diff --git a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/src/__tests__/Errors.test.tsx b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/src/__tests__/Errors.test.tsx
index c783172496..82920007a6 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/src/__tests__/Errors.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/src/__tests__/Errors.test.tsx
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import { cleanup, render } from '@testing-library/react-native';
 import React from 'react';
+import type { ViewProps } from 'react-native';
 import { findNodeHandle, View } from 'react-native';
 
 import {
@@ -59,6 +60,41 @@ describe('VirtualDetector', () => {
       'VirtualGestureDetector must be a descendant of an InterceptingGestureDetector'
     );
   });
+
+  test('virtual detector reports a child that swallows the ref', () => {
+    const consoleError = jest
+      .spyOn(console, 'error')
+      .mockImplementation(() => undefined);
+
+    function SwallowsRef({ style }: { style?: ViewProps['style'] }) {
+      return <View style={style} />;
+    }
+
+    function VirtualDetectorSwallowedRef() {
+      const tap = useTapGesture({});
+      return (
+        <GestureHandlerRootView>
+          <InterceptingGestureDetector>
+            <VirtualDetector gesture={tap}>
+              <SwallowsRef />
+            </VirtualDetector>
+          </InterceptingGestureDetector>
+        </GestureHandlerRootView>
+      );
+    }
+
+    const screen = render(<VirtualDetectorSwallowedRef />);
+    screen.rerender(<VirtualDetectorSwallowedRef />);
+
+    expect(consoleError).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+    expect(consoleError).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+      expect.stringContaining(
+        'VirtualGestureDetector could not attach to its child (SwallowsRef)'
+      )
+    );
+    consoleError.mockRestore();
+  });
+
   test('virtual detector does not handle animated events', () => {
     (findNodeHandle as jest.Mock).mockReturnValue(123);
 
diff --git a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/src/v3/detectors/VirtualDetector/VirtualDetector.tsx b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/src/v3/detectors/VirtualDetector/VirtualDetector.tsx
index 00ee8dd18b..008ddef80d 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/src/v3/detectors/VirtualDetector/VirtualDetector.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/src/v3/detectors/VirtualDetector/VirtualDetector.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,12 @@
-import { useCallback, useEffect, useMemo, useRef, useState } from 'react';
+import type { ComponentType, ReactElement } from 'react';
+import {
+  Children,
+  useCallback,
+  useEffect,
+  useMemo,
+  useRef,
+  useState,
+} from 'react';
 import { findNodeHandle, Platform } from 'react-native';
 
 import { tagMessage } from '../../../utils';
@@ -14,6 +22,17 @@ import {
 } from './useInterceptingDetectorContext';
 import { Wrap } from './Wrap';
 
+function getChildName(children: unknown) {
+  const { type } = Children.only(children) as ReactElement<
+    unknown,
+    string | ComponentType<unknown>
+  >;
+
+  return typeof type === 'string'
+    ? type
+    : (type.displayName ?? type.name ?? 'Unknown');
+}
+
 function useRequiredInterceptingDetectorContext() {
   const context = useInterceptingDetectorContext();
   if (!context) {
@@ -58,6 +77,24 @@ export function VirtualDetector<
 
   useNativeGestureRole(viewRef, props.children);
 
+  // Dev-only: no host instance after a commit means the child did not hand
+  // its `ref` to one. A child that renders null first is reported as well.
+  const reportedRef = useRef(false);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (!__DEV__ || reportedRef.current || viewRef.current) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    reportedRef.current = true;
+
+    console.error(
+      tagMessage(
+        `VirtualGestureDetector could not attach to its child (${getChildName(props.children)}). The child must be a host view or forward its \`ref\` to one.`
+      )
+    );
+  });
+
   const handlerTags = useMemo(
     () =>
       isComposedGesture(props.gesture)