diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/react.spec.tsx b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/react.spec.tsx
index 298d96fed..9725cc0ff 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/react.spec.tsx
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/__tests__/react.spec.tsx
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { ReactPart } from '../react';
+import { ReactPart, isReactComponent } from '../react';
 import * as React from 'react';
 import { render, screen, act } from '@testing-library/react';
 
@@ -40,6 +40,25 @@ describe('react', () => {
             expect(screen.getByTestId('valueB').textContent).toBe('22');
         });
     });
+
+    describe('isReactElement', () => {
+        test('functional component', () => {
+            const FunctionalComponent: React.FC = () => <div />;
+            expect(isReactComponent(FunctionalComponent)).toBeTruthy();
+        });
+
+        test('React.memo component', () => {
+            const memoComponent = React.memo(() => <div />);
+            expect(isReactComponent(memoComponent)).toBeTruthy();
+        });
+
+        test('forward ref component', () => {
+            const ForwardRefComponent = React.forwardRef((props, ref) => (
+                <div />
+            ));
+            expect(isReactComponent(ForwardRefComponent)).toBeTruthy();
+        });
+    });
 });
 
 const Component = (props: TestInterface) => {
diff --git a/packages/dockview/src/react.ts b/packages/dockview/src/react.ts
index 378112165..a87593536 100644
--- a/packages/dockview/src/react.ts
+++ b/packages/dockview/src/react.ts
@@ -102,14 +102,14 @@ export class ReactPart<P extends object, C extends object = {}>
             throw new Error('invalid operation: resource is already disposed');
         }
 
-        if (typeof this.component !== 'function') {
+        if (!isReactComponent(this.component)) {
             /**
              * we know this isn't a React.FunctionComponent so throw an error here.
-             * if we do not intercept this the React library will throw a very obsure error
-             * for the same reason, at least at this point we will emit a sensible stacktrace.
+             * if we do not intercept then React library will throw a very obsure error
+             * for the same reason... at least at this point we will emit a sensible stacktrace.
              */
             throw new Error(
-                'Invalid Operation. dockview only supports React Functional Components.'
+                'Dockview: Only React.memo(...), React.ForwardRef(...) and functional components are accepted as components'
             );
         }
 
@@ -192,9 +192,15 @@ export const usePortalsLifecycle: PortalLifecycleHook = () => {
     return [portals, addPortal];
 };
 
-// it does the job...
-export function isReactElement(
-    element: unknown
-): element is React.ReactElement {
-    return !!(element as React.ReactElement)?.type;
+
+export function isReactComponent(component: any): boolean {
+  /**
+   * Yes, we could use "react-is" but that would introduce an unwanted peer dependency
+   * so for now we will check in a rather crude fashion...
+   */
+    return (
+        typeof component === 'function' /** Functional Componnts */ ||
+        !!(component as React.ExoticComponent)
+            ?.$$typeof /** React.memo(...) Components */
+    );
 }