fix: improve resolution of dashed prop names

packages/fiber/src/core/utils.tsx

@@ -255,19 +255,32 @@ export function prepare<T = any>(target: T, root: RootStore, type: string, props
 }
 
 export function resolve(root: any, key: string): { root: any; key: string; target: any } {
-  let target: unknown = root[key]
-  if (!key.includes('-')) return { root, key, target }
+  if (!key.includes('-')) return { root, key, target: root[key] }
 
-  // Resolve pierced target
-  target = root
-  for (const part of key.split('-')) {
+  // First try the entire key as a single property (e.g., 'foo-bar')
+  if (key in root) {
+    return { root, key, target: root[key] }
+  }
+
+  // Try piercing (e.g., 'material-color' -> material.color)
+  let target = root
+  const parts = key.split('-')
+
+  for (const part of parts) {
+    if (typeof target !== 'object' || target === null) {
+      if (target !== undefined) {
+        // Property exists but has unexpected shape
+        const remaining = parts.slice(parts.indexOf(part)).join('-')
+        return { root: target, key: remaining, target: undefined }
+      }
+      // Property doesn't exist - fallback to original key
+      return { root, key, target: undefined }
+    }
     key = part
     root = target
-    target = (target as any)?.[key]
+    target = target[key]
   }
 
-  // TODO: change key to 'foo-bar' if target is undefined?
-
   return { root, key, target }
 }
 
@@ -411,6 +424,11 @@ export function applyProps<T = any>(object: Instance<T>['object'], props: Instan
 
     let { root, key, target } = resolve(object, prop)
 
+    // Throw an error if we attempted to set a pierced prop to a non-object
+    if (target === undefined && (typeof root !== 'object' || root === null)) {
+      throw Error(`R3F: Cannot set "${prop}". Ensure it is an object before setting "${key}".`)
+    }
+
     // Layers must be written to the mask property
     if (target instanceof THREE.Layers && value instanceof THREE.Layers) {
       target.mask = value.mask

packages/fiber/tests/utils.test.ts

@@ -205,6 +205,63 @@ describe('resolve', () => {
     expect(key).toBe('bar')
     expect(target).toBe(root[key])
   })
+
+  it('should prioritize direct property over piercing', () => {
+    const object = {
+      'foo-bar': 'direct',
+      foo: { bar: 'pierced' },
+    }
+    const { root, key, target } = resolve(object, 'foo-bar')
+
+    expect(root).toBe(object)
+    expect(key).toBe('foo-bar')
+    expect(target).toBe('direct')
+  })
+
+  it('should handle undefined direct property values', () => {
+    const object = { 'foo-bar': undefined }
+    const { root, key, target } = resolve(object, 'foo-bar')
+
+    expect(root).toBe(object)
+    expect(key).toBe('foo-bar')
+    expect(target).toBe(undefined)
+  })
+
+  it('should handle null direct property values', () => {
+    const object = { 'foo-bar': null }
+    const { root, key, target } = resolve(object, 'foo-bar')
+
+    expect(root).toBe(object)
+    expect(key).toBe('foo-bar')
+    expect(target).toBe(null)
+  })
+
+  it('should return non-object as root when piercing fails due to non-object intermediate', () => {
+    const object = { foo: 'not-an-object' }
+    const { root, key, target } = resolve(object, 'foo-bar')
+
+    expect(root).toBe('not-an-object')
+    expect(key).toBe('bar')
+    expect(target).toBe(undefined)
+  })
+
+  it('should return null as root when piercing fails due to null intermediate', () => {
+    const object = { foo: null }
+    const { root, key, target } = resolve(object, 'foo-bar')
+
+    expect(root).toBe(null)
+    expect(key).toBe('bar')
+    expect(target).toBe(undefined)
+  })
+
+  it('should handle non-dashed keys normally', () => {
+    const object = { foo: 'value' }
+    const { root, key, target } = resolve(object, 'foo')
+
+    expect(root).toBe(object)
+    expect(key).toBe('foo')
+    expect(target).toBe('value')
+  })
 })
 
 describe('attach / detach', () => {
@@ -311,6 +368,19 @@ describe('applyProps', () => {
     expect(() => applyProps(target, {})).not.toThrow()
   })
 
+  it('should not throw when applying unknown props', () => {
+    const target = new THREE.Object3D()
+    applyProps(target, {})
+    expect(() => applyProps(target, { ['foo-bar']: 1 })).not.toThrow()
+    expect((target as any)['foo-bar']).toBe(undefined)
+  })
+
+  it('should throw when applying unknown props due to non-object intermediate', () => {
+    const target = new THREE.Object3D()
+    applyProps(target, { foo: 1 })
+    expect(() => applyProps(target, { ['foo-bar']: 1 })).toThrow()
+  })
+
   it('should filter reserved props without accessing them', () => {
     const get = jest.fn()
     const set = jest.fn()