diff --git a/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingModule.java b/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingModule.java
index 88b66da722..7196021b11 100644
--- a/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingModule.java
+++ b/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingModule.java
@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@
 import com.facebook.react.bridge.ReactApplicationContext;
 import com.facebook.react.bridge.ReactMethod;
 import com.facebook.react.bridge.ReadableMap;
+import com.facebook.react.bridge.WritableMap;
 import com.google.android.gms.tasks.Tasks;
 import com.google.firebase.iid.FirebaseInstanceId;
 import com.google.firebase.messaging.FirebaseMessaging;
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@
 
 public class ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingModule extends ReactNativeFirebaseModule implements ActivityEventListener {
   private static final String TAG = "Messaging";
-  RemoteMessage initialNotification = null;
+  ReadableMap initialNotification = null;
   private HashMap<String, Boolean> initialNotificationMap = new HashMap<>();
 
   ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingModule(ReactApplicationContext reactContext) {
@@ -49,17 +50,17 @@ public class ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingModule extends ReactNativeFirebaseModul
     reactContext.addActivityEventListener(this);
   }
 
-  private RemoteMessage popRemoteMessageFromMessagingStore(String messageId) {
+  private WritableMap popRemoteMessageMapFromMessagingStore(String messageId) {
     ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStore messagingStore = ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStoreHelper.getInstance().getMessagingStore();
-    RemoteMessage remoteMessage = messagingStore.getFirebaseMessage(messageId);
+    WritableMap remoteMessageMap = messagingStore.getFirebaseMessageMap(messageId);
     messagingStore.clearFirebaseMessage(messageId);
-    return remoteMessage;
+    return remoteMessageMap;
   }
 
   @ReactMethod
   public void getInitialNotification(Promise promise) {
     if (initialNotification != null) {
-      promise.resolve(ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.remoteMessageToWritableMap(initialNotification));
+      promise.resolve(initialNotification);
       initialNotification = null;
       return;
     } else {
@@ -75,12 +76,15 @@ public void getInitialNotification(Promise promise) {
 
           // only handle non-consumed initial notifications
           if (messageId != null && initialNotificationMap.get(messageId) == null) {
+            WritableMap remoteMessageMap;
             RemoteMessage remoteMessage = ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingReceiver.notifications.get(messageId);
             if (remoteMessage == null) {
-              remoteMessage = popRemoteMessageFromMessagingStore(messageId);
+              remoteMessageMap = popRemoteMessageMapFromMessagingStore(messageId);
+            } else {
+              remoteMessageMap = ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.remoteMessageToWritableMap(remoteMessage);
             }
-            if (remoteMessage != null) {
-              promise.resolve(ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.remoteMessageToWritableMap(remoteMessage));
+            if (remoteMessageMap != null){
+              promise.resolve(remoteMessageMap);
               initialNotificationMap.put(messageId, true);
               return;
             }
@@ -217,16 +221,20 @@ public void onNewIntent(Intent intent) {
 
       if (messageId != null) {
         RemoteMessage remoteMessage = ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingReceiver.notifications.get(messageId);
+        WritableMap remoteMessageMap;
+
         if (remoteMessage == null) {
-          remoteMessage = popRemoteMessageFromMessagingStore(messageId);
+          remoteMessageMap = popRemoteMessageMapFromMessagingStore(messageId);
+        } else {
+          remoteMessageMap = ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.remoteMessageToWritableMap(remoteMessage);
         }
-
-        if (remoteMessage != null) {
-          initialNotification = remoteMessage;
+        
+        if (remoteMessageMap != null){
+          initialNotification = remoteMessageMap;
           ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingReceiver.notifications.remove(messageId);
 
           ReactNativeFirebaseEventEmitter emitter = ReactNativeFirebaseEventEmitter.getSharedInstance();
-          emitter.sendEvent(ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.remoteMessageToEvent(remoteMessage, true));
+          emitter.sendEvent(ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.remoteMessageMapToEvent(remoteMessageMap, true));
         }
       }
     }
diff --git a/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.java b/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.java
index 0036b033b3..f6ad52d679 100644
--- a/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.java
+++ b/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingSerializer.java
@@ -50,6 +50,10 @@ public static ReactNativeFirebaseEvent remoteMessageToEvent(RemoteMessage remote
     return new ReactNativeFirebaseEvent(openEvent ? EVENT_NOTIFICATION_OPENED : EVENT_MESSAGE_RECEIVED, remoteMessageToWritableMap(remoteMessage));
   }
 
+  public static ReactNativeFirebaseEvent remoteMessageMapToEvent(WritableMap remoteMessageMap, Boolean openEvent) {
+    return new ReactNativeFirebaseEvent(openEvent ? EVENT_NOTIFICATION_OPENED : EVENT_MESSAGE_RECEIVED, remoteMessageMap);
+  }
+
   public static ReactNativeFirebaseEvent newTokenToTokenEvent(String newToken) {
     WritableMap eventBody = Arguments.createMap();
     eventBody.putString(KEY_TOKEN, newToken);
diff --git a/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStore.java b/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStore.java
index c7effba925..ac2a4318dd 100644
--- a/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStore.java
+++ b/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStore.java
@@ -2,10 +2,15 @@
 
 import com.google.firebase.messaging.RemoteMessage;
 
+import com.facebook.react.bridge.WritableMap;
+
 public interface ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStore {
   void storeFirebaseMessage(RemoteMessage remoteMessage);
 
+  @Deprecated
   RemoteMessage getFirebaseMessage(String remoteMessageId);
 
+  WritableMap getFirebaseMessageMap(String remoteMessageId);
+
   void clearFirebaseMessage(String remoteMessageId);
 }
diff --git a/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStoreImpl.java b/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStoreImpl.java
index 94c2b16e12..c0045d7c2c 100644
--- a/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStoreImpl.java
+++ b/packages/messaging/android/src/main/java/io/invertase/firebase/messaging/ReactNativeFirebaseMessagingStoreImpl.java
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 package io.invertase.firebase.messaging;
 
+import com.facebook.react.bridge.ReadableMap;
 import com.facebook.react.bridge.WritableMap;
 import com.google.firebase.messaging.RemoteMessage;
 
@@ -47,16 +48,26 @@ public void storeFirebaseMessage(RemoteMessage remoteMessage) {
     }
   }
 
+  @Deprecated
   @Override
   public RemoteMessage getFirebaseMessage(String remoteMessageId) {
+    ReadableMap messageMap = getFirebaseMessageMap(remoteMessageId);
+    if (messageMap != null){
+      return remoteMessageFromReadableMap(messageMap);
+    }
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  @Override
+  public WritableMap getFirebaseMessageMap(String remoteMessageId) {
     String remoteMessageString = UniversalFirebasePreferences.getSharedInstance().getStringValue(remoteMessageId, null);
     if (remoteMessageString != null) {
 //      Log.d("getFirebaseMessage", remoteMessageString);
       try {
-        WritableMap readableMap = jsonToReact(new JSONObject(remoteMessageString));
-        readableMap.putString("to", remoteMessageId);//fake to
-        return remoteMessageFromReadableMap(readableMap);
-      } catch (JSONException e) {
+        WritableMap remoteMessageMap = jsonToReact(new JSONObject(remoteMessageString));
+        remoteMessageMap.putString("to", remoteMessageId);//fake to
+        return remoteMessageMap;
+       } catch (JSONException e) {
         e.printStackTrace();
       }
     }