diff --git a/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/css/customProperties.js b/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/css/customProperties.js
index c59b5a90..b920cb4a 100644
--- a/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/css/customProperties.js
+++ b/packages/react-strict-dom/src/native/css/customProperties.js
@@ -68,7 +68,10 @@ function resolveVariableReferenceValue(
   if (variableValue != null) {
     if (typeof variableValue === 'object' && variableValue.default != null) {
       let defaultValue = variableValue.default;
-      if (colorScheme === 'dark') {
+      if (
+        colorScheme === 'dark' &&
+        variableValue['@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)'] != null
+      ) {
         defaultValue = variableValue['@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)'];
       }
       return defaultValue;
diff --git a/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/css/css-define-vars-test.native.js b/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/css/css-define-vars-test.native.js
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..84df94af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react-strict-dom/tests/css/css-define-vars-test.native.js
@@ -0,0 +1,105 @@
+/**
+ * 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.
+ */
+
+import * as React from 'react';
+import { css, html } from 'react-strict-dom';
+import { act, create } from 'react-test-renderer';
+
+describe('css.defineVars(): @media', () => {
+  const ReactNative = require('../../src/native/react-native');
+
+  beforeEach(() => {
+    ReactNative.useWindowDimensions.mockReturnValue({
+      height: 1000,
+      width: 2000
+    });
+    ReactNative.useColorScheme.mockReturnValue('light');
+
+    // avoid console messages for these tests
+    jest.spyOn(console, 'error');
+    console.error.mockImplementation(() => {});
+    jest.spyOn(console, 'warn');
+    console.warn.mockImplementation(() => {});
+  });
+
+  afterEach(() => {
+    ReactNative.useWindowDimensions.mockReturnValue({
+      height: 1000,
+      width: 2000
+    });
+    ReactNative.useColorScheme.mockReturnValue('light');
+
+    console.error.mockRestore();
+    console.warn.mockRestore();
+    jest.clearAllMocks();
+  });
+
+  const tokens = css.defineVars({
+    prefersColor: {
+      default: 'blue',
+      '@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark)': 'darkblue'
+    },
+    maxHeight: {
+      default: 100,
+      '@media (max-height: 400px)': 300
+    }
+  });
+
+  const styles = css.create({
+    root: {
+      backgroundColor: tokens.prefersColor,
+      maxHeight: tokens.maxHeight
+    }
+  });
+
+  describe('@media (prefers-color-scheme)', () => {
+    test('color-scheme: light - returns default', () => {
+      let root;
+      act(() => {
+        root = create(<html.div style={styles.root} />);
+      });
+      expect(root.toJSON().props.style.backgroundColor).toBe('blue');
+    });
+
+    test('color-scheme: dark - returns media query value)', () => {
+      ReactNative.useColorScheme.mockReturnValue('dark');
+      let root;
+      act(() => {
+        root = create(<html.div style={styles.root} />);
+      });
+      expect(root.toJSON().props.style.backgroundColor).toBe('darkblue');
+    });
+  });
+
+  describe('other media queries', () => {
+    test('matches (max-height: 400px) - returns default', () => {
+      ReactNative.useWindowDimensions.mockReturnValue({ height: 100 });
+      let root;
+      act(() => {
+        root = create(<html.span style={styles.root} />);
+      });
+      expect(root.toJSON().props.style.maxHeight).toBe(100);
+    });
+    test('matches (max-height: 400px) with color-scheme: dark - returns default', () => {
+      ReactNative.useColorScheme.mockReturnValue('dark');
+      ReactNative.useWindowDimensions.mockReturnValue({ height: 100 });
+      let root;
+      act(() => {
+        root = create(<html.span style={styles.root} />);
+      });
+      expect(root.toJSON().props.style.maxHeight).toBe(100);
+    });
+    test('does not match (max-height: 400px) - returns default', () => {
+      ReactNative.useWindowDimensions.mockReturnValue({ height: 1000 });
+      let root;
+      act(() => {
+        root = create(<html.span style={styles.root} />);
+      });
+      expect(root.toJSON().props.style.maxHeight).toBe(100);
+    });
+  });
+});