00
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-15 16:29:40 -05:00
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@dosubot[bot] commented on GitHub (Jun 21, 2025):

Hi @panp2000! I'm Dosu and I’m helping the better-auth team.

This is a compatibility issue between Better Auth's React hooks and the Next.js 15 App Router. The error occurs because Better Auth's hooks (like useSession) rely on React's useRef and useSyncExternalStore, which require a valid client-side React context. In Next.js 15 App Router, it's easy to accidentally invoke these hooks in a server context or outside a proper client boundary, leading to the "Cannot read properties of null (reading 'useRef')" error. This is not related to your Node.js or React version.

There are no existing tickets or fixes for this specific error. The most reliable workaround is to use dynamic import with ssr: false for any component that uses Better Auth's hooks, ensuring they only run on the client and never during SSR. This matches your observation that the issue disappears with this pattern. For now, this is the recommended approach until Better Auth or Next.js introduces a more seamless integration for App Router environments.
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<!-- gh-comment-id:2993757712 --> @dosubot[bot] commented on GitHub (Jun 21, 2025): <!-- Greeting --> Hi @panp2000! I'm [Dosu](https://go.dosu.dev/dosubot) and I’m helping the better-auth team. <!-- Answer --> This is a compatibility issue between Better Auth's React hooks and the Next.js 15 App Router. The error occurs because Better Auth's hooks (like useSession) rely on React's useRef and useSyncExternalStore, which require a valid client-side React context. In Next.js 15 App Router, it's easy to accidentally invoke these hooks in a server context or outside a proper client boundary, leading to the "Cannot read properties of null (reading 'useRef')" error. This is not related to your Node.js or React version. There are no existing tickets or fixes for this specific error. The most reliable workaround is to use dynamic import with ssr: false for any component that uses Better Auth's hooks, ensuring they only run on the client and never during SSR. This matches your observation that the issue disappears with this pattern. For now, this is the recommended approach until Better Auth or Next.js introduces a more seamless integration for App Router environments. [Reference](https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/blob/2fe1be0e5f023be77b07206dd960f9fd38abba8c/packages/better-auth/src/client/react/index.ts) <!-- Dosu Comment Footer --> *To reply, just mention [@dosu](https://go.dosu.dev/dosubot).* --- <sup>How did I do? [Good](https://app.dosu.dev/response-feedback/fc1bb0b5-9ba1-4f7c-ab0c-5b06ff565831?feedback_type=great_response) | [Irrelevant](https://app.dosu.dev/response-feedback/fc1bb0b5-9ba1-4f7c-ab0c-5b06ff565831?feedback_type=irrelevant_answer) | [Incorrect](https://app.dosu.dev/response-feedback/fc1bb0b5-9ba1-4f7c-ab0c-5b06ff565831?feedback_type=incorrect_sources) | [Verbose](https://app.dosu.dev/response-feedback/fc1bb0b5-9ba1-4f7c-ab0c-5b06ff565831?feedback_type=too_verbose) | [Hallucination](https://app.dosu.dev/response-feedback/fc1bb0b5-9ba1-4f7c-ab0c-5b06ff565831?feedback_type=hallucination) | [Report 🐛](https://app.dosu.dev/response-feedback/fc1bb0b5-9ba1-4f7c-ab0c-5b06ff565831?feedback_type=bug_report) | [Other](https://app.dosu.dev/response-feedback/fc1bb0b5-9ba1-4f7c-ab0c-5b06ff565831?feedback_type=other)</sup>&nbsp;&nbsp;[![Join Discord](https://img.shields.io/badge/join-5865F2?logo=discord&logoColor=white&label=)](https://go.dosu.dev/discord-bot)&nbsp;[![Share on X](https://img.shields.io/badge/X-share-black)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=%40dosu_ai%20helped%20me%20solve%20this%20issue!&url=https%3A//github.com/better-auth/better-auth/issues/3123)
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-15 16:29:41 -05:00
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@Kinfe123 commented on GitHub (Jun 22, 2025):

can you please run this

pnpm/npm ls react

you can use pnpm or npm for listing the react and if you got the two listed here. it might be a problem of dual react here , in which both losts there reference to the instance.

<!-- gh-comment-id:2993854036 --> @Kinfe123 commented on GitHub (Jun 22, 2025): can you please run this ```bash pnpm/npm ls react ``` you can use pnpm or npm for listing the react and if you got the two listed here. it might be a problem of dual react here , in which both losts there reference to the instance.
GiteaMirror commented 2026-04-15 16:29:41 -05:00
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@GeuntaBuwono commented on GitHub (Jul 5, 2025):

this issue should be related with Issue
use authClient.getSession() implementation instead.

<!-- gh-comment-id:3040324371 --> @GeuntaBuwono commented on GitHub (Jul 5, 2025): this issue should be related with [Issue](https://github.com/better-auth/better-auth/issues/1006) use `authClient.getSession()` implementation instead.
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Reference: github-starred/better-auth#18112