diff --git a/lib/assets/src/index.ts b/lib/assets/src/index.ts
index bd6cd12..a4b9adb 100644
--- a/lib/assets/src/index.ts
+++ b/lib/assets/src/index.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,9 @@ export {
     AssetsRegistryModuleId,
 } from './preinit'
 
+// Resolve reference once and keep in closure
+const metroRequire = __r
+
 // iOS cannot display SVGs
 let _preferredType: Asset['type'] = Platform.OS === 'ios' ? 'png' : 'svg'
 /**
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@ export function* getCustomAssets(): Generator<CustomAsset> {
 export function* getPackagerAssets(): Generator<PackagerAsset> {
     for (const reg of Object.values(cache))
         for (const moduleId of Object.values(reg))
-            yield AssetsRegistry.getAssetByID(__r(moduleId))
+            yield AssetsRegistry.getAssetByID(metroRequire(moduleId))
 }
 
 /**
@@ -79,7 +82,9 @@ export function getAssetsByName(
 
     return Object.entries(reg).reduce(
         (acc, [type, mid]) => {
-            acc[type as Asset['type']] = AssetsRegistry.getAssetByID(__r(mid))!
+            acc[type as Asset['type']] = AssetsRegistry.getAssetByID(
+                metroRequire(mid),
+            )!
             return acc
         },
         {} as Record<Asset['type'], Asset>,
@@ -106,13 +111,13 @@ export function getAssetIdByName(
 
     if (type !== undefined) {
         const mid = reg[type]
-        return mid && __r(mid)
+        return mid && metroRequire(mid)
     }
 
     let mid = reg[_preferredType]
     mid ??= Object.values(reg)[0]
 
-    return mid && __r(mid)
+    return mid && metroRequire(mid)
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/lib/assets/src/preinit.ts b/lib/assets/src/preinit.ts
index 83ff56f..4a5a7ff 100644
--- a/lib/assets/src/preinit.ts
+++ b/lib/assets/src/preinit.ts
@@ -55,6 +55,9 @@ const unsubAR = waitForModules(
             // TODO(lib/assets/caches): Ideally we should not wait for the cache promise here, see the promise impl for more info.
             cached.then(cached => {
                 if (!cached) {
+                    // Resolve reference once and keep in closure
+                    const metroRequire = __r
+
                     // More fragile way, but also more performant:
                     // There is exactly one asset before the reexported asset registry :/
                     const firstAssetModuleId = id - 1
@@ -62,7 +65,8 @@ const unsubAR = waitForModules(
                         if (mId < firstAssetModuleId) continue
 
                         const deps = getModuleDependencies(mId)!
-                        if (deps.length === 1 && deps[0] === id) __r(mId)
+                        if (deps.length === 1 && deps[0] === id)
+                            metroRequire(mId)
                     }
                 }
             })