diff --git a/Libraries/SurfaceBackedComponent/RCTSurfaceBackedComponent.mm b/Libraries/SurfaceBackedComponent/RCTSurfaceBackedComponent.mm
index 74e03c5cf2ca88..d2875f2136f3f6 100644
--- a/Libraries/SurfaceBackedComponent/RCTSurfaceBackedComponent.mm
+++ b/Libraries/SurfaceBackedComponent/RCTSurfaceBackedComponent.mm
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ + (instancetype)newWithBridge:(RCTBridge *)bridge
                                        options:options];
 
   CKComponent *component;
-  if (options.activityIndicatorComponentFactory == nil || state.surface.stage & RCTSurfaceStageSurfaceDidInitialLayout) {
+  if (options.activityIndicatorComponentFactory == nil || RCTSurfaceStageIsRunning(state.surface.stage)) {
     component = surfaceHostingComponent;
   } else {
     component = [CKOverlayLayoutComponent newWithComponent:surfaceHostingComponent
diff --git a/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurface.mm b/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurface.mm
index 4441822e414b7a..07c0521c774970 100644
--- a/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurface.mm
+++ b/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurface.mm
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ - (instancetype)initWithBridge:(RCTBridge *)bridge
     _stage = RCTSurfaceStageSurfaceDidInitialize;
 
     if (!bridge.loading) {
-      _stage = (RCTSurfaceStage)(_stage | RCTSurfaceStageBridgeDidLoad);
+      _stage = _stage | RCTSurfaceStageBridgeDidLoad;
     }
 
     [self _registerRootViewTag];
diff --git a/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurfaceStage.h b/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurfaceStage.h
index a02ebc36d80db8..3cf91ad4f6d062 100644
--- a/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurfaceStage.h
+++ b/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurfaceStage.h
@@ -9,6 +9,8 @@
 
 #import <UIKit/UIKit.h>
 
+#import <React/RCTDefines.h>
+
 /**
  * The stage of the Surface
  */
@@ -22,3 +24,13 @@ typedef NS_OPTIONS(NSInteger, RCTSurfaceStage) {
   RCTSurfaceStageSurfaceDidInitialMounting = 1 << 6,   // UIManager completed the first mounting pass
   RCTSurfaceStageSurfaceDidInvalidate = 1 << 7,        // Surface received `invalidate` message
 };
+
+/**
+ * Returns `YES` if the stage is suitable for displaying normal React Native app.
+ */
+RCT_EXTERN BOOL RCTSurfaceStageIsRunning(RCTSurfaceStage stage);
+
+/**
+ * Returns `YES` if the stage is suitable for displaying activity indicator.
+ */
+RCT_EXTERN BOOL RCTSurfaceStageIsPreparing(RCTSurfaceStage stage);
diff --git a/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurfaceStage.m b/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurfaceStage.m
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000000..932d1906db1a61
--- /dev/null
+++ b/React/Base/Surface/RCTSurfaceStage.m
@@ -0,0 +1,22 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2015-present, Facebook, Inc.
+ * All rights reserved.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the BSD-style license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree. An additional grant
+ * of patent rights can be found in the PATENTS file in the same directory.
+ */
+
+#import "RCTSurfaceStage.h"
+
+BOOL RCTSurfaceStageIsRunning(RCTSurfaceStage stage) {
+  return
+    (stage & RCTSurfaceStageSurfaceDidInitialLayout) &&
+    !(stage & RCTSurfaceStageSurfaceDidInvalidate);
+}
+
+BOOL RCTSurfaceStageIsPreparing(RCTSurfaceStage stage) {
+  return
+    !(stage & RCTSurfaceStageSurfaceDidInitialLayout) &&
+    !(stage & RCTSurfaceStageSurfaceDidInvalidate);
+}