diff --git a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/FlingGestureHandler.kt b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/FlingGestureHandler.kt
index b5f9c580ed..f93e0aa91f 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/FlingGestureHandler.kt
+++ b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/FlingGestureHandler.kt
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ class FlingGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
 
   private val maxDurationMs = DEFAULT_MAX_DURATION_MS
   private val minVelocity = DEFAULT_MIN_VELOCITY
-  private var handler: Handler? = null
+  private val handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
   private var maxNumberOfPointersSimultaneously = 0
   private val failDelayed = Runnable { fail() }
   private var velocityTracker: VelocityTracker? = null
@@ -29,12 +29,8 @@ class FlingGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
     velocityTracker = VelocityTracker.obtain()
     begin()
     maxNumberOfPointersSimultaneously = 1
-    if (handler == null) {
-      handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper()) // lazy delegate?
-    } else {
-      handler!!.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
-    }
-    handler!!.postDelayed(failDelayed, maxDurationMs)
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+    handler.postDelayed(failDelayed, maxDurationMs)
   }
 
   private fun tryEndFling(event: MotionEvent): Boolean {
@@ -69,7 +65,7 @@ class FlingGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
       isAligned &&
       isFast
     ) {
-      handler!!.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+      handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
       activate()
       true
     } else {
@@ -109,13 +105,13 @@ class FlingGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
   }
 
   override fun onCancel() {
-    handler?.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
   }
 
   override fun onReset() {
     velocityTracker?.recycle()
     velocityTracker = null
-    handler?.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
   }
 
   private fun addVelocityMovement(tracker: VelocityTracker?, event: MotionEvent) {
diff --git a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/HoverGestureHandler.kt b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/HoverGestureHandler.kt
index 43db8eff05..a7d211af7a 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/HoverGestureHandler.kt
+++ b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/HoverGestureHandler.kt
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import com.swmansion.gesturehandler.react.events.eventbuilders.HoverGestureHandl
 class HoverGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
   override val isContinuous = true
 
-  private var handler: Handler? = null
+  private val handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
   private var finishRunnable = Runnable { finish() }
   var stylusData: StylusData = StylusData()
     private set
@@ -85,8 +85,7 @@ class HoverGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
 
   override fun onHandle(event: MotionEvent, sourceEvent: MotionEvent) {
     if (event.action == MotionEvent.ACTION_DOWN) {
-      handler?.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
-      handler = null
+      handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
     } else if (event.action == MotionEvent.ACTION_UP) {
       if (!isWithinBounds) {
         finish()
@@ -97,11 +96,9 @@ class HoverGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
   override fun onHandleHover(event: MotionEvent, sourceEvent: MotionEvent) {
     when {
       event.action == MotionEvent.ACTION_HOVER_EXIT -> {
-        if (handler == null) {
-          handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
-        }
-
-        handler!!.postDelayed(finishRunnable, 4)
+        // Touching down synthesizes HOVER_EXIT right before ACTION_DOWN, so finish
+        // with a slight delay - the DOWN cancels it and hover survives the press.
+        handler.postDelayed(finishRunnable, 4)
       }
 
       !isWithinBounds -> {
diff --git a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/LongPressGestureHandler.kt b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/LongPressGestureHandler.kt
index 96d49c1a00..cc53c76d1c 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/LongPressGestureHandler.kt
+++ b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/LongPressGestureHandler.kt
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ class LongPressGestureHandler(context: Context) : GestureHandler() {
   private var startY = 0f
   private var startTime: Long = 0
   private var previousTime: Long = 0
-  private var handler: Handler? = null
+  private val handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
   private var currentPointers = 0
 
   init {
@@ -112,9 +112,9 @@ class LongPressGestureHandler(context: Context) : GestureHandler() {
           sourceEvent.actionMasked == MotionEvent.ACTION_BUTTON_PRESS
         )
     ) {
-      handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
+      handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
       if (minDurationMs > 0) {
-        handler!!.postDelayed({ activate() }, minDurationMs)
+        handler.postDelayed({ activate() }, minDurationMs)
       } else if (minDurationMs == 0L) {
         activate()
       }
@@ -124,10 +124,7 @@ class LongPressGestureHandler(context: Context) : GestureHandler() {
     ) {
       currentPointers--
 
-      handler?.let {
-        it.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
-        handler = null
-      }
+      handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
 
       if (state == STATE_ACTIVE) {
         end()
@@ -164,10 +161,7 @@ class LongPressGestureHandler(context: Context) : GestureHandler() {
   }
 
   override fun onStateChange(newState: Int, previousState: Int) {
-    handler?.let {
-      it.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
-      handler = null
-    }
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
   }
 
   override fun dispatchStateChange(newState: Int, prevState: Int) {
diff --git a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/PanGestureHandler.kt b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/PanGestureHandler.kt
index 77aaabb05c..cbab701f0e 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/PanGestureHandler.kt
+++ b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/PanGestureHandler.kt
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ class PanGestureHandler(context: Context?) : GestureHandler() {
   private var averageTouches = false
   private var activateAfterLongPress = DEFAULT_ACTIVATE_AFTER_LONG_PRESS
   private val activateDelayed = Runnable { activate() }
-  private var handler: Handler? = null
+  private val handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
   var stylusData: StylusData = StylusData()
     private set
 
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ class PanGestureHandler(context: Context?) : GestureHandler() {
     val dy = lastY - startY + offsetY
 
     if (activateAfterLongPress > 0 && dx * dx + dy * dy > defaultMinDist * defaultMinDist) {
-      handler?.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+      handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
       return true
     }
     if (failOffsetXStart != MAX_VALUE_IGNORE && dx < failOffsetXStart) {
@@ -200,10 +200,7 @@ class PanGestureHandler(context: Context?) : GestureHandler() {
       begin()
 
       if (activateAfterLongPress > 0) {
-        if (handler == null) {
-          handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
-        }
-        handler!!.postDelayed(activateDelayed, activateAfterLongPress)
+        handler.postDelayed(activateDelayed, activateAfterLongPress)
       }
     } else if (velocityTracker != null) {
       addVelocityMovement(velocityTracker, sourceEvent)
@@ -252,11 +249,11 @@ class PanGestureHandler(context: Context?) : GestureHandler() {
   }
 
   override fun onCancel() {
-    handler?.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
   }
 
   override fun onReset() {
-    handler?.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
     velocityTracker?.let {
       it.recycle()
       velocityTracker = null
diff --git a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/TapGestureHandler.kt b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/TapGestureHandler.kt
index 7a74a08048..9b94767577 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/TapGestureHandler.kt
+++ b/packages/react-native-gesture-handler/android/src/main/java/com/swmansion/gesturehandler/core/TapGestureHandler.kt
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class TapGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
   private var offsetY = 0f
   private var lastX = 0f
   private var lastY = 0f
-  private var handler: Handler? = null
+  private val handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
   private var tapsSoFar = 0
   private val failDelayed = Runnable { fail() }
 
@@ -47,24 +47,16 @@ class TapGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
   }
 
   private fun startTap() {
-    if (handler == null) {
-      handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper()) // TODO: lazy init (handle else branch correctly)
-    } else {
-      handler!!.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
-    }
-    handler!!.postDelayed(failDelayed, maxDurationMs)
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+    handler.postDelayed(failDelayed, maxDurationMs)
   }
 
   private fun endTap() {
-    if (handler == null) {
-      handler = Handler(Looper.getMainLooper())
-    } else {
-      handler!!.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
-    }
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
     if (++tapsSoFar == numberOfTaps && currentMaxNumberOfPointers >= minNumberOfPointers) {
       activate()
     } else {
-      handler!!.postDelayed(failDelayed, maxDelayMs)
+      handler.postDelayed(failDelayed, maxDelayMs)
     }
   }
 
@@ -139,13 +131,13 @@ class TapGestureHandler : GestureHandler() {
   }
 
   override fun onCancel() {
-    handler?.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
   }
 
   override fun onReset() {
     tapsSoFar = 0
     currentMaxNumberOfPointers = 0
-    handler?.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
+    handler.removeCallbacksAndMessages(null)
   }
 
   class Factory : GestureHandler.Factory<TapGestureHandler>() {