diff --git a/android/build.gradle b/android/build.gradle
index 0573aaa..58a704a 100644
--- a/android/build.gradle
+++ b/android/build.gradle
@@ -34,10 +34,32 @@ android {
   }
 
   buildTypes {
+    debug {
+      minifyEnabled false
+    }
     release {
       minifyEnabled false
     }
   }
+  // Ensure correct order of tasks
+  tasks.configureEach { task ->
+    logger.info("Task Dependency Config: ${task.name}")
+    if (task.name == 'generateDebugRFile') {
+      task.dependsOn(':pusher_pusher-websocket-react-native:processDebugManifest', ':pusher-websocket-react-native:parseDebugLocalResources')
+    }
+    if (task.name == 'compileDebugKotlin') {
+      task.dependsOn(':pusher-websocket-react-native:generateDebugBuildConfig', ':pusher-websocket-react-native:generateDebugRFile', ':pusher-websocket-react-native:compileDebugAidl')
+    }
+    if(task.name == 'copyDebugJniLibsProjectOnly') {
+      task.dependsOn(':pusher-websocket-react-native:mergeDebugNativeLibs')
+    }
+    if(task.name == 'packageDebugAssets') {
+      task.dependsOn(':pusher-websocket-react-native:compileDebugShaders')
+    }
+    if(task.name == 'parseDebugLocalResources') {
+      task.dependsOn(':pusher-websocket-react-native:packageDebugResources')
+    }
+  }
   lintOptions {
     disable 'GradleCompatible'
   }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 0549cb5..621f8b5 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -61,8 +61,8 @@
     "jest": "^29.3.1",
     "pod-install": "^0.1.38",
     "prettier": "^2.7.1",
-    "react": "17.0.2",
-    "react-native": "0.68.3",
+    "react": "18.2.0",
+    "react-native": "0.71.3",
     "react-native-builder-bob": "^0.20.1",
     "release-it": "^15.5.0",
     "typescript": "^4.8.4"
diff --git a/src/index.tsx b/src/index.tsx
index 5c04965..cb6309d 100644
--- a/src/index.tsx
+++ b/src/index.tsx
@@ -352,10 +352,11 @@ export class Pusher {
       event.channelName.startsWith('private-') ||
       event.channelName.startsWith('presence-')
     ) {
+      const data = Platform.OS === 'android' ? JSON.stringify(event.data ?? {}) : event.data
       await PusherWebsocketReactNative.trigger(
         event.channelName,
         event.eventName,
-        event.data
+        data
       );
     } else {
       throw 'Trigger event is only for private/presence channels';