diff --git a/engine/src/flutter/lib/web_ui/lib/src/engine/surface/clip.dart b/engine/src/flutter/lib/web_ui/lib/src/engine/surface/clip.dart
index 46529c65a30..71a6cf3afb1 100644
--- a/engine/src/flutter/lib/web_ui/lib/src/engine/surface/clip.dart
+++ b/engine/src/flutter/lib/web_ui/lib/src/engine/surface/clip.dart
@@ -325,16 +325,18 @@ class PersistedPhysicalShape extends PersistedContainerSurface
     }
     if (oldSurface.path != path) {
       oldSurface._clipElement?.remove();
-      // Reset style on prior element since we may have switched between
-      // rect/rrect and arbitrary path.
-      final html.CssStyleDeclaration style = rootElement.style;
-      style.transform = '';
-      style.left = '';
-      style.top = '';
-      style.borderRadius = '';
       domRenderer.setElementStyle(rootElement, 'clip-path', '');
       domRenderer.setElementStyle(rootElement, '-webkit-clip-path', '');
       _applyShape();
+      // This null check is in update since we don't want to unnecessarily
+      // clear style in apply on first build.
+      if (path == null) {
+        // Reset style on prior element when path becomes null.
+        final html.CssStyleDeclaration style = rootElement.style;
+        style.left = '';
+        style.top = '';
+        style.borderRadius = '';
+      }
     } else {
       _clipElement = oldSurface._clipElement;
     }