diff --git a/docs/advanced/custom-components.md b/docs/advanced/custom-components.md
index a5b27886..aeb5a6e2 100644
--- a/docs/advanced/custom-components.md
+++ b/docs/advanced/custom-components.md
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class CustomMarker extends BaseControl {
     };
 
     return (
-      <div ref={this._onContainerLoad}
+      <div ref={this._containerRef}
         style={markerStyle} />
         ({longitude}, {latitude})
       </div>
@@ -52,20 +52,29 @@ Stop propagation of click event to the map component. Can be used to stop map fr
 ##### `captureDoubleClick` {Boolean} - default: `true`
 Stop propagation of dblclick event to the map component. Can be used to stop map from zooming when this component is double clicked.
 
-## Private Methods
+## Private Members
 
-##### `_render`
+##### `_containerRef`
 
-Implement this method to render the content of this component. `this._context` is accessible when this method is called, containing the following fields:
+A React [ref](https://reactjs.org/docs/refs-and-the-dom.html#creating-refs) object.
+
+Should be assigned to the `ref` prop of the root DOM element of this component. Required to leverage the `capture*` props.
+
+##### `_context`
+
+An object containing the following fields:
 
 - `viewport` {WebMercatorViewport} - the current viewport
 - `map` {mapboxgl.Map} - the Mapbox map instance
 - `eventManager` {EventManager} - the event manager. Only available if using `InteractiveMap`.
 - `isDragging` {Bool} - whether the map is being dragged. Only available if using `InteractiveMap`.
 
-##### `_onContainerLoad`
 
-Should be assigned to the `ref` prop of the root DOM element of this component. This is required to leverage the `capture*` props.
+## Private Methods
+
+##### `_render`
+
+Implement this method to render the content of this component. `this._context` is accessible when this method is called.
 
 
 ## Source
diff --git a/src/components/base-control.js b/src/components/base-control.js
index 459f7f7e..720c29f9 100644
--- a/src/components/base-control.js
+++ b/src/components/base-control.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 // LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
 // OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
 // THE SOFTWARE.
-import {PureComponent, createElement} from 'react';
+import {PureComponent, createElement, createRef} from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import {InteractiveContext} from './interactive-map';
 import {StaticContext} from './static-map';
@@ -54,7 +54,27 @@ export default class BaseControl extends PureComponent {
 
     this._context = {};
     this._events = null;
-    this._containerRef = null;
+    this._containerRef = createRef();
+  }
+
+  componentDidMount() {
+    const ref = this._containerRef.current;
+    if (!ref) {
+      return;
+    }
+
+    const {eventManager} = this._context;
+
+    // Return early if no eventManager is found
+    if (eventManager) {
+      this._events = {
+        wheel: this._onScroll,
+        panstart: this._onDragStart,
+        click: this._onClick,
+        pointerup: this._onPointerUp
+      };
+      eventManager.on(this._events, ref);
+    }
   }
 
   componentWillUnmount() {
@@ -64,39 +84,6 @@ export default class BaseControl extends PureComponent {
     }
   }
 
-  _onContainerLoad = (ref) => {
-    this._containerRef = ref;
-
-    const {eventManager} = this._context;
-
-    // Return early if no eventManager is found
-    if (!eventManager) {
-      return;
-    }
-
-    let events = this._events;
-
-    // Remove all previously registered events
-    if (events) {
-      eventManager.off(events);
-      events = null;
-    }
-
-    if (ref) {
-      // container is mounted: register events for this element
-      events = {
-        wheel: this._onScroll,
-        panstart: this._onDragStart,
-        click: this._onClick,
-        pointerup: this._onPointerUp
-      };
-
-      eventManager.on(events, ref);
-    }
-
-    this._events = events;
-  }
-
   _onScroll = (evt) => {
     if (this.props.captureScroll) {
       evt.stopPropagation();
diff --git a/src/components/draggable-control.js b/src/components/draggable-control.js
index aa855c29..7e66c773 100644
--- a/src/components/draggable-control.js
+++ b/src/components/draggable-control.js
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ export default class DraggableControl extends BaseControl {
    */
   _getDragEventOffset(event) {
     const {center: {x, y}} = event;
-    const rect = this._containerRef.getBoundingClientRect();
+    const rect = this._containerRef.current.getBoundingClientRect();
     return [rect.left - x, rect.top - y];
   }
 
diff --git a/src/components/interactive-map.js b/src/components/interactive-map.js
index 08580c65..12309c70 100644
--- a/src/components/interactive-map.js
+++ b/src/components/interactive-map.js
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import {PureComponent, createElement, createContext} from 'react';
+import {PureComponent, createElement, createContext, createRef} from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 
 import StaticMap from './static-map';
@@ -155,11 +155,14 @@ export default class InteractiveMap extends PureComponent {
     });
     this._width = 0;
     this._height = 0;
+    this._eventCanvasRef = createRef();
+    this._staticMapRef = createRef();
   }
 
   componentDidMount() {
     const eventManager = this._eventManager;
 
+    eventManager.setElement(this._eventCanvasRef.current);
     // Register additional event handlers for click and hover
     eventManager.on({
       pointerdown: this._onPointerDown,
@@ -180,7 +183,7 @@ export default class InteractiveMap extends PureComponent {
   }
 
   getMap = () => {
-    return this._map ? this._map.getMap() : null;
+    return this._staticMapRef.current ? this._staticMapRef.current.getMap() : null;
   }
 
   queryRenderedFeatures = (geometry, options) => {
@@ -350,15 +353,6 @@ export default class InteractiveMap extends PureComponent {
     }
   }
 
-  _eventCanvasLoaded = (ref) => {
-    // This will be called with `null` after unmount, releasing event manager resource
-    this._eventManager.setElement(ref);
-  }
-
-  _staticMapLoaded = (ref) => {
-    this._map = ref;
-  }
-
   render() {
     const {width, height, style, getCursor} = this.props;
 
@@ -375,7 +369,7 @@ export default class InteractiveMap extends PureComponent {
     return createElement(InteractiveContext.Provider, {value: interactiveContext},
       createElement('div', {
         key: 'map-controls',
-        ref: this._eventCanvasLoaded,
+        ref: this._eventCanvasRef,
         style: eventCanvasStyle
       },
         createElement(StaticMap, Object.assign({}, this.props,
@@ -384,7 +378,7 @@ export default class InteractiveMap extends PureComponent {
             height: '100%',
             style: null,
             onResize: this._onResize,
-            ref: this._staticMapLoaded,
+            ref: this._staticMapRef,
             children: this.props.children
           }
         ))
diff --git a/src/components/marker.js b/src/components/marker.js
index acbd5589..a5c3b32a 100644
--- a/src/components/marker.js
+++ b/src/components/marker.js
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ export default class Marker extends DraggableControl {
 
     return createElement('div', {
       className: `mapboxgl-marker ${className}`,
-      ref: this._onContainerLoad,
+      ref: this._containerRef,
       style: containerStyle,
       children: this.props.children
     });
diff --git a/src/components/navigation-control.js b/src/components/navigation-control.js
index 72e13e1f..5c9e7c8f 100644
--- a/src/components/navigation-control.js
+++ b/src/components/navigation-control.js
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ export default class NavigationControl extends BaseControl {
 
     return createElement('div', {
       className: `mapboxgl-ctrl mapboxgl-ctrl-group ${className}`,
-      ref: this._onContainerLoad
+      ref: this._containerRef
     }, [
       showZoom && this._renderButton('zoom-in', 'Zoom In', this._onZoomIn),
       showZoom && this._renderButton('zoom-out', 'Zoom Out', this._onZoomOut),
diff --git a/src/components/popup.js b/src/components/popup.js
index 050eea13..513f5115 100644
--- a/src/components/popup.js
+++ b/src/components/popup.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 // LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
 // OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
 // THE SOFTWARE.
-import {createElement} from 'react';
+import {createElement, createRef} from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 import BaseControl from './base-control';
 
@@ -79,9 +79,11 @@ export default class Popup extends BaseControl {
     super(props);
 
     this._closeOnClick = false;
+    this._contentRef = createRef();
   }
 
   componentDidMount() {
+    super.componentDidMount();
     // Container just got a size, re-calculate position
     this.forceUpdate();
   }
@@ -89,15 +91,16 @@ export default class Popup extends BaseControl {
   _getPosition(x, y) {
     const {viewport} = this._context;
     const {anchor, dynamicPosition, tipSize} = this.props;
+    const content = this._contentRef.current;
 
-    if (this._content) {
+    if (content) {
       return dynamicPosition ? getDynamicPosition({
         x, y, anchor,
         padding: tipSize,
         width: viewport.width,
         height: viewport.height,
-        selfWidth: this._content.clientWidth,
-        selfHeight: this._content.clientHeight
+        selfWidth: content.clientWidth,
+        selfHeight: content.clientHeight
       }) : anchor;
     }
 
@@ -153,10 +156,6 @@ export default class Popup extends BaseControl {
     this._closeOnClick = true;
   }
 
-  _contentLoaded = (ref) => {
-    this._content = ref;
-  }
-
   _renderTip(positionType) {
     const {tipSize} = this.props;
 
@@ -171,7 +170,7 @@ export default class Popup extends BaseControl {
     const {closeButton, children} = this.props;
     return createElement('div', {
       key: 'content',
-      ref: this._contentLoaded,
+      ref: this._contentRef,
       className: 'mapboxgl-popup-content'
     }, [
       closeButton && createElement('button', {
@@ -195,7 +194,7 @@ export default class Popup extends BaseControl {
     return createElement('div', {
       className: `mapboxgl-popup mapboxgl-popup-anchor-${positionType} ${className}`,
       style: containerStyle,
-      ref: this._onContainerLoad
+      ref: this._containerRef
     }, [
       this._renderTip(positionType),
       this._renderContent()
diff --git a/src/components/static-map.js b/src/components/static-map.js
index 4a49f861..8d5484f0 100644
--- a/src/components/static-map.js
+++ b/src/components/static-map.js
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
 // LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM,
 // OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN
 // THE SOFTWARE.
-import {PureComponent, createElement, createContext} from 'react';
+import {PureComponent, createElement, createContext, createRef} from 'react';
 import PropTypes from 'prop-types';
 
 import {normalizeStyle} from '../utils/style-utils';
@@ -102,6 +102,7 @@ export default class StaticMap extends PureComponent {
     };
     this._width = 0;
     this._height = 0;
+    this._mapboxMapRef = createRef();
   }
 
   componentDidMount() {
@@ -111,7 +112,7 @@ export default class StaticMap extends PureComponent {
       mapboxgl, // Handle to mapbox-gl library
       width: this._width,
       height: this._height,
-      container: this._mapboxMap,
+      container: this._mapboxMapRef.current,
       onError: this._mapboxMapError,
       mapStyle: normalizeStyle(mapStyle)
     }));
@@ -175,10 +176,6 @@ export default class StaticMap extends PureComponent {
     }));
   }
 
-  _mapboxMapLoaded = (ref) => {
-    this._mapboxMap = ref;
-  }
-
   // Handle map error
   _mapboxMapError = (evt) => {
     const statusCode = evt.error && evt.error.status || evt.status;
@@ -250,7 +247,7 @@ export default class StaticMap extends PureComponent {
       children: [
         createElement('div', {
           key: 'map-mapbox',
-          ref: this._mapboxMapLoaded,
+          ref: this._mapboxMapRef,
           style: mapStyle,
           className
         }),
diff --git a/src/overlays/canvas-overlay.js b/src/overlays/canvas-overlay.js
index 66a466b2..e8b28ef2 100644
--- a/src/overlays/canvas-overlay.js
+++ b/src/overlays/canvas-overlay.js
@@ -40,6 +40,8 @@ export default class CanvasOverlay extends BaseControl {
   }
 
   componentDidMount() {
+    this._canvas = this._containerRef.current;
+    this._ctx = this._canvas.getContext('2d');
     this._redraw();
   }
 
@@ -66,12 +68,6 @@ export default class CanvasOverlay extends BaseControl {
     ctx.restore();
   }
 
-  _canvasLoaded = (ref) => {
-    this._canvas = ref;
-    this._ctx = ref && ref.getContext('2d');
-    this._onContainerLoad(ref);
-  }
-
   _render() {
     const pixelRatio = window.devicePixelRatio || 1;
     const {viewport: {width, height}} = this._context;
@@ -79,7 +75,7 @@ export default class CanvasOverlay extends BaseControl {
 
     return (
       createElement('canvas', {
-        ref: this._canvasLoaded,
+        ref: this._containerRef,
         width: width * pixelRatio,
         height: height * pixelRatio,
         style: {
diff --git a/src/overlays/html-overlay.js b/src/overlays/html-overlay.js
index 668622aa..9a827cf9 100644
--- a/src/overlays/html-overlay.js
+++ b/src/overlays/html-overlay.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export default class HTMLOverlay extends BaseControl {
 
     return (
       createElement('div', {
-        ref: this._onContainerLoad,
+        ref: this._containerRef,
         style
       },
         this.props.redraw({
diff --git a/src/overlays/svg-overlay.js b/src/overlays/svg-overlay.js
index 62ea741d..9f7a6f7f 100644
--- a/src/overlays/svg-overlay.js
+++ b/src/overlays/svg-overlay.js
@@ -47,7 +47,7 @@ export default class SVGOverlay extends BaseControl {
       createElement('svg', {
         width: viewport.width,
         height: viewport.height,
-        ref: this._onContainerLoad,
+        ref: this._containerRef,
         style
       },
         this.props.redraw({