diff --git a/posthog-react-native/CHANGELOG.md b/posthog-react-native/CHANGELOG.md
index 1216c642..164f2e78 100644
--- a/posthog-react-native/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/posthog-react-native/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+# 2.9.2 - 2023-12-21
+
+1. If `async-storage` or `expo-file-system` is not installed, the SDK will fallback to `persistence: memory` and log a warning
+
 # 2.9.1 - 2023-12-14
 
 1. `getPersistedProperty` uses Nullish Coalescing operator to fallback to `undefined` only if the property is not found
diff --git a/posthog-react-native/src/posthog-rn.ts b/posthog-react-native/src/posthog-rn.ts
index 1129961b..29a73ecd 100644
--- a/posthog-react-native/src/posthog-rn.ts
+++ b/posthog-react-native/src/posthog-rn.ts
@@ -46,8 +46,18 @@ export class PostHog extends PostHogCore {
     if (!posthog) {
       const persistence = options?.persistence ?? 'file'
       if (persistence === 'file') {
-        const storage = new SemiAsyncStorage(options?.customAsyncStorage || buildOptimisiticAsyncStorage())
-        posthog = storage.preloadAsync().then(() => new PostHog(apiKey, options, storage))
+        try {
+          const storage = new SemiAsyncStorage(options?.customAsyncStorage || buildOptimisiticAsyncStorage())
+          posthog = storage.preloadAsync().then(() => new PostHog(apiKey, options, storage))
+        } catch (error) {
+          console.error(
+            'PostHog was unable to initialise with persistence set to "file". Falling back to "memory" persistence.',
+            error
+          )
+          posthog = Promise.resolve(
+            new PostHog(apiKey, { ...options, persistence: 'memory', customAsyncStorage: undefined })
+          )
+        }
       } else {
         posthog = Promise.resolve(new PostHog(apiKey, options))
       }