diff --git a/cxx/common/Helpers.h b/cxx/common/Helpers.h
index 0b133425..e8959428 100644
--- a/cxx/common/Helpers.h
+++ b/cxx/common/Helpers.h
@@ -127,6 +127,16 @@ inline Variants variantsToPairs(jsi::Runtime& rt, jsi::Object&& variants) {
     return pairs;
 }
 
+inline jsi::Object pairsToVariantsValue(jsi::Runtime& rt, Variants& pairs) {
+    auto variantsValue = jsi::Object(rt);
+
+    std::for_each(pairs.begin(), pairs.end(), [&rt, &variantsValue](std::pair<std::string, std::string>& pair){
+        variantsValue.setProperty(rt, jsi::PropNameID::forUtf8(rt, pair.first), jsi::String::createFromUtf8(rt, pair.second));
+    });
+
+    return variantsValue;
+}
+
 inline jsi::Object variantsToValue(jsi::Runtime& rt, Variants& variants) {
     jsi::Object rawVariants = jsi::Object(rt);
 
diff --git a/cxx/core/HostStyle.cpp b/cxx/core/HostStyle.cpp
index d5194b1d..c6589736 100644
--- a/cxx/core/HostStyle.cpp
+++ b/cxx/core/HostStyle.cpp
@@ -45,7 +45,18 @@ jsi::Function HostStyle::createAddVariantsProxyFunction(jsi::Runtime& rt) {
         helpers::assertThat(rt, count == 1, "Unistyles: useVariants expected to be called with one argument.");
         helpers::assertThat(rt, arguments[0].isObject(), "Unistyles: useVariants expected to be called with object.");
 
-        this->_variants = helpers::variantsToPairs(rt, arguments[0].asObject(rt));
+        auto parser = parser::Parser(this->_unistylesRuntime);
+        auto pairs = helpers::variantsToPairs(rt, arguments[0].asObject(rt));
+
+        if (this->hasVariantsSet && pairs == this->_variants) {
+            return jsi::Value::undefined();
+        }
+
+        // new variants or empty variants
+        this->hasVariantsSet = true;
+        this->_variants = pairs;
+
+        parser.rebuildUnistylesWithVariants(rt, this->_styleSheet, this->_variants);
 
         return jsi::Value::undefined();
     });
diff --git a/cxx/core/HostStyle.h b/cxx/core/HostStyle.h
index 5a7303fe..71bb0d9d 100644
--- a/cxx/core/HostStyle.h
+++ b/cxx/core/HostStyle.h
@@ -21,6 +21,10 @@ struct JSI_EXPORT HostStyle : public jsi::HostObject {
     jsi::Function createAddVariantsProxyFunction(jsi::Runtime& rt);
 
 private:
+    // to additionally distinguish between empty variants
+    // that are set at the beginning
+    bool hasVariantsSet = false;
+    
     std::shared_ptr<StyleSheet> _styleSheet;
     std::shared_ptr<HybridUnistylesRuntime> _unistylesRuntime;
     std::vector<std::pair<std::string, std::string>> _variants{};
diff --git a/cxx/core/UnistyleWrapper.h b/cxx/core/UnistyleWrapper.h
index d0d009eb..5c0502d5 100644
--- a/cxx/core/UnistyleWrapper.h
+++ b/cxx/core/UnistyleWrapper.h
@@ -58,10 +58,27 @@ customStyleProp={[styles.container, styles.otherProp]}
 Copying a Unistyle style outside of a JSX element will remove its internal C++ state, leading to unexpected behavior.)");
 }
 
-inline static jsi::Object generateUnistylesPrototype(jsi::Runtime& rt, Unistyle::Shared unistyle) {
+inline static jsi::Object generateUnistylesPrototype(
+    jsi::Runtime& rt,
+    std::shared_ptr<HybridUnistylesRuntime> unistylesRuntime,
+    Unistyle::Shared unistyle,
+    std::optional<Variants> variants,
+    std::optional<jsi::Array> arguments
+) {
     // add prototype metadata for createUnistylesComponent
     auto proto = jsi::Object(rt);
+    auto hostFn = jsi::Function::createFromHostFunction(rt, jsi::PropNameID::forUtf8(rt, "getStyle"), 0, [unistyle, unistylesRuntime](jsi::Runtime &rt, const jsi::Value &thisValue, const jsi::Value *args, size_t count){
+        auto variants = helpers::variantsToPairs(rt, thisValue.asObject(rt).getProperty(rt, "variants").asObject(rt));
+        auto arguments = helpers::parseDynamicFunctionArguments(rt, thisValue.asObject(rt).getProperty(rt, "arguments").asObject(rt).asArray(rt));
 
+        parser::Parser(unistylesRuntime).rebuildUnistyle(rt, unistyle->parent, unistyle, variants, std::make_optional<std::vector<folly::dynamic>>(arguments));
+
+        return jsi::Value(rt, unistyle->parsedStyle.value()).asObject(rt);
+    });
+
+    proto.setProperty(rt, "getStyle", std::move(hostFn));
+    proto.setProperty(rt, "arguments", arguments.has_value() ? std::move(arguments.value()) : jsi::Array(rt, 0));
+    proto.setProperty(rt, "variants", variants.has_value() ? helpers::pairsToVariantsValue(rt, variants.value()) : jsi::Object(rt));
     proto.setProperty(rt, helpers::STYLE_DEPENDENCIES.c_str(), helpers::dependenciesToJSIArray(rt, unistyle->dependencies));
 
     return proto;
@@ -71,31 +88,31 @@ inline static std::vector<Unistyle::Shared> unistyleFromValue(jsi::Runtime& rt,
     if (value.isNull() || !value.isObject()) {
         return {};
     }
-    
+
     auto maybeArray = value.asObject(rt);
-    
+
     helpers::assertThat(rt, maybeArray.isArray(rt), "Unistyles: can't retrieve Unistyle state from node as it's not an array.");
-    
+
     std::vector<Unistyle::Shared> unistyles;
     jsi::Array unistylesArray = maybeArray.asArray(rt);
-    
+
     helpers::iterateJSIArray(rt, unistylesArray, [&rt, &unistyles](size_t index, jsi::Value& value){
         auto obj = value.getObject(rt);
 
         // possible if user used React Native styles or inline styles or did spread styles
         if (!obj.hasNativeState(rt)) {
             auto exoticUnistyles = unistylesFromNonExistentNativeState(rt, obj);
-            
+
             for (auto& exoticUnistyle: exoticUnistyles) {
                 unistyles.emplace_back(exoticUnistyle);
             }
-            
+
             return;
         }
 
         unistyles.emplace_back(value.getObject(rt).getNativeState<UnistyleWrapper>(rt)->unistyle);
     });
-    
+
     return unistyles;
 }
 
@@ -111,7 +128,7 @@ inline static jsi::Value valueFromUnistyle(jsi::Runtime& rt, std::shared_ptr<Hyb
         helpers::defineHiddenProperty(rt, obj, helpers::STYLE_DEPENDENCIES.c_str(), helpers::dependenciesToJSIArray(rt, unistyle->dependencies));
         helpers::mergeJSIObjects(rt, obj, unistyle->parsedStyle.value());
 
-        obj.setProperty(rt, "__proto__", generateUnistylesPrototype(rt, unistyle));
+        obj.setProperty(rt, "__proto__", generateUnistylesPrototype(rt, unistylesRuntime, unistyle, std::nullopt, std::nullopt));
 
         return obj;
     }
diff --git a/cxx/parser/Parser.cpp b/cxx/parser/Parser.cpp
index 4caddb8f..f8213243 100644
--- a/cxx/parser/Parser.cpp
+++ b/cxx/parser/Parser.cpp
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@ jsi::Function parser::Parser::createDynamicFunctionProxy(jsi::Runtime& rt, Unist
             jsi::Object style = jsi::Value(rt, unistyleFn->parsedStyle.value()).asObject(rt);
 
             // include dependencies for createUnistylesComponent
-            style.setProperty(rt, "__proto__", generateUnistylesPrototype(rt, unistyle));
+            style.setProperty(rt, "__proto__", generateUnistylesPrototype(rt, unistylesRuntime, unistyle, variants, helpers::functionArgumentsToArray(rt, args, count)));
 
             jsi::Object secrets = jsi::Object(rt);
 
diff --git a/example/babel.config.js b/example/babel.config.js
index 195ad154..38bc6814 100644
--- a/example/babel.config.js
+++ b/example/babel.config.js
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ module.exports = api => {
         presets: ['module:@react-native/babel-preset'],
         plugins: [
             [path.join(__dirname, '../plugin'), {
-                debug: true
+                debug: true,
+                isLocal: true
             }],
             [
                 'module-resolver',
diff --git a/expo-example/babel.config.js b/expo-example/babel.config.js
index 87bad8f7..77441927 100644
--- a/expo-example/babel.config.js
+++ b/expo-example/babel.config.js
@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@ module.exports = function (api) {
         presets: ['babel-preset-expo'],
         plugins: [
             [path.join(__dirname, '../plugin'), {
-                debug: true
+                debug: true,
+                isLocal: true
             }],
             [
                 'module-resolver',
diff --git a/plugin/import.js b/plugin/import.js
index 4cee2eb5..c9ca7213 100644
--- a/plugin/import.js
+++ b/plugin/import.js
@@ -29,7 +29,10 @@ function addUnistylesImport(t, path, state) {
     pairs.forEach(([localName, name]) => {
         const newImport = t.importDeclaration(
             [t.importSpecifier(t.identifier(localName), t.identifier(name))],
-            t.stringLiteral(`react-native-unistyles/src/components/native/${name}`)
+            t.stringLiteral(state.opts.isLocal
+                ? `react-native-unistyles/../components/native/${name}`
+                : `react-native-unistyles/src/components/native/${name}`
+            )
         )
 
         path.node.body.unshift(newImport)
diff --git a/src/core/withUnistyles/useDependencies.ts b/src/core/withUnistyles/useDependencies.ts
index 66de5dcf..64decb02 100644
--- a/src/core/withUnistyles/useDependencies.ts
+++ b/src/core/withUnistyles/useDependencies.ts
@@ -31,9 +31,12 @@ type ListenerProps = {
     dependencies: Array<UnistyleDependency>
 }
 
-export const useDependencies = (listener: (props: ListenerProps) => VoidFunction) => {
+export const useDependencies = (
+    listener: (props: ListenerProps) => VoidFunction,
+    stylesDependencies: Array<UnistyleDependency> = []
+) => {
     const scopedTheme = UnistylesShadowRegistry.getScopedTheme() as UnistylesTheme
-    const [dependencies] = useState(() => new Set<number>())
+    const [dependencies] = useState(() => new Set<number>(stylesDependencies))
     const [theme, setTheme] = useState(UnistylesRuntime.getTheme(scopedTheme))
     const [_, runtimeChanged] = useReducer(() => ({}), {})
 
diff --git a/src/core/withUnistyles/withUnistyles.native.tsx b/src/core/withUnistyles/withUnistyles.native.tsx
index 8f9eece2..6fa370e4 100644
--- a/src/core/withUnistyles/withUnistyles.native.tsx
+++ b/src/core/withUnistyles/withUnistyles.native.tsx
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ export const withUnistyles = <TProps extends Record<string, any>, TMappings exte
                         console.error(`🦄 Unistyles: createUnistylesComponent requires ${propName} to be an object. Please check props for component: ${Component.displayName}`)
                     }
 
+                    // @ts-expect-error - this is hidden from TS
+                    if (props[propName].__unistyles_name && !props[propName].__proto__?.getStyle) {
+                        console.error(`🦄 Unistyles: createUnistylesComponent received style that is not bound. You likely used the spread operator on a Unistyle style. Please check props for component: ${Component.displayName}`)
+                    }
+
                     stylesRef.current = {
                         ...stylesRef.current,
                         [propName]: narrowedProps[propName]
@@ -41,7 +46,7 @@ export const withUnistyles = <TProps extends Record<string, any>, TMappings exte
                             stylesRef.current = {
                                 ...stylesRef.current,
                                 // @ts-expect-error - this is hidden from TS
-                                [propName]: props[propName]
+                                [propName]: props[propName].__proto__?.getStyle?.() || props[propName]
                             }
                         }
                     })
@@ -55,7 +60,7 @@ export const withUnistyles = <TProps extends Record<string, any>, TMappings exte
             })
 
             return () => dispose()
-        })
+        }, narrowedProps.style?.__proto__.uni__dependencies)
 
         const mappingProps = mappings ? mappingsCallback(mappings) : {}
         const unistyleProps = narrowedProps.uniProps ? mappingsCallback(narrowedProps.uniProps) : {}