diff --git a/packages/shared/ReactSharedInternals.js b/packages/shared/ReactSharedInternals.js
index d8aea57f6bb3a..eaf526199046e 100644
--- a/packages/shared/ReactSharedInternals.js
+++ b/packages/shared/ReactSharedInternals.js
@@ -10,4 +10,13 @@ import React from 'react';
 const ReactSharedInternals =
   React.__SECRET_INTERNALS_DO_NOT_USE_OR_YOU_WILL_BE_FIRED;
 
+// Prevent newer renderers from RTE when used with older react package versions.
+// Current owner and dispatcher used to share the same ref,
+// but PR #14548 split them out to better support the react-debug-tools package.
+if (!ReactSharedInternals.hasOwnProperty('ReactCurrentDispatcher')) {
+  ReactSharedInternals.ReactCurrentDispatcher = {
+    current: null,
+  };
+}
+
 export default ReactSharedInternals;