diff --git a/packages/core/src/hooks/useTransition.tsx b/packages/core/src/hooks/useTransition.tsx
index 0dabb418b2..8f44b25a6c 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/hooks/useTransition.tsx
+++ b/packages/core/src/hooks/useTransition.tsx
@@ -73,12 +73,6 @@ export function useTransition(
   const items = toArray(data)
   const transitions: TransitionState[] = []
 
-  // Keys help with reusing transitions between renders.
-  // The `key` prop can be undefined (which means the items themselves are used
-  // as keys), or a function (which maps each item to its key), or an array of
-  // keys (which are assigned to each item by index).
-  const keys = getKeys(items, props)
-
   // The "onRest" callbacks need a ref to the latest transitions.
   const usedTransitions = useRef<TransitionState[] | null>(null)
   const prevTransitions = reset ? null : usedTransitions.current
@@ -96,6 +90,12 @@ export function useTransition(
     })
   )
 
+  // Keys help with reusing transitions between renders.
+  // The `key` prop can be undefined (which means the items themselves are used
+  // as keys), or a function (which maps each item to its key), or an array of
+  // keys (which are assigned to each item by index).
+  const keys = getKeys(items, props, prevTransitions)
+
   // Map old indices to new indices.
   const reused: number[] = []
   if (prevTransitions)
@@ -309,9 +309,28 @@ export function useTransition(
     : renderTransitions
 }
 
+/** Local state for auto-generated item keys */
+let nextKey = 1
+
 function getKeys(
   items: readonly any[],
-  { key, keys = key }: { key?: ItemKeys; keys?: ItemKeys }
+  { key, keys = key }: { key?: ItemKeys; keys?: ItemKeys },
+  prevTransitions: TransitionState[] | null
 ): readonly any[] {
+  if (keys === null) {
+    const reused = new Set()
+    return items.map(item => {
+      const t =
+        prevTransitions &&
+        prevTransitions.find(
+          t => t.item === item && t.phase !== LEAVE && !reused.has(t)
+        )
+      if (t) {
+        reused.add(t)
+        return t.key
+      }
+      return nextKey++
+    })
+  }
   return is.und(keys) ? items : is.fun(keys) ? items.map(keys) : toArray(keys)
 }