diff --git a/packages/webgpu/cpp/rnwgpu/api/GPUQueue.cpp b/packages/webgpu/cpp/rnwgpu/api/GPUQueue.cpp
index b8fe87303..d3c0d65af 100644
--- a/packages/webgpu/cpp/rnwgpu/api/GPUQueue.cpp
+++ b/packages/webgpu/cpp/rnwgpu/api/GPUQueue.cpp
@@ -124,7 +124,7 @@ void GPUQueue::copyExternalImageToTexture(
     throw std::runtime_error("Invalid input for GPUQueue::writeTexture()");
   }
 
-  if (source->flipY) {
+  if (source->flipY.value_or(false)) {
     // Calculate the row size and total size
     uint32_t rowSize = bytesPerPixel * source->source->getWidth();
     uint32_t totalSize = source->source->getSize();
diff --git a/packages/webgpu/package.json b/packages/webgpu/package.json
index dd7992f21..23246a323 100644
--- a/packages/webgpu/package.json
+++ b/packages/webgpu/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "react-native-wgpu",
-  "version": "0.5.8",
+  "version": "0.5.9",
   "description": "React Native WebGPU",
   "main": "lib/commonjs/index",
   "module": "lib/module/index",
diff --git a/packages/webgpu/src/__tests__/ExternalTexture.spec.ts b/packages/webgpu/src/__tests__/ExternalTexture.spec.ts
index 9e293a0aa..47976ec4b 100644
--- a/packages/webgpu/src/__tests__/ExternalTexture.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/webgpu/src/__tests__/ExternalTexture.spec.ts
@@ -281,4 +281,128 @@ describe("External Textures", () => {
     const image = encodeImage(result);
     checkImage(image, "snapshots/f2.png");
   });
+  it("flipY: false should not flip (same as omitting flipY)", async () => {
+    const result = await client.eval(
+      ({ gpu, device, ctx, canvas, urls: { fTexture } }) => {
+        const module = device.createShaderModule({
+          label: "our hardcoded textured quad shaders",
+          code: /* wgsl */ `
+          struct OurVertexShaderOutput {
+            @builtin(position) position: vec4f,
+            @location(0) texcoord: vec2f,
+          };
+
+          @vertex fn vs(
+            @builtin(vertex_index) vertexIndex : u32
+          ) -> OurVertexShaderOutput {
+            let pos = array(
+              // 1st triangle
+              vec2f( 0.0,  0.0),  // center
+              vec2f( 1.0,  0.0),  // right, center
+              vec2f( 0.0,  1.0),  // center, top
+
+              // 2st triangle
+              vec2f( 0.0,  1.0),  // center, top
+              vec2f( 1.0,  0.0),  // right, center
+              vec2f( 1.0,  1.0),  // right, top
+            );
+
+            var vsOutput: OurVertexShaderOutput;
+            let xy = pos[vertexIndex];
+            vsOutput.position = vec4f(xy, 0.0, 1.0);
+            vsOutput.texcoord = xy;
+            return vsOutput;
+          }
+
+          @group(0) @binding(0) var ourSampler: sampler;
+          @group(0) @binding(1) var ourTexture: texture_2d<f32>;
+
+          @fragment fn fs(fsInput: OurVertexShaderOutput) -> @location(0) vec4f {
+            return textureSample(ourTexture, ourSampler, fsInput.texcoord);
+          }
+        `,
+        });
+
+        const presentationFormat = gpu.getPreferredCanvasFormat();
+        const pipeline = device.createRenderPipeline({
+          label: "hardcoded textured quad pipeline",
+          layout: "auto",
+          vertex: {
+            module,
+          },
+          fragment: {
+            module,
+            targets: [{ format: presentationFormat }],
+          },
+        });
+
+        return fetch(fTexture).then((res) => {
+          return res.blob().then((blob) => {
+            return createImageBitmap(blob, {
+              colorSpaceConversion: "none",
+            }).then((source) => {
+              const texture = device.createTexture({
+                label: fTexture,
+                format: "rgba8unorm",
+                size: [source.width, source.height],
+                usage:
+                  GPUTextureUsage.TEXTURE_BINDING |
+                  GPUTextureUsage.COPY_DST |
+                  GPUTextureUsage.RENDER_ATTACHMENT,
+              });
+              // Explicitly pass flipY: false - should behave same as omitting it
+              device.queue.copyExternalImageToTexture(
+                { source, flipY: false },
+                { texture },
+                { width: source.width, height: source.height },
+              );
+              const sampler = device.createSampler({
+                addressModeU: "repeat",
+                addressModeV: "repeat",
+                magFilter: "linear",
+              });
+
+              const bindGroup = device.createBindGroup({
+                layout: pipeline.getBindGroupLayout(0),
+                entries: [
+                  { binding: 0, resource: sampler },
+                  { binding: 1, resource: texture.createView() },
+                ],
+              });
+
+              const renderPassDescriptor: GPURenderPassDescriptor = {
+                label: "our basic canvas renderPass",
+                colorAttachments: [
+                  {
+                    view: ctx.getCurrentTexture().createView(),
+                    clearValue: [0.3, 0.3, 0.3, 1],
+                    loadOp: "clear",
+                    storeOp: "store",
+                  },
+                ],
+              };
+
+              const encoder = device.createCommandEncoder({
+                label: "render quad encoder",
+              });
+              const pass = encoder.beginRenderPass(renderPassDescriptor);
+              pass.setPipeline(pipeline);
+              pass.setBindGroup(0, bindGroup);
+              pass.draw(6);
+              pass.end();
+
+              const commandBuffer = encoder.finish();
+              device.queue.submit([commandBuffer]);
+              return canvas.getImageData();
+            });
+          });
+        });
+      },
+      {},
+    );
+    const image = encodeImage(result);
+    // flipY: false should produce the same result as omitting flipY (f2.png)
+    // This test catches the bug where std::optional<bool> was checked incorrectly
+    checkImage(image, "snapshots/f2.png");
+  });
 });