diff --git a/packages/victory-group/src/victory-group.tsx b/packages/victory-group/src/victory-group.tsx
index f81cba9ec..7d587e00c 100644
--- a/packages/victory-group/src/victory-group.tsx
+++ b/packages/victory-group/src/victory-group.tsx
@@ -67,8 +67,11 @@ const VictoryGroupBase: React.FC<VictoryGroupProps> = (initialProps) => {
   const role = VictoryGroup?.role;
   const { getAnimationProps, setAnimationState, getProps } =
     Hooks.useAnimationState();
-  initialProps = { ...defaultProps, ...initialProps };
-  const props = getProps(initialProps);
+  const propsWithDefaults = React.useMemo(
+    () => ({ ...defaultProps, ...initialProps }),
+    [initialProps],
+  );
+  const props = getProps(propsWithDefaults);
 
   const modifiedProps = Helpers.modifyProps(props, fallbackProps, role);
   const {
@@ -132,8 +135,8 @@ const VictoryGroupBase: React.FC<VictoryGroupProps> = (initialProps) => {
   ]);
 
   const userProps = React.useMemo(
-    () => UserProps.getSafeUserProps(initialProps),
-    [initialProps],
+    () => UserProps.getSafeUserProps(propsWithDefaults),
+    [propsWithDefaults],
   );
 
   const container = React.useMemo(() => {
@@ -160,16 +163,16 @@ const VictoryGroupBase: React.FC<VictoryGroupProps> = (initialProps) => {
     return Wrapper.getAllEvents(props);
   }, [props]);
 
-  const previousProps = Hooks.usePreviousProps(initialProps);
+  const previousProps = Hooks.usePreviousProps(propsWithDefaults);
 
   React.useEffect(() => {
     // This is called before dismount to keep state in sync
     return () => {
-      if (initialProps.animate) {
+      if (propsWithDefaults.animate) {
         setAnimationState(previousProps, props);
       }
     };
-  }, [setAnimationState, previousProps, initialProps, props]);
+  }, [setAnimationState, previousProps, propsWithDefaults, props]);
 
   if (!isEmpty(events)) {
     return (