diff --git a/packages/expo-web-browser/src/WebBrowser.ts b/packages/expo-web-browser/src/WebBrowser.ts
index 37ee736ffcb01..dc19bcc0d6660 100644
--- a/packages/expo-web-browser/src/WebBrowser.ts
+++ b/packages/expo-web-browser/src/WebBrowser.ts
@@ -149,7 +149,18 @@ let _redirectHandler: ((event: RedirectEvent) => void) | null = null;
 // returns to active
 let _onWebBrowserCloseAndroid: null | (() => void) = null;
 
+// Store previous app state to check whether the listener has ever been attached
+let _previousAppState: null | string = AppState.currentState;
+
 function _onAppStateChangeAndroid(state: AppStateStatus) {
+  // if _previousAppState is null, we assume that the first call to
+  // AppState#change event is not actually triggered by a real change
+  // (https://facebook.github.io/react-native/docs/appstate#basic-usage)
+  if (_previousAppState === null) {
+    _previousAppState = state;
+    return;
+  }
+
   if (state === 'active' && _onWebBrowserCloseAndroid) {
     _onWebBrowserCloseAndroid();
   }