Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'useRef') after upgrade from 8.2.9 to 8.3.5

[Stanzilla]

Summary

I upgraded from 8.2.9 to 8.3.5 and for some users SB stopped working in dev mode. Stopped working as in "components are loading in a white screen indefinitely".

Looking at the traces offers only this hint

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read properties of null (reading 'useRef')
    at Object.useRef (vendors-node_modules_*_esm_index_js-node_modules_*_client_build_dis-c06492.iframe.bundle.js:379456:21)
    at WithCallback (node_modules_storybook_react-dom-shim_dist_react-18_mjs.iframe.bundle.js:21:183)
  !*** ../../node_modules/@storybook/react-dom-shim/dist/react-18.mjs ***!

Additional information

The base config looks like this, sadly can't post all of it

import { join } from 'path';
import type {
  DefinePlugin,
  Configuration as WebpackConfiguration
} from 'webpack';
import { getAbsolutePath } from 'tools/storybook/utils';

const paths = require('tools/helpers/paths');

const webpackConfig = require('tools/storybook/webpack.config');

export function storybookConfig({
  wantA11y = true,
  wantInteractions = true,
  webpackDefinePluginConfigArray = []
}: {
  wantA11y?: boolean;
  wantInteractions?: boolean;
  webpackDefinePluginConfigArray?: DefinePlugin[];
}) {
  const addons = [
    getAbsolutePath('@storybook/addon-essentials'),
    getAbsolutePath('@storybook/addon-designs'),
    'storybook-addon-rtl',
    '@chromatic-com/storybook'
  ];

  let features = {};

  if (wantA11y) {
    addons.push(getAbsolutePath('@storybook/addon-a11y'));
  }
  if (wantInteractions) {
    addons.push(getAbsolutePath('@storybook/addon-interactions'));
    features = {
      ...features,
      interactionsDebugger: true
    };
  }

  return {
    core: {
      disableTelemetry: true,
      builder: {
        name: 'webpack5',
        options: {
          lazyCompilation: true
        }
      }
    },
    framework: {
      name: getAbsolutePath('@storybook/nextjs'),
      options: {
        nextConfigPath: join(
          paths.resolveRoot(),
          'projects',
          'web-next',
          'next.config.js'
        )
      }
    },
    addons,
    features,
    webpackFinal: async (config: WebpackConfiguration) => {
      config = webpackConfig({ config });

      // web-next/portals specific
      if (webpackDefinePluginConfigArray) {
        config.plugins?.push(...webpackDefinePluginConfigArray);
      }

      return config;
    }
  };
}

export default storybookConfig;

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