diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/composition/CompositionBox.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/composition/CompositionBox.tsx
index f8f78895d..3e93eb4b9 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/composition/CompositionBox.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/composition/CompositionBox.tsx
@@ -243,10 +243,10 @@ const StyledSendMessageInput = styled.div<{ dir?: HTMLDirection }>`
 class CompositionBoxInner extends Component<Props, State> {
   private readonly textarea: RefObject<any>;
   private readonly fileInput: RefObject<HTMLInputElement>;
+  private container: RefObject<HTMLDivElement>;
   private readonly emojiPanel: RefObject<HTMLDivElement>;
   private readonly emojiPanelButton: any;
   private linkPreviewAbortController?: AbortController;
-  private container: HTMLDivElement | null;
 
   constructor(props: Props) {
     super(props);
@@ -254,8 +254,8 @@ class CompositionBoxInner extends Component<Props, State> {
 
     this.textarea = createRef();
     this.fileInput = createRef();
+    this.container = createRef();
 
-    this.container = null;
     // Emojis
     this.emojiPanel = createRef();
     this.emojiPanelButton = createRef();
@@ -265,17 +265,17 @@ class CompositionBoxInner extends Component<Props, State> {
 
   public componentDidMount() {
     setTimeout(this.focusCompositionBox, 500);
-
-    const div = this.container;
-    div?.addEventListener('paste', this.handlePaste);
+    if (this.container.current) {
+      this.container.current.addEventListener('paste', this.handlePaste);
+    }
   }
 
   public componentWillUnmount() {
     this.linkPreviewAbortController?.abort();
     this.linkPreviewAbortController = undefined;
-
-    const div = this.container;
-    div?.removeEventListener('paste', this.handlePaste);
+    if (this.container.current) {
+      this.container.current.removeEventListener('paste', this.handlePaste);
+    }
   }
 
   public componentDidUpdate(prevProps: Props, _prevState: State) {
@@ -414,9 +414,7 @@ class CompositionBoxInner extends Component<Props, State> {
           role="main"
           dir={this.props.htmlDirection}
           onClick={this.focusCompositionBox} // used to focus on the textarea when clicking in its container
-          ref={el => {
-            this.container = el;
-          }}
+          ref={this.container}
           data-testid="message-input"
         >
           <CompositionTextArea
diff --git a/ts/components/conversation/composition/CompositionTextArea.tsx b/ts/components/conversation/composition/CompositionTextArea.tsx
index 6c8a1a1b5..382212603 100644
--- a/ts/components/conversation/composition/CompositionTextArea.tsx
+++ b/ts/components/conversation/composition/CompositionTextArea.tsx
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ const sendMessageStyle = (dir?: HTMLDirection) => {
 type Props = {
   draft: string;
   setDraft: (draft: string) => void;
-  container: HTMLDivElement | null;
+  container: RefObject<HTMLDivElement>;
   textAreaRef: RefObject<HTMLTextAreaElement>;
   fetchUsersForGroup: (query: string, callback: (data: any) => void) => void;
   typingEnabled: boolean;
@@ -123,7 +123,7 @@ export const CompositionTextArea = (props: Props) => {
       rows={1}
       data-testid="message-input-text-area"
       style={style}
-      suggestionsPortalHost={container as any}
+      suggestionsPortalHost={container.current || undefined}
       forceSuggestionsAboveCursor={true} // force mentions to be rendered on top of the cursor, this is working with a fork of react-mentions for now
     >
       <Mention