diff --git a/app/components/UI/BrowserUrlBar/BrowserUrlBar.tsx b/app/components/UI/BrowserUrlBar/BrowserUrlBar.tsx
index 68215166dd1..de6e42bc272 100644
--- a/app/components/UI/BrowserUrlBar/BrowserUrlBar.tsx
+++ b/app/components/UI/BrowserUrlBar/BrowserUrlBar.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,6 @@ import Icon, {
 import { BrowserUrlBarProps } from './BrowserUrlBar.types';
 import stylesheet from './BrowserUrlBar.styles';
 import { BrowserViewSelectorsIDs } from '../../../../e2e/selectors/Browser/BrowserView.selectors';
-import Url from 'url-parse';
 import { regex } from '../../../../app/util/regex';
 import { strings } from '../../../../locales/i18n';
 import { BrowserURLBarSelectorsIDs } from '../../../../e2e/selectors/Browser/BrowserURLBar.selectors';
@@ -44,7 +43,7 @@ const BrowserUrlBar = forwardRef<TextInput, BrowserUrlBarProps>(
       onBlur,
       onChangeText,
       connectedAccounts,
-      activeUrlRef,
+      activeUrl,
     },
     ref,
   ) => {
@@ -147,9 +146,7 @@ const BrowserUrlBar = forwardRef<TextInput, BrowserUrlBarProps>(
           hostInfo: {
             metadata: {
               // TODO: This is not an origin, it's a hostname
-              origin:
-                activeUrlRef.current &&
-                new URLParse(activeUrlRef.current).hostname,
+              origin: activeUrl && new URLParse(activeUrl).hostname,
             },
           },
         },
diff --git a/app/components/UI/BrowserUrlBar/BrowserUrlBar.types.ts b/app/components/UI/BrowserUrlBar/BrowserUrlBar.types.ts
index 3ea084b2ef7..091c14b98b4 100644
--- a/app/components/UI/BrowserUrlBar/BrowserUrlBar.types.ts
+++ b/app/components/UI/BrowserUrlBar/BrowserUrlBar.types.ts
@@ -9,5 +9,5 @@ export type BrowserUrlBarProps = {
   onBlur: () => void;
   onChangeText: (text: string) => void;
   connectedAccounts: string[];
-  activeUrlRef: React.RefObject<string>;
+  activeUrl: string;
 };
diff --git a/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/BrowserTab.tsx b/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/BrowserTab.tsx
index 1a0b7587b29..706a9e6384c 100644
--- a/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/BrowserTab.tsx
+++ b/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/BrowserTab.tsx
@@ -138,7 +138,8 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
   const urlBarResultsRef = useRef<UrlAutocompleteRef>(null);
   const [isSecureConnection, setIsSecureConnection] = useState(false);
 
-  const activeUrl = useRef('');
+  //  const activeUrl = useRef('');
+  const [activeUrl, setActiveUrl] = useState('');
   const title = useRef<string>('');
   const icon = useRef<ImageSourcePropType | undefined>();
   const backgroundBridges = useRef<
@@ -154,7 +155,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
   const wizardScrollAdjusted = useRef(false);
   const permittedAccountsList = useSelector((state: RootState) => {
     const permissionsControllerState = selectPermissionControllerState(state);
-    const hostname = new URLParse(activeUrl.current).hostname;
+    const hostname = new URLParse(activeUrl).hostname;
     const permittedAcc = getPermittedAccountsByHostname(
       permissionsControllerState,
       hostname,
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
     return permittedAcc;
   }, isEqual);
 
-  const favicon = useFavicon(activeUrl.current);
+  const favicon = useFavicon(activeUrl);
   const { trackEvent, isEnabled, getMetaMetricsId, createEventBuilder } =
     useMetrics();
   /**
@@ -177,25 +178,31 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
   /**
    * Checks if a given url or the current url is the homepage
    */
-  const isHomepage = useCallback((checkUrl = null) => {
-    const currentPage = checkUrl || activeUrl.current;
-    const prefixedUrl = prefixUrlWithProtocol(currentPage);
-    const { host: currentHost } = getUrlObj(prefixedUrl);
-    return (
-      currentHost === HOMEPAGE_HOST || currentHost === OLD_HOMEPAGE_URL_HOST
-    );
-  }, []);
+  const isHomepage = useCallback(
+    (checkUrl = null) => {
+      const currentPage = checkUrl || activeUrl;
+      const prefixedUrl = prefixUrlWithProtocol(currentPage);
+      const { host: currentHost } = getUrlObj(prefixedUrl);
+      return (
+        currentHost === HOMEPAGE_HOST || currentHost === OLD_HOMEPAGE_URL_HOST
+      );
+    },
+    [activeUrl],
+  );
 
-  const notifyAllConnections = useCallback((payload) => {
-    const fullHostname = new URLParse(activeUrl.current).hostname;
+  const notifyAllConnections = useCallback(
+    (payload) => {
+      const fullHostname = new URLParse(activeUrl).hostname;
 
-    // TODO:permissions move permissioning logic elsewhere
-    backgroundBridges.current.forEach((bridge) => {
-      if (bridge.hostname === fullHostname) {
-        bridge.sendNotification(payload);
-      }
-    });
-  }, []);
+      // TODO:permissions move permissioning logic elsewhere
+      backgroundBridges.current.forEach((bridge) => {
+        if (bridge.hostname === fullHostname) {
+          bridge.sendNotification(payload);
+        }
+      });
+    },
+    [activeUrl],
+  );
 
   /**
    * Dismiss the text selection on the current website
@@ -246,6 +253,8 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
     toggleOptionsIfNeeded();
     const { current } = webviewRef;
     current && current.goBack();
+
+    // we need to update the activeUrl state to the previous url
   }, [backEnabled, toggleOptionsIfNeeded]);
 
   /**
@@ -480,8 +489,8 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
     const { current } = webviewRef;
 
     current && current.reload();
-    triggerDappViewedEvent(activeUrl.current);
-  }, []);
+    triggerDappViewedEvent(activeUrl);
+  }, [activeUrl]);
 
   /**
    * Handle when the drawer (app menu) is opened
@@ -592,7 +601,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
     title: string;
     icon: ImageSourcePropType;
   }) => {
-    activeUrl.current = siteInfo.url;
+    setActiveUrl(siteInfo.url);
     title.current = siteInfo.title;
     if (siteInfo.icon) icon.current = siteInfo.icon;
   };
@@ -712,7 +721,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
     webStates.current[url] = { ...webStates.current[url], ended: true };
     const { started, ended } = webStates.current[url];
     const incomingOrigin = new URLParse(url).origin;
-    const activeOrigin = new URLParse(activeUrl.current).origin;
+    const activeOrigin = new URLParse(activeUrl).origin;
     if ((started && ended) || incomingOrigin === activeOrigin) {
       delete webStates.current[url];
       // Update navigation bar address with title of loaded url.
@@ -760,10 +769,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
       }
     } catch (e: unknown) {
       const onMessageError = e as Error;
-      Logger.error(
-        onMessageError,
-        `Browser::onMessage on ${activeUrl.current}`,
-      );
+      Logger.error(onMessageError, `Browser::onMessage on ${activeUrl}`);
     }
   };
 
@@ -772,7 +778,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
    */
   const goToHomepage = async () => {
     toggleOptionsIfNeeded();
-    if (activeUrl.current === HOMEPAGE_URL) return reload();
+    if (activeUrl === HOMEPAGE_URL) return reload();
     await go(HOMEPAGE_URL);
     trackEvent(createEventBuilder(MetaMetricsEvents.DAPP_HOME).build());
   };
@@ -801,7 +807,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
           getProviderState,
           navigation,
           // Website info
-          url: activeUrl,
+          url: { current: activeUrl },
           title,
           icon,
           // Bookmarks
@@ -849,7 +855,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
 
     // Cancel loading the page if we detect its a phishing page
     if (!isAllowedOrigin(urlOrigin)) {
-      handleNotAllowedUrl(activeUrl.current); // should this be activeUrl.current instead of url?
+      handleNotAllowedUrl(activeUrl); // should this be activeUrl instead of url?
       return false;
     }
 
@@ -996,9 +1002,9 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
   );
 
   const checkTabPermissions = useCallback(() => {
-    if (!activeUrl.current) return;
+    if (!activeUrl) return;
 
-    const hostname = new URLParse(activeUrl.current).hostname;
+    const hostname = new URLParse(activeUrl).hostname;
     const permissionsControllerState =
       Engine.context.PermissionController.state;
     const permittedAccounts = getPermittedAccountsByHostname(
@@ -1042,7 +1048,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
         Logger.error(checkTabPermissionsError, 'Error in checkTabPermissions');
       }
     }
-  }, [props.chainId, navigation]);
+  }, [props.chainId, navigation, activeUrl]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (
@@ -1080,7 +1086,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
 
   const onCancel = () => {
     // Reset the url bar to the current url
-    urlBarRef.current?.setNativeProps({ text: activeUrl.current });
+    urlBarRef.current?.setNativeProps({ text: activeUrl });
   };
 
   const onFocusUrlBar = () => {
@@ -1115,7 +1121,7 @@ export const BrowserTab: React.FC<BrowserTabProps> = (props) => {
           onBlur={onBlurUrlBar}
           onChangeText={onChangeUrlBar}
           connectedAccounts={permittedAccountsList}
-          activeUrlRef={activeUrl}
+          activeUrl={activeUrl}
         />
         <View style={styles.wrapper}>
           {renderProgressBar()}
diff --git a/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/components/Options/index.tsx b/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/components/Options/index.tsx
index f68bb2611a2..0dfc51b0c58 100644
--- a/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/components/Options/index.tsx
+++ b/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/components/Options/index.tsx
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ interface OptionsProps {
   toggleOptions: () => void;
   onNewTabPress: () => void;
   toggleOptionsIfNeeded: () => void;
-  activeUrl: MutableRefObject<string>;
+  activeUrl: string;
   isHomepage: () => boolean;
   getMaskedUrl: (urlToMask: string, sessionENSNames: SessionENSNames) => string;
   onSubmitEditing: (url: string) => void;
@@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ const Options = ({
    */
   const openInBrowser = () => {
     toggleOptionsIfNeeded();
-    Linking.openURL(activeUrl.current).catch((openInBrowserError) =>
+    Linking.openURL(activeUrl).catch((openInBrowserError) =>
       Logger.log(
-        `Error while trying to open external link: ${activeUrl.current}`,
+        `Error while trying to open external link: ${activeUrl}`,
         openInBrowserError,
       ),
     );
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ const Options = ({
    */
   const goToFavorites = async () => {
     toggleOptionsIfNeeded();
-    if (activeUrl.current === OLD_HOMEPAGE_URL_HOST) return reload();
+    if (activeUrl === OLD_HOMEPAGE_URL_HOST) return reload();
     await onSubmitEditing(OLD_HOMEPAGE_URL_HOST);
     trackEvent(
       createEventBuilder(MetaMetricsEvents.DAPP_GO_TO_FAVORITES).build(),
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ const Options = ({
       screen: 'AddBookmark',
       params: {
         title: title.current || '',
-        url: getMaskedUrl(activeUrl.current, sessionENSNames),
+        url: getMaskedUrl(activeUrl, sessionENSNames),
         onAddBookmark: async ({
           name,
           url: urlToAdd,
@@ -197,7 +197,9 @@ const Options = ({
   };
 
   const isBookmark = () => {
-    const maskedUrl = getMaskedUrl(activeUrl.current, sessionENSNames);
+    const maskedUrl = getMaskedUrl(activeUrl, sessionENSNames);
+    console.log('ENTER maskedUrl', maskedUrl);
+
     return bookmarks.some(
       ({ url: bookmark }: { url: string }) => bookmark === maskedUrl,
     );
@@ -218,7 +220,7 @@ const Options = ({
   const share = () => {
     toggleOptionsIfNeeded();
     Share.open({
-      url: activeUrl.current,
+      url: activeUrl,
     }).catch((err) => {
       Logger.log('Error while trying to share address', err);
     });
diff --git a/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/components/PhishingModal/index.tsx b/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/components/PhishingModal/index.tsx
index b387992bad8..42dd1fd296a 100644
--- a/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/components/PhishingModal/index.tsx
+++ b/app/components/Views/BrowserTab/components/PhishingModal/index.tsx
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ interface PhishingModalProps {
   go: (url: string) => void;
   urlBarRef: React.MutableRefObject<TextInput | null>;
   addToWhitelist: (hostname: string) => void;
-  activeUrl: React.MutableRefObject<string>;
+  activeUrl: string;
   blockListType: React.MutableRefObject<string>;
   onSubmitEditing: (url: string) => void;
 }
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ const PhishingModal = ({
     addToWhitelist(urlOrigin);
     setShowPhishingModal(false);
 
-    blockedUrl !== activeUrl.current &&
+    blockedUrl !== activeUrl &&
       setTimeout(() => {
         onSubmitEditing(blockedUrl);
         setBlockedUrl(undefined);
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ const PhishingModal = ({
    * Go back from phishing website alert
    */
   const goBackToSafety = () => {
-    urlBarRef.current?.setNativeProps({ text: activeUrl.current });
+    urlBarRef.current?.setNativeProps({ text: activeUrl });
 
     setTimeout(() => {
       setShowPhishingModal(false);