diff --git a/packages/expo-dev-launcher/CHANGELOG.md b/packages/expo-dev-launcher/CHANGELOG.md
index 23da5064bf2729..191ed4d90be252 100644
--- a/packages/expo-dev-launcher/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/packages/expo-dev-launcher/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 - Refactored network inspector code and add unit tests. ([#22669](https://github.com/expo/expo/pull/22669), [#22693](https://github.com/expo/expo/pull/22693) by [@kudo](https://github.com/kudo))
 - Fixed `No compatible apps connected. JavaScript Debugging can only be used with the Hermes engine.` when using JavaScript debugger on Android. ([#20280](https://github.com/expo/expo/pull/20280) by [@kudo](https://github.com/kudo))
 - Fix "multiple screens with the same name" warning on dev mode. ([#22847](https://github.com/expo/expo/pull/22847) by [@gabrieldonadel](https://github.com/gabrieldonadel))
+- [iOS] Fixed incorrect `Linking.getInitialURL()` value when launching through expo-dev-client's deep links. ([#22879](https://github.com/expo/expo/pull/22879) by [@kudo](https://github.com/kudo))
 
 ### 💡 Others
 
diff --git a/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/EXDevLauncherController.h b/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/EXDevLauncherController.h
index ed820cb61b96d6..436a2e59573e2f 100644
--- a/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/EXDevLauncherController.h
+++ b/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/EXDevLauncherController.h
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ NS_ASSUME_NONNULL_BEGIN
 
 - (void)clearRecentlyOpenedApps;
 
-- (NSDictionary<UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey, NSObject*> *)getLaunchOptions;
+- (NSDictionary *)getLaunchOptions;
 
 - (EXManifestsManifest * _Nullable)appManifest;
 
diff --git a/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/EXDevLauncherController.m b/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/EXDevLauncherController.m
index dbbf365f1d31de..2b9b529b2a57e4 100644
--- a/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/EXDevLauncherController.m
+++ b/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/EXDevLauncherController.m
@@ -181,14 +181,28 @@ - (void)clearRecentlyOpenedApps
 
 - (NSDictionary<UIApplicationLaunchOptionsKey, NSObject*> *)getLaunchOptions;
 {
+  NSMutableDictionary *launchOptions = [self.launchOptions mutableCopy];
   NSURL *deepLink = [self.pendingDeepLinkRegistry consumePendingDeepLink];
-  if (!deepLink) {
-    return nil;
+
+  if (deepLink) {
+    // Passes pending deep link to initialURL if any
+    launchOptions[UIApplicationLaunchOptionsURLKey] = deepLink;
+  } else if (launchOptions[UIApplicationLaunchOptionsURLKey] && [EXDevLauncherURLHelper isDevLauncherURL:launchOptions[UIApplicationLaunchOptionsURLKey]]) {
+    // Strips initialURL if it is from myapp://expo-development-client/?url=...
+    // That would make dev-launcher acts like a normal app.
+    launchOptions[UIApplicationLaunchOptionsURLKey] = nil;
   }
 
-  return @{
-    UIApplicationLaunchOptionsURLKey: deepLink
-  };
+  if ([launchOptions[UIApplicationLaunchOptionsUserActivityDictionaryKey][UIApplicationLaunchOptionsUserActivityTypeKey] isEqualToString:NSUserActivityTypeBrowsingWeb]) {
+    // Strips universal launch link if it is from https://expo-development-client/?url=...
+    // That would make dev-launcher acts like a normal app, though this case should rarely happen.
+    NSUserActivity *userActivity = launchOptions[UIApplicationLaunchOptionsUserActivityDictionaryKey][@"UIApplicationLaunchOptionsUserActivityKey"];
+    if (userActivity.webpageURL && [EXDevLauncherURLHelper isDevLauncherURL:userActivity.webpageURL]) {
+      userActivity.webpageURL = nil;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return launchOptions;
 }
 
 - (EXManifestsManifest *)appManifest
diff --git a/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/ReactDelegateHandler/ExpoDevLauncherReactDelegateHandler.swift b/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/ReactDelegateHandler/ExpoDevLauncherReactDelegateHandler.swift
index 8bd510395374cd..56ca2f0f16cff7 100644
--- a/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/ReactDelegateHandler/ExpoDevLauncherReactDelegateHandler.swift
+++ b/packages/expo-dev-launcher/ios/ReactDelegateHandler/ExpoDevLauncherReactDelegateHandler.swift
@@ -11,7 +11,6 @@ public class ExpoDevLauncherReactDelegateHandler: ExpoReactDelegateHandler, RCTB
 
   private weak var reactDelegate: ExpoReactDelegate?
   private var bridgeDelegate: RCTBridgeDelegate?
-  private var launchOptions: [AnyHashable : Any]?
   private var deferredRootView: EXDevLauncherDeferredRCTRootView?
   private var rootViewModuleName: String?
   private var rootViewInitialProperties: [AnyHashable : Any]?
@@ -44,14 +43,15 @@ public class ExpoDevLauncherReactDelegateHandler: ExpoReactDelegateHandler, RCTB
 
     self.reactDelegate = reactDelegate
     self.bridgeDelegate = EXRCTBridgeDelegateInterceptor(bridgeDelegate: bridgeDelegate, interceptor: self)
-    self.launchOptions = launchOptions
 
     EXDevLauncherController.sharedInstance().autoSetupPrepare(self, launchOptions: launchOptions)
     if let sharedController = UpdatesControllerRegistry.sharedInstance.controller {
       // for some reason the swift compiler and bridge are having issues here
       EXDevLauncherController.sharedInstance().updatesInterface = sharedController
     }
-    return EXDevLauncherDeferredRCTBridge(delegate: self.bridgeDelegate!, launchOptions: self.launchOptions)
+    // swiftlint:disable force_unwrapping
+    return EXDevLauncherDeferredRCTBridge(delegate: self.bridgeDelegate!, launchOptions: launchOptions)
+    // swiftlint:enable force_unwrapping
   }
 
   public override func createRootView(reactDelegate: ExpoReactDelegate, bridge: RCTBridge, moduleName: String, initialProperties: [AnyHashable : Any]?) -> RCTRootView? {
@@ -67,36 +67,30 @@ public class ExpoDevLauncherReactDelegateHandler: ExpoReactDelegateHandler, RCTB
 
   // MARK: RCTBridgeDelegate implementations
 
+  // swiftlint:disable implicitly_unwrapped_optional
   public func sourceURL(for bridge: RCTBridge!) -> URL! {
     return EXDevLauncherController.sharedInstance().sourceUrl()
   }
+  // swiftlint:enable implicitly_unwrapped_optional
 
   // MARK: EXDevelopmentClientControllerDelegate implementations
 
   public func devLauncherController(_ developmentClientController: EXDevLauncherController, didStartWithSuccess success: Bool) {
-    var launchOptions: [AnyHashable: Any] = [:]
-
-    if let initialLaunchOptions = self.launchOptions {
-      for (key, value) in initialLaunchOptions {
-        launchOptions[key] = value
-      }
-    }
-
-    for (key, value) in developmentClientController.getLaunchOptions() {
-      launchOptions[key] = value
-    }
-
-    let bridge = RCTBridge(delegate: self.bridgeDelegate, launchOptions: launchOptions)
+    let bridge = RCTBridge(delegate: self.bridgeDelegate, launchOptions: developmentClientController.getLaunchOptions())
     developmentClientController.appBridge = bridge
 
+    // swiftlint:disable force_unwrapping
     let rootView = RCTRootView(bridge: bridge!, moduleName: self.rootViewModuleName!, initialProperties: self.rootViewInitialProperties)
+    // swiftlint:enable force_unwrapping
     rootView.backgroundColor = self.deferredRootView?.backgroundColor ?? UIColor.white
     let window = getWindow()
 
     // NOTE: this order of assignment seems to actually have an effect on behaviour
     // direct assignment of window.rootViewController.view = rootView does not work
-    let rootViewController = self.reactDelegate?.createRootViewController()
-    rootViewController!.view = rootView
+    guard let rootViewController = self.reactDelegate?.createRootViewController() else {
+      fatalError("Invalid rootViewController returned from ExpoReactDelegate")
+    }
+    rootViewController.view = rootView
     window.rootViewController = rootViewController
     window.makeKeyAndVisible()
 
@@ -112,9 +106,9 @@ public class ExpoDevLauncherReactDelegateHandler: ExpoReactDelegateHandler, RCTB
     if (window == nil) {
       window = UIApplication.shared.delegate?.window ?? nil
     }
-    if (window == nil) {
+    guard let window = window else {
       fatalError("Cannot find the current window.")
     }
-    return window!
+    return window
   }
 }