diff --git a/.changeset/odd-coins-carry.md b/.changeset/odd-coins-carry.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d2e7f8d811e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/odd-coins-carry.md
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+---
+'@clerk/elements': patch
+---
+
+This release includes various smaller fixes and one dependency update:
+
+- `xstate` was updated from `5.12.0` to `5.13.0`
+- Previously, the contents of the `fallback` prop were sometimes shown even if the user wasn't on the `start` step. This bug is fixed now.
+- Upon completion of an sign-in/sign-up attempt, don't immediately return to the `start` step. This fixes the issue of a "flash of content" that could e.g. be seen during sign-in with OAuth providers.
+- Some underlying fixes in Clerk Elements' XState logic were applied to make sure that during a sign-in/sign-up attempt the state is properly maintained. For example, if you visit an already completed attempt (some step of that flow) it now properly keeps track of that state.
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index 012dd48c1be..9599a2b80e6 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -38410,7 +38410,7 @@
         "@statelyai/inspect": "^0.3.0",
         "@xstate/react": "^4.1.1",
         "client-only": "^0.0.1",
-        "xstate": "^5.12.0"
+        "xstate": "^5.13.0"
       },
       "devDependencies": {
         "@clerk/clerk-react": "5.0.4",
@@ -38629,9 +38629,9 @@
       }
     },
     "packages/elements/node_modules/xstate": {
-      "version": "5.12.0",
-      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/xstate/-/xstate-5.12.0.tgz",
-      "integrity": "sha512-4W/Hj553mwVnTLQ1itc3rni/cGtM5OkjyavTjaxCelc0ZZKE/ks6tYllc98KbekIoUrEPm4CJH/wTB5p5pPGEw==",
+      "version": "5.13.0",
+      "resolved": "https://registry.npmjs.org/xstate/-/xstate-5.13.0.tgz",
+      "integrity": "sha512-Z0om784N5u8sAzUvQJBa32jiTCIGGF/2ZsmKkerQEqeeUktAeOMK20FIHFUMywC4GcAkNksSvaeX7lwoRNXPEQ==",
       "funding": {
         "type": "opencollective",
         "url": "https://opencollective.com/xstate"
diff --git a/packages/elements/package.json b/packages/elements/package.json
index be75485282b..17f3c2d6792 100644
--- a/packages/elements/package.json
+++ b/packages/elements/package.json
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@
     "@statelyai/inspect": "^0.3.0",
     "@xstate/react": "^4.1.1",
     "client-only": "^0.0.1",
-    "xstate": "^5.12.0"
+    "xstate": "^5.13.0"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@clerk/clerk-react": "5.0.4",
diff --git a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-in/router.machine.ts b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-in/router.machine.ts
index b8ea5b6a15b..8356414e455 100644
--- a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-in/router.machine.ts
+++ b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-in/router.machine.ts
@@ -13,6 +13,7 @@ import { ClerkElementsError, ClerkElementsRuntimeError } from '~/internals/error
 import { ThirdPartyMachine, ThirdPartyMachineId } from '~/internals/machines/third-party';
 import { shouldUseVirtualRouting } from '~/internals/machines/utils/next';
 
+import { FormMachine } from '../form';
 import { SignInResetPasswordMachine } from './reset-password.machine';
 import type {
   SignInRouterContext,
@@ -41,6 +42,7 @@ export const SignInRouterMachineId = 'SignInRouter';
 export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
   actors: {
     firstFactorMachine: SignInFirstFactorMachine,
+    formMachine: FormMachine,
     resetPasswordMachine: SignInResetPasswordMachine,
     startMachine: SignInStartMachine,
     secondFactorMachine: SignInSecondFactorMachine,
@@ -60,8 +62,8 @@ export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
     },
     navigateExternal: ({ context }, { path }: { path: string }) => context.router?.push(path),
     raiseNext: raise({ type: 'NEXT' }),
-    setActive({ context, event }) {
-      if (context.exampleMode) return;
+    setActive: enqueueActions(({ enqueue, check, context, event }) => {
+      if (check('isExampleMode')) return;
 
       const lastActiveSessionId = context.clerk.client.lastActiveSessionId;
       const createdSessionId = ((event as SignInRouterNextEvent)?.resource || context.clerk.client.signIn)
@@ -71,7 +73,9 @@ export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
 
       const beforeEmit = () => context.router?.push(context.clerk.buildAfterSignInUrl());
       void context.clerk.setActive({ session, beforeEmit });
-    },
+
+      enqueue.raise({ type: 'RESET' }, { delay: 2000 }); // Reset machine after 2s delay.
+    }),
     setError: assign({
       error: (_, { error }: { error?: ClerkElementsError }) => {
         if (error) return error;
@@ -182,6 +186,7 @@ export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
         },
       })),
     },
+    RESET: '.Idle',
   },
   states: {
     Idle: {
@@ -221,6 +226,10 @@ export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
           guard: 'needsCallback',
           target: 'Callback',
         },
+        {
+          guard: 'isComplete',
+          actions: 'setActive',
+        },
         {
           guard: 'isLoggedInAndSingleSession',
           actions: [
@@ -280,7 +289,6 @@ export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
           {
             guard: 'isComplete',
             actions: 'setActive',
-            target: 'Start',
           },
           {
             guard: 'statusNeedsFirstFactor',
@@ -318,7 +326,6 @@ export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
           {
             guard: 'isComplete',
             actions: 'setActive',
-            target: 'Start',
           },
           {
             guard: 'statusNeedsSecondFactor',
@@ -385,7 +392,6 @@ export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
           {
             guard: 'isComplete',
             actions: 'setActive',
-            target: 'Start',
           },
           {
             guard: 'statusNeedsNewPassword',
@@ -413,7 +419,6 @@ export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
           {
             guard: 'isComplete',
             actions: 'setActive',
-            target: 'Start',
           },
           {
             guard: 'statusNeedsFirstFactor',
@@ -439,9 +444,8 @@ export const SignInRouterMachine = setup({
             target: 'Start',
           },
           {
-            guard: or(['isComplete', 'hasAuthenticatedViaClerkJS']),
+            guard: or(['isLoggedIn', 'isComplete', 'hasAuthenticatedViaClerkJS']),
             actions: 'setActive',
-            target: 'Start',
           },
           {
             guard: 'statusNeedsIdentifier',
diff --git a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-in/router.types.ts b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-in/router.types.ts
index 50a9257d6da..ada057c95c9 100644
--- a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-in/router.types.ts
+++ b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-in/router.types.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import type {
   BaseRouterNextEvent,
   BaseRouterPrevEvent,
   BaseRouterRedirectEvent,
+  BaseRouterResetEvent,
   BaseRouterSetClerkEvent,
   BaseRouterStartEvent,
   BaseRouterTransferEvent,
@@ -54,6 +55,7 @@ export type SignInRouterForgotPasswordEvent = { type: 'NAVIGATE.FORGOT_PASSWORD'
 export type SignInRouterErrorEvent = BaseRouterErrorEvent;
 export type SignInRouterTransferEvent = BaseRouterTransferEvent;
 export type SignInRouterRedirectEvent = BaseRouterRedirectEvent;
+export type SignInRouterResetEvent = BaseRouterResetEvent;
 export type SignInRouterLoadingEvent = BaseRouterLoadingEvent<'start' | 'verifications' | 'reset-password'>;
 export type SignInRouterSetClerkEvent = BaseRouterSetClerkEvent;
 export type SignInRouterSubmitEvent = { type: 'SUBMIT' };
@@ -77,6 +79,7 @@ export type SignInRouterEvents =
   | SignInRouterErrorEvent
   | SignInRouterTransferEvent
   | SignInRouterRedirectEvent
+  | SignInRouterResetEvent
   | SignInVerificationFactorUpdateEvent
   | SignInRouterLoadingEvent
   | SignInRouterSetClerkEvent
diff --git a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-up/router.machine.ts b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-up/router.machine.ts
index 9359ff57862..8659db35265 100644
--- a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-up/router.machine.ts
+++ b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-up/router.machine.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 import { joinURL } from '@clerk/shared/url';
 import type { SignUpStatus, VerificationStatus } from '@clerk/types';
 import type { NonReducibleUnknown } from 'xstate';
-import { and, assign, log, not, or, raise, sendTo, setup, spawnChild } from 'xstate';
+import { and, assign, enqueueActions, log, not, or, raise, sendTo, setup, spawnChild } from 'xstate';
 
 import {
   ERROR_CODES,
@@ -59,15 +59,20 @@ export const SignUpRouterMachine = setup({
     },
     navigateExternal: ({ context }, { path }: { path: string }) => context.router?.push(path),
     raiseNext: raise({ type: 'NEXT' }),
-    setActive({ context, event }, params?: { sessionId?: string; useLastActiveSession?: boolean }) {
-      const session =
-        params?.sessionId ||
-        (params?.useLastActiveSession && context.clerk.client.lastActiveSessionId) ||
-        ((event as SignUpRouterNextEvent)?.resource || context.clerk.client.signUp).createdSessionId;
+    setActive: (_, params?: { sessionId?: string; useLastActiveSession?: boolean }) =>
+      enqueueActions(({ enqueue, check, context, event }) => {
+        if (check('isExampleMode')) return;
 
-      const beforeEmit = () => context.router?.push(context.clerk.buildAfterSignUpUrl());
-      void context.clerk.setActive({ session, beforeEmit });
-    },
+        const session =
+          params?.sessionId ||
+          (params?.useLastActiveSession && context.clerk.client.lastActiveSessionId) ||
+          ((event as SignUpRouterNextEvent)?.resource || context.clerk.client.signUp).createdSessionId;
+
+        const beforeEmit = () => context.router?.push(context.clerk.buildAfterSignUpUrl());
+        void context.clerk.setActive({ session, beforeEmit });
+
+        enqueue.raise({ type: 'RESET' }, { delay: 2000 }); // Reset machine after 2s delay.
+      }),
     setError: assign({
       error: (_, { error }: { error?: ClerkElementsError }) => {
         if (error) return error;
@@ -182,6 +187,7 @@ export const SignUpRouterMachine = setup({
         },
       })),
     },
+    RESET: '.Idle',
   },
   states: {
     Idle: {
diff --git a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-up/router.types.ts b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-up/router.types.ts
index 8c359f7e7ea..2ea4fd4b0b6 100644
--- a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-up/router.types.ts
+++ b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/sign-up/router.types.ts
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@ import type {
   BaseRouterNextEvent,
   BaseRouterPrevEvent,
   BaseRouterRedirectEvent,
+  BaseRouterResetEvent,
   BaseRouterSetClerkEvent,
   BaseRouterStartEvent,
   BaseRouterTransferEvent,
@@ -46,6 +47,7 @@ export type SignUpRouterPrevEvent = BaseRouterPrevEvent;
 export type SignUpRouterErrorEvent = BaseRouterErrorEvent;
 export type SignUpRouterTransferEvent = BaseRouterTransferEvent;
 export type SignUpRouterRedirectEvent = BaseRouterRedirectEvent;
+export type SignUpRouterResetEvent = BaseRouterResetEvent;
 export type SignUpRouterLoadingEvent = BaseRouterLoadingEvent<'start' | 'verifications' | 'continue'>;
 export type SignUpRouterSetClerkEvent = BaseRouterSetClerkEvent;
 
@@ -64,6 +66,7 @@ export type SignUpRouterEvents =
   | SignUpRouterErrorEvent
   | SignUpRouterTransferEvent
   | SignUpRouterRedirectEvent
+  | SignUpRouterResetEvent
   | SignUpRouterLoadingEvent
   | SignUpRouterSetClerkEvent;
 
diff --git a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/types/router.types.ts b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/types/router.types.ts
index a4d6e7bf489..904fb56dd4e 100644
--- a/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/types/router.types.ts
+++ b/packages/elements/src/internals/machines/types/router.types.ts
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ export type BaseRouterLoadingStep = 'start' | 'verifications' | 'continue' | 're
 export type BaseRouterNextEvent<T extends ClerkResource> = { type: 'NEXT'; resource?: T };
 export type BaseRouterPrevEvent = { type: 'NAVIGATE.PREVIOUS' };
 export type BaseRouterStartEvent = { type: 'NAVIGATE.START' };
+export type BaseRouterResetEvent = { type: 'RESET' };
 export type BaseRouterErrorEvent = { type: 'ERROR'; error: Error };
 export type BaseRouterTransferEvent = { type: 'TRANSFER' };
 export type BaseRouterLoadingEvent<TSteps extends BaseRouterLoadingStep> = (
diff --git a/packages/elements/src/react/sign-in/root.tsx b/packages/elements/src/react/sign-in/root.tsx
index 7453eb7d156..1d12978205a 100644
--- a/packages/elements/src/react/sign-in/root.tsx
+++ b/packages/elements/src/react/sign-in/root.tsx
@@ -44,7 +44,9 @@ function SignInFlowProvider({ children, exampleMode }: SignInFlowProviderProps)
         actor.send(evt);
       }
     });
-  }, [clerk, exampleMode, formRef, router]);
+
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [clerk, exampleMode, formRef?.id, !!router]);
 
   return <SignInRouterCtx.Provider actorRef={actor}>{children}</SignInRouterCtx.Provider>;
 }
@@ -94,6 +96,7 @@ export function SignInRoot({
 
   // TODO: eventually we'll rely on the framework SDK to specify its host router, but for now we'll default to Next.js
   const router = useNextRouter();
+  const isRootPath = path === router.pathname();
 
   return (
     <Router
@@ -102,9 +105,11 @@ export function SignInRoot({
     >
       <FormStoreProvider>
         <SignInFlowProvider exampleMode={exampleMode}>
-          <ClerkLoading>
-            <Form>{fallback}</Form>
-          </ClerkLoading>
+          {isRootPath ? (
+            <ClerkLoading>
+              <Form>{fallback}</Form>
+            </ClerkLoading>
+          ) : null}
           <ClerkLoaded>{children}</ClerkLoaded>
         </SignInFlowProvider>
       </FormStoreProvider>
diff --git a/packages/elements/src/react/sign-in/verifications.tsx b/packages/elements/src/react/sign-in/verifications.tsx
index a2682fa2b6e..6b3d647ae5d 100644
--- a/packages/elements/src/react/sign-in/verifications.tsx
+++ b/packages/elements/src/react/sign-in/verifications.tsx
@@ -80,7 +80,7 @@ export function SignInStrategy({ children, name }: SignInStrategyProps) {
     }
 
     return () => {
-      if (factorCtx) {
+      if (factorCtx?.getSnapshot().status === 'active') {
         factorCtx.send({ type: 'STRATEGY.UNREGISTER', factor: name as unknown as SignInFactor });
       }
     };
diff --git a/packages/elements/src/react/sign-up/root.tsx b/packages/elements/src/react/sign-up/root.tsx
index 99380cd0144..bf2c9c198e3 100644
--- a/packages/elements/src/react/sign-up/root.tsx
+++ b/packages/elements/src/react/sign-up/root.tsx
@@ -46,7 +46,8 @@ function SignUpFlowProvider({ children, exampleMode }: SignUpFlowProviderProps)
         ref.send(evt);
       }
     });
-  }, [clerk, exampleMode, formRef, router]);
+    // eslint-disable-next-line react-hooks/exhaustive-deps
+  }, [clerk, exampleMode, formRef?.id, !!router]);
 
   return isReady ? <SignUpRouterCtx.Provider actorRef={ref}>{children}</SignUpRouterCtx.Provider> : null;
 }
@@ -91,6 +92,7 @@ export function SignUpRoot({
 
   // TODO: eventually we'll rely on the framework SDK to specify its host router, but for now we'll default to Next.js
   const router = useNextRouter();
+  const isRootPath = path === router.pathname();
 
   return (
     <Router
@@ -99,9 +101,11 @@ export function SignUpRoot({
     >
       <FormStoreProvider>
         <SignUpFlowProvider exampleMode={exampleMode}>
-          <ClerkLoading>
-            <Form>{fallback}</Form>
-          </ClerkLoading>
+          {isRootPath ? (
+            <ClerkLoading>
+              <Form>{fallback}</Form>
+            </ClerkLoading>
+          ) : null}
           <ClerkLoaded>{children}</ClerkLoaded>
         </SignUpFlowProvider>
       </FormStoreProvider>