diff --git a/.changeset/validation-animation-derive-in-render.md b/.changeset/validation-animation-derive-in-render.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..c74bd167c4f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/validation-animation-derive-in-render.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@primer/react': patch
+---
+
+FormControl: Avoid an extra re-render when showing a validation message.
diff --git a/packages/react/src/internal/components/ValidationAnimationContainer.test.tsx b/packages/react/src/internal/components/ValidationAnimationContainer.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..bb7f2cec9d9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react/src/internal/components/ValidationAnimationContainer.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+import {render} from '@testing-library/react'
+import {describe, it, expect} from 'vitest'
+import ValidationAnimationContainer from './ValidationAnimationContainer'
+import {createRenderCounter} from '../../utils/testing/profiler'
+import {implementsClassName} from '../../utils/testing'
+
+describe('ValidationAnimationContainer', () => {
+  implementsClassName(props => <ValidationAnimationContainer show {...props} />)
+
+  it('renders children when show is true', () => {
+    const {getByText} = render(<ValidationAnimationContainer show>content</ValidationAnimationContainer>)
+    expect(getByText('content')).toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+
+  it('does not render children when show is false initially', () => {
+    const {queryByText} = render(<ValidationAnimationContainer show={false}>content</ValidationAnimationContainer>)
+    expect(queryByText('content')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+
+  it('renders children after show transitions to true', () => {
+    const {queryByText, rerender} = render(
+      <ValidationAnimationContainer show={false}>content</ValidationAnimationContainer>,
+    )
+    expect(queryByText('content')).not.toBeInTheDocument()
+
+    rerender(<ValidationAnimationContainer show={true}>content</ValidationAnimationContainer>)
+    expect(queryByText('content')).toBeInTheDocument()
+  })
+
+  it('commits once (no cascade) when show transitions to true', () => {
+    // The previous implementation set `shouldRender` from an effect, forcing an
+    // extra commit after the prop change. Deriving it during render keeps it to one.
+    const [Wrap, counter] = createRenderCounter()
+    const {rerender} = render(
+      <Wrap>
+        <ValidationAnimationContainer show={false}>content</ValidationAnimationContainer>
+      </Wrap>,
+    )
+    counter.reset()
+
+    rerender(
+      <Wrap>
+        <ValidationAnimationContainer show={true}>content</ValidationAnimationContainer>
+      </Wrap>,
+    )
+
+    expect(counter.updateCount).toBe(1)
+    expect(counter.nestedUpdateCount).toBe(0)
+  })
+})
diff --git a/packages/react/src/internal/components/ValidationAnimationContainer.tsx b/packages/react/src/internal/components/ValidationAnimationContainer.tsx
index 637502770f2..884ee15d2a7 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/internal/components/ValidationAnimationContainer.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/internal/components/ValidationAnimationContainer.tsx
@@ -1,25 +1,26 @@
 import type {HTMLProps} from 'react'
 import type React from 'react'
-import {useEffect, useState} from 'react'
+import {useState} from 'react'
 import classes from './ValidationAnimationContainer.module.css'
 
 interface Props extends HTMLProps<HTMLDivElement> {
   show?: boolean
 }
-const ValidationAnimationContainer: React.FC<React.PropsWithChildren<Props>> = ({show, children}) => {
+const ValidationAnimationContainer: React.FC<React.PropsWithChildren<Props>> = ({show, children, style, ...rest}) => {
   const [shouldRender, setRender] = useState(show)
 
-  useEffect(() => {
-    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/set-state-in-effect, react-you-might-not-need-an-effect/no-derived-state, react-you-might-not-need-an-effect/no-event-handler
-    if (show) setRender(true)
-  }, [show])
+  // Start rendering as soon as `show` becomes true. Adjusting state during render
+  // (instead of from an effect) avoids the extra post-commit render the effect caused.
+  if (show && !shouldRender) {
+    setRender(true)
+  }
 
   const onAnimationEnd = () => {
     if (!show) setRender(false)
   }
 
   return shouldRender ? (
-    <div style={{height: show ? 'auto' : 0, overflow: 'hidden'}}>
+    <div {...rest} style={{...style, height: show ? 'auto' : 0, overflow: 'hidden'}}>
       <div data-show={show ? '' : undefined} onAnimationEnd={onAnimationEnd} className={classes.Animation}>
         {children}
       </div>