diff --git a/src/__tests__/jest-native.test.tsx b/src/__tests__/jest-native.test.tsx
index f52e74f7e..64601f47e 100644
--- a/src/__tests__/jest-native.test.tsx
+++ b/src/__tests__/jest-native.test.tsx
@@ -40,10 +40,10 @@ test('jest-native matchers work correctly', () => {
   expect(getByText('Disabled Button')).toBeDisabled();
   expect(getByText('Enabled Button')).not.toBeDisabled();
 
-  expect(getByA11yHint('Empty Text')).toBeEmpty();
-  expect(getByA11yHint('Empty View')).toBeEmpty();
-  expect(getByA11yHint('Not Empty Text')).not.toBeEmpty();
-  expect(getByA11yHint('Not Empty View')).not.toBeEmpty();
+  expect(getByA11yHint('Empty Text')).toBeEmptyElement();
+  expect(getByA11yHint('Empty View')).toBeEmptyElement();
+  expect(getByA11yHint('Not Empty Text')).not.toBeEmptyElement();
+  expect(getByA11yHint('Not Empty View')).not.toBeEmptyElement();
 
   expect(getByA11yHint('Container View')).toContainElement(
     // $FlowFixMe - TODO: fix @testing-library/jest-native flow typings
diff --git a/src/__tests__/react-native-api.test.tsx b/src/__tests__/react-native-api.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6fa2018aa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/__tests__/react-native-api.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+import * as React from 'react';
+import { View, Text, TextInput } from 'react-native';
+import { render } from '..';
+import { getHostSelf } from '../helpers/component-tree';
+
+/**
+ * Tests in this file are intended to give us an proactive warning that React Native behavior has
+ * changed in a way that may impact our code like queries or event handling.
+ */
+
+test('React Native API assumption: <View> renders single host element', () => {
+  const view = render(<View testID="test" />);
+  const hostView = view.getByTestId('test');
+  expect(getHostSelf(hostView)).toBe(hostView);
+
+  expect(view.toJSON()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+    <View
+      testID="test"
+    />
+  `);
+});
+
+test('React Native API assumption: <Text> renders single host element', () => {
+  const view = render(<Text testID="test">Hello</Text>);
+  const compositeView = view.getByText('Hello');
+  const hostView = view.getByTestId('test');
+  expect(getHostSelf(compositeView)).toBe(hostView);
+
+  expect(view.toJSON()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+    <Text
+      testID="test"
+    >
+      Hello
+    </Text>
+  `);
+});
+
+test('React Native API assumption: nested <Text> renders single host element', () => {
+  const view = render(
+    <Text testID="test">
+      <Text testID="before">Before</Text>
+      Hello
+      <Text testID="after">
+        <Text testID="deeplyNested">Deeply nested</Text>
+      </Text>
+    </Text>
+  );
+  expect(getHostSelf(view.getByText('Hello'))).toBe(view.getByTestId('test'));
+  expect(getHostSelf(view.getByText('Before'))).toBe(
+    view.getByTestId('before')
+  );
+  expect(getHostSelf(view.getByText('Deeply nested'))).toBe(
+    view.getByTestId('deeplyNested')
+  );
+
+  expect(view.toJSON()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+    <Text
+      testID="test"
+    >
+      <Text
+        testID="before"
+      >
+        Before
+      </Text>
+      Hello
+      <Text
+        testID="after"
+      >
+        <Text
+          testID="deeplyNested"
+        >
+          Deeply nested
+        </Text>
+      </Text>
+    </Text>
+  `);
+});
+
+test('React Native API assumption: <TextInput> renders single host element', () => {
+  const view = render(
+    <TextInput
+      testID="test"
+      defaultValue="default"
+      value="currentValue"
+      placeholder="Placeholder"
+    />
+  );
+  const compositeView = view.getByPlaceholderText('Placeholder');
+  const hostView = view.getByTestId('test');
+  expect(getHostSelf(compositeView)).toBe(hostView);
+
+  expect(view.toJSON()).toMatchInlineSnapshot(`
+    <TextInput
+      defaultValue="default"
+      placeholder="Placeholder"
+      testID="test"
+      value="currentValue"
+    />
+  `);
+});
diff --git a/src/helpers/__tests__/component-tree.test.tsx b/src/helpers/__tests__/component-tree.test.tsx
index 2b1b5c619..29d793c56 100644
--- a/src/helpers/__tests__/component-tree.test.tsx
+++ b/src/helpers/__tests__/component-tree.test.tsx
@@ -4,10 +4,15 @@ import { render } from '../..';
 import {
   getHostChildren,
   getHostParent,
+  getHostSelf,
   getHostSelves,
   getHostSiblings,
 } from '../component-tree';
 
+function ZeroHostChildren() {
+  return <></>;
+}
+
 function MultipleHostChildren() {
   return (
     <>
@@ -18,185 +23,269 @@ function MultipleHostChildren() {
   );
 }
 
-test('returns host parent for host component', () => {
-  const view = render(
-    <View testID="grandparent">
+describe('getHostParent()', () => {
+  it('returns host parent for host component', () => {
+    const view = render(
+      <View testID="grandparent">
+        <View testID="parent">
+          <View testID="subject" />
+          <View testID="sibling" />
+        </View>
+      </View>
+    );
+
+    const hostParent = getHostParent(view.getByTestId('subject'));
+    expect(hostParent).toBe(view.getByTestId('parent'));
+
+    const hostGrandparent = getHostParent(hostParent);
+    expect(hostGrandparent).toBe(view.getByTestId('grandparent'));
+
+    expect(getHostParent(hostGrandparent)).toBe(null);
+  });
+
+  it('returns host parent for composite component', () => {
+    const view = render(
       <View testID="parent">
+        <MultipleHostChildren />
         <View testID="subject" />
-        <View testID="sibling" />
       </View>
-    </View>
-  );
+    );
 
-  const hostParent = getHostParent(view.getByTestId('subject'));
-  expect(hostParent).toBe(view.getByTestId('parent'));
+    const compositeComponent = view.UNSAFE_getByType(MultipleHostChildren);
+    const hostParent = getHostParent(compositeComponent);
+    expect(hostParent).toBe(view.getByTestId('parent'));
+  });
+});
 
-  const hostGrandparent = getHostParent(hostParent);
-  expect(hostGrandparent).toBe(view.getByTestId('grandparent'));
+describe('getHostChildren()', () => {
+  it('returns host children for host component', () => {
+    const view = render(
+      <View testID="grandparent">
+        <View testID="parent">
+          <View testID="subject" />
+          <View testID="sibling" />
+        </View>
+      </View>
+    );
 
-  expect(getHostParent(hostGrandparent)).toBe(null);
-});
+    const hostSubject = view.getByTestId('subject');
+    expect(getHostChildren(hostSubject)).toEqual([]);
 
-test('returns host parent for composite component', () => {
-  const view = render(
-    <View testID="parent">
-      <MultipleHostChildren />
-      <View testID="subject" />
-    </View>
-  );
+    const hostSibling = view.getByTestId('sibling');
+    const hostParent = view.getByTestId('parent');
+    expect(getHostChildren(hostParent)).toEqual([hostSubject, hostSibling]);
 
-  const compositeComponent = view.UNSAFE_getByType(MultipleHostChildren);
-  const hostParent = getHostParent(compositeComponent);
-  expect(hostParent).toBe(view.getByTestId('parent'));
-});
+    const hostGrandparent = view.getByTestId('grandparent');
+    expect(getHostChildren(hostGrandparent)).toEqual([hostParent]);
+  });
 
-test('returns host children for host component', () => {
-  const view = render(
-    <View testID="grandparent">
+  it('returns host children for composite component', () => {
+    const view = render(
       <View testID="parent">
+        <MultipleHostChildren />
         <View testID="subject" />
         <View testID="sibling" />
       </View>
-    </View>
-  );
+    );
 
-  const hostSubject = view.getByTestId('subject');
-  expect(getHostChildren(hostSubject)).toEqual([]);
+    expect(getHostChildren(view.getByTestId('parent'))).toEqual([
+      view.getByTestId('child1'),
+      view.getByTestId('child2'),
+      view.getByTestId('child3'),
+      view.getByTestId('subject'),
+      view.getByTestId('sibling'),
+    ]);
+  });
+});
 
-  const hostSibling = view.getByTestId('sibling');
-  const hostParent = view.getByTestId('parent');
-  expect(getHostChildren(hostParent)).toEqual([hostSubject, hostSibling]);
+describe('getHostSelf()', () => {
+  it('returns passed element for host components', () => {
+    const view = render(
+      <View testID="grandparent">
+        <View testID="parent">
+          <View testID="subject" />
+          <View testID="sibling" />
+        </View>
+      </View>
+    );
 
-  const hostGrandparent = view.getByTestId('grandparent');
-  expect(getHostChildren(hostGrandparent)).toEqual([hostParent]);
-});
+    const hostSubject = view.getByTestId('subject');
+    expect(getHostSelf(hostSubject)).toEqual(hostSubject);
 
-test('returns host children for composite component', () => {
-  const view = render(
-    <View testID="parent">
-      <MultipleHostChildren />
-      <View testID="subject" />
-      <View testID="sibling" />
-    </View>
-  );
+    const hostSibling = view.getByTestId('sibling');
+    expect(getHostSelf(hostSibling)).toEqual(hostSibling);
 
-  expect(getHostChildren(view.getByTestId('parent'))).toEqual([
-    view.getByTestId('child1'),
-    view.getByTestId('child2'),
-    view.getByTestId('child3'),
-    view.getByTestId('subject'),
-    view.getByTestId('sibling'),
-  ]);
-});
+    const hostParent = view.getByTestId('parent');
+    expect(getHostSelf(hostParent)).toEqual(hostParent);
+
+    const hostGrandparent = view.getByTestId('grandparent');
+    expect(getHostSelf(hostGrandparent)).toEqual(hostGrandparent);
+  });
 
-test('returns host selves for host components', () => {
-  const view = render(
-    <View testID="grandparent">
+  it('returns single host child for React Native composite components', () => {
+    const view = render(
       <View testID="parent">
-        <View testID="subject" />
-        <View testID="sibling" />
+        <Text testID="text">Text</Text>
+        <TextInput
+          testID="textInput"
+          defaultValue="TextInputValue"
+          placeholder="TextInputPlaceholder"
+        />
       </View>
-    </View>
-  );
+    );
 
-  const hostSubject = view.getByTestId('subject');
-  expect(getHostSelves(hostSubject)).toEqual([hostSubject]);
+    const compositeText = view.getByText('Text');
+    const hostText = view.getByTestId('text');
+    expect(getHostSelf(compositeText)).toEqual(hostText);
 
-  const hostSibling = view.getByTestId('sibling');
-  expect(getHostSelves(hostSibling)).toEqual([hostSibling]);
+    const compositeTextInputByValue = view.getByDisplayValue('TextInputValue');
+    const compositeTextInputByPlaceholder = view.getByPlaceholderText(
+      'TextInputPlaceholder'
+    );
+    const hostTextInput = view.getByTestId('textInput');
+    expect(getHostSelf(compositeTextInputByValue)).toEqual(hostTextInput);
+    expect(getHostSelf(compositeTextInputByPlaceholder)).toEqual(hostTextInput);
+  });
 
-  const hostParent = view.getByTestId('parent');
-  expect(getHostSelves(hostParent)).toEqual([hostParent]);
+  it('throws on non-single host children elements for custom composite components', () => {
+    const view = render(
+      <View testID="parent">
+        <ZeroHostChildren />
+        <MultipleHostChildren />
+      </View>
+    );
 
-  const hostGrandparent = view.getByTestId('grandparent');
-  expect(getHostSelves(hostGrandparent)).toEqual([hostGrandparent]);
+    const zeroCompositeComponent = view.UNSAFE_getByType(ZeroHostChildren);
+    expect(() => getHostSelf(zeroCompositeComponent)).toThrow(
+      'Expected exactly one host element, but found none.'
+    );
+
+    const multipleCompositeComponent =
+      view.UNSAFE_getByType(MultipleHostChildren);
+    expect(() => getHostSelf(multipleCompositeComponent)).toThrow(
+      'Expected exactly one host element, but found 3.'
+    );
+  });
 });
 
-test('returns host selves for React Native composite components', () => {
-  const view = render(
-    <View testID="parent">
-      <Text testID="text">Text</Text>
-      <TextInput
-        testID="textInput"
-        defaultValue="TextInputValue"
-        placeholder="TextInputPlaceholder"
-      />
-    </View>
-  );
+describe('getHostSelves()', () => {
+  it('returns passed element for host components', () => {
+    const view = render(
+      <View testID="grandparent">
+        <View testID="parent">
+          <View testID="subject" />
+          <View testID="sibling" />
+        </View>
+      </View>
+    );
 
-  const compositeText = view.getByText('Text');
-  const hostText = view.getByTestId('text');
-  expect(getHostSelves(compositeText)).toEqual([hostText]);
+    const hostSubject = view.getByTestId('subject');
+    expect(getHostSelves(hostSubject)).toEqual([hostSubject]);
 
-  const compositeTextInputByValue = view.getByDisplayValue('TextInputValue');
-  const compositeTextInputByPlaceholder = view.getByPlaceholderText(
-    'TextInputPlaceholder'
-  );
-  const hostTextInput = view.getByTestId('textInput');
-  expect(getHostSelves(compositeTextInputByValue)).toEqual([hostTextInput]);
-  expect(getHostSelves(compositeTextInputByPlaceholder)).toEqual([
-    hostTextInput,
-  ]);
-});
+    const hostSibling = view.getByTestId('sibling');
+    expect(getHostSelves(hostSibling)).toEqual([hostSibling]);
 
-test('returns host selves for custom composite components', () => {
-  const view = render(
-    <View testID="parent">
-      <MultipleHostChildren />
-      <View testID="sibling" />
-    </View>
-  );
+    const hostParent = view.getByTestId('parent');
+    expect(getHostSelves(hostParent)).toEqual([hostParent]);
 
-  const compositeComponent = view.UNSAFE_getByType(MultipleHostChildren);
-  const hostChild1 = view.getByTestId('child1');
-  const hostChild2 = view.getByTestId('child2');
-  const hostChild3 = view.getByTestId('child3');
-  expect(getHostSelves(compositeComponent)).toEqual([
-    hostChild1,
-    hostChild2,
-    hostChild3,
-  ]);
-});
+    const hostGrandparent = view.getByTestId('grandparent');
+    expect(getHostSelves(hostGrandparent)).toEqual([hostGrandparent]);
+  });
 
-test('returns host siblings for host component', () => {
-  const view = render(
-    <View testID="grandparent">
+  test('returns single host element for React Native composite components', () => {
+    const view = render(
       <View testID="parent">
-        <View testID="siblingBefore" />
-        <View testID="subject" />
-        <View testID="siblingAfter" />
-        <MultipleHostChildren />
+        <Text testID="text">Text</Text>
+        <TextInput
+          testID="textInput"
+          defaultValue="TextInputValue"
+          placeholder="TextInputPlaceholder"
+        />
       </View>
-    </View>
-  );
+    );
 
-  const hostSiblings = getHostSiblings(view.getByTestId('subject'));
-  expect(hostSiblings).toEqual([
-    view.getByTestId('siblingBefore'),
-    view.getByTestId('siblingAfter'),
-    view.getByTestId('child1'),
-    view.getByTestId('child2'),
-    view.getByTestId('child3'),
-  ]);
-});
+    const compositeText = view.getByText('Text');
+    const hostText = view.getByTestId('text');
+    expect(getHostSelves(compositeText)).toEqual([hostText]);
 
-test('returns host siblings for composite component', () => {
-  const view = render(
-    <View testID="grandparent">
+    const compositeTextInputByValue = view.getByDisplayValue('TextInputValue');
+    const compositeTextInputByPlaceholder = view.getByPlaceholderText(
+      'TextInputPlaceholder'
+    );
+
+    const hostTextInput = view.getByTestId('textInput');
+    expect(getHostSelves(compositeTextInputByValue)).toEqual([hostTextInput]);
+    expect(getHostSelves(compositeTextInputByPlaceholder)).toEqual([
+      hostTextInput,
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  test('returns host children for custom composite components', () => {
+    const view = render(
       <View testID="parent">
-        <View testID="siblingBefore" />
-        <View testID="subject" />
-        <View testID="siblingAfter" />
+        <ZeroHostChildren />
         <MultipleHostChildren />
+        <View testID="sibling" />
       </View>
-    </View>
-  );
+    );
+
+    const zeroCompositeComponent = view.UNSAFE_getByType(ZeroHostChildren);
+    expect(getHostSelves(zeroCompositeComponent)).toEqual([]);
+
+    const multipleCompositeComponent =
+      view.UNSAFE_getByType(MultipleHostChildren);
+    const hostChild1 = view.getByTestId('child1');
+    const hostChild2 = view.getByTestId('child2');
+    const hostChild3 = view.getByTestId('child3');
+    expect(getHostSelves(multipleCompositeComponent)).toEqual([
+      hostChild1,
+      hostChild2,
+      hostChild3,
+    ]);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('getHostSiblings()', () => {
+  it('returns host siblings for host component', () => {
+    const view = render(
+      <View testID="grandparent">
+        <View testID="parent">
+          <View testID="siblingBefore" />
+          <View testID="subject" />
+          <View testID="siblingAfter" />
+          <MultipleHostChildren />
+        </View>
+      </View>
+    );
+
+    const hostSiblings = getHostSiblings(view.getByTestId('subject'));
+    expect(hostSiblings).toEqual([
+      view.getByTestId('siblingBefore'),
+      view.getByTestId('siblingAfter'),
+      view.getByTestId('child1'),
+      view.getByTestId('child2'),
+      view.getByTestId('child3'),
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it('returns host siblings for composite component', () => {
+    const view = render(
+      <View testID="grandparent">
+        <View testID="parent">
+          <View testID="siblingBefore" />
+          <View testID="subject" />
+          <View testID="siblingAfter" />
+          <MultipleHostChildren />
+        </View>
+      </View>
+    );
 
-  const compositeComponent = view.UNSAFE_getByType(MultipleHostChildren);
-  const hostSiblings = getHostSiblings(compositeComponent);
-  expect(hostSiblings).toEqual([
-    view.getByTestId('siblingBefore'),
-    view.getByTestId('subject'),
-    view.getByTestId('siblingAfter'),
-  ]);
+    const compositeComponent = view.UNSAFE_getByType(MultipleHostChildren);
+    const hostSiblings = getHostSiblings(compositeComponent);
+    expect(hostSiblings).toEqual([
+      view.getByTestId('siblingBefore'),
+      view.getByTestId('subject'),
+      view.getByTestId('siblingAfter'),
+    ]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/helpers/component-tree.ts b/src/helpers/component-tree.ts
index 340472d72..d6be13755 100644
--- a/src/helpers/component-tree.ts
+++ b/src/helpers/component-tree.ts
@@ -59,6 +59,32 @@ export function getHostChildren(
   return hostChildren;
 }
 
+/**
+ * Return a single host element that represent the passed host or composite element.
+ *
+ * @param element The element start traversing from.
+ * @throws Error if the passed element is a composite element and has no host children or has more than one host child.
+ * @returns If the passed element is a host element, it will return itself, if the passed element is a composite
+ * element, it will return a single host descendant.
+ */
+export function getHostSelf(
+  element: ReactTestInstance | null
+): ReactTestInstance {
+  const hostSelves = getHostSelves(element);
+
+  if (hostSelves.length === 0) {
+    throw new Error(`Expected exactly one host element, but found none.`);
+  }
+
+  if (hostSelves.length > 1) {
+    throw new Error(
+      `Expected exactly one host element, but found ${hostSelves.length}.`
+    );
+  }
+
+  return hostSelves[0];
+}
+
 /**
  * Return the array of host elements that represent the passed element.
  *