diff --git a/__tests__/__mocks__/react-native.mock.js b/__tests__/__mocks__/react-native.mock.js
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..49cf25c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/__tests__/__mocks__/react-native.mock.js
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+jest.mock('react-native/Libraries/Image/resolveAssetSource', () => {
+  return () => ({ uri: `asset://test.png` });
+});
diff --git a/__tests__/utils/MapboxStyleSheet.test.js b/__tests__/utils/MapboxStyleSheet.test.js
index 1fa3df0..0cf6cf5 100644
--- a/__tests__/utils/MapboxStyleSheet.test.js
+++ b/__tests__/utils/MapboxStyleSheet.test.js
@@ -24,6 +24,16 @@ describe('MapboxStyleSheet', () => {
     });
   });
 
+  it('should create asset image item for when we require images directly in JS', () => {
+    verifyStyleSheetsMatch({ fillPattern: 123 }, {
+      __MAPBOX_STYLESHEET__: true,
+      fillPattern: {
+        type: 'constant',
+        payload: { value: 'asset://test.png', image: true },
+      },
+    });
+  });
+
   it('should create translate item', () => {
     verifyStyleSheetsMatch({ fillTranslate: { x: 1, y: 2 } }, {
       __MAPBOX_STYLESHEET__: true,
diff --git a/android/rctmgl/src/main/java/com/mapbox/rctmgl/components/styles/RCTMGLStyle.java b/android/rctmgl/src/main/java/com/mapbox/rctmgl/components/styles/RCTMGLStyle.java
index 01bb41b..0abcf5d 100644
--- a/android/rctmgl/src/main/java/com/mapbox/rctmgl/components/styles/RCTMGLStyle.java
+++ b/android/rctmgl/src/main/java/com/mapbox/rctmgl/components/styles/RCTMGLStyle.java
@@ -1,8 +1,10 @@
 package com.mapbox.rctmgl.components.styles;
 
+import android.net.Uri;
 import android.support.annotation.NonNull;
 import android.support.annotation.StringDef;
 
+import com.facebook.common.util.UriUtil;
 import com.facebook.react.bridge.ReadableMap;
 import com.facebook.react.bridge.ReadableMapKeySetIterator;
 import com.mapbox.mapboxsdk.maps.MapboxMap;
@@ -57,16 +59,20 @@ public class RCTMGLStyle {
     }
 
     public void addImage(String uriStr) {
-        if (uriStr == null || isTokenString(uriStr)) {
+        if (!shouldAddImage(uriStr)) {
             return;
         }
-
         Map.Entry[] images = new Map.Entry[]{ new AbstractMap.SimpleEntry(uriStr, uriStr) };
         DownloadMapImageTask task = new DownloadMapImageTask(mMap, null);
         task.execute(images);
     }
 
-    private boolean isTokenString(String str) {
-        return str.charAt(0) == '{' && str.charAt(str.length() - 1) == '}';
+    private boolean shouldAddImage(String uriStr) {
+        return uriStr != null && isValidURI(uriStr);
+    }
+
+    private boolean isValidURI(String str) {
+        Uri uri = Uri.parse(str);
+        return UriUtil.isLocalAssetUri(uri) || UriUtil.isNetworkUri(uri);
     }
 }
diff --git a/ios/RCTMGL/RCTMGLStyle.m b/ios/RCTMGL/RCTMGLStyle.m
index 6bffe47..c68f938 100644
--- a/ios/RCTMGL/RCTMGLStyle.m
+++ b/ios/RCTMGL/RCTMGLStyle.m
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"fillTranslateAnchor"]) {
       [self setFillTranslateAnchor:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"fillPattern"]) {
-      if ([self _isTokenString:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
+      if (![self _shouldAddImage:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
         [self setFillPattern:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
       } else {
         [RCTMGLUtils fetchImage:_bridge url:styleValue.payload[@"value"] callback:^(NSError *error, UIImage *image) {
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"lineDasharrayTransition"]) {
       [self setLineDasharrayTransition:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"linePattern"]) {
-      if ([self _isTokenString:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
+      if (![self _shouldAddImage:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
         [self setLinePattern:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
       } else {
         [RCTMGLUtils fetchImage:_bridge url:styleValue.payload[@"value"] callback:^(NSError *error, UIImage *image) {
@@ -185,7 +185,7 @@
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"iconTextFitPadding"]) {
       [self setIconTextFitPadding:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"iconImage"]) {
-      if ([self _isTokenString:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
+      if (![self _shouldAddImage:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
         [self setIconImage:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
       } else {
         [RCTMGLUtils fetchImage:_bridge url:styleValue.payload[@"value"] callback:^(NSError *error, UIImage *image) {
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"fillExtrusionTranslateAnchor"]) {
       [self setFillExtrusionTranslateAnchor:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"fillExtrusionPattern"]) {
-      if ([self _isTokenString:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
+      if (![self _shouldAddImage:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
         [self setFillExtrusionPattern:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
       } else {
         [RCTMGLUtils fetchImage:_bridge url:styleValue.payload[@"value"] callback:^(NSError *error, UIImage *image) {
@@ -491,7 +491,7 @@
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"backgroundColorTransition"]) {
       [self setBackgroundColorTransition:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
     } else if ([prop isEqualToString:@"backgroundPattern"]) {
-      if ([self _isTokenString:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
+      if (![self _shouldAddImage:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
         [self setBackgroundPattern:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
       } else {
         [RCTMGLUtils fetchImage:_bridge url:styleValue.payload[@"value"] callback:^(NSError *error, UIImage *image) {
@@ -1847,12 +1847,15 @@
 
 
 
-- (BOOL)_isTokenString:(NSString *)str
+- (BOOL)_shouldAddImage:(NSString *)str
 {
-    if (str == nil) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    return [str hasPrefix:@"{"] && [str hasSuffix:@"}"];
+    return str != nil && [self _isValidURL:str];
+}
+
+- (BOOL)_isValidURL:(NSString *)str
+{
+    NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:str];
+    return [UIApplication.sharedApplication canOpenURL:url];
 }
 
 - (BOOL)_hasReactStyle:(NSDictionary *)reactStyle
diff --git a/javascript/utils/MapboxStyleSheet.js b/javascript/utils/MapboxStyleSheet.js
index 557f264..26c1dd2 100644
--- a/javascript/utils/MapboxStyleSheet.js
+++ b/javascript/utils/MapboxStyleSheet.js
@@ -77,6 +77,21 @@ class MapStyleFunctionItem extends MapStyleItem {
   }
 }
 
+function resolveImage (imageURL) {
+  let resolved = imageURL;
+
+  if (typeof imageURL === 'number') { // required from JS, local file resolve it's asset filepath
+    const res = resolveAssetSource(imageURL);
+
+    // we found a local uri
+    if (res.uri) {
+      resolved = res.uri;
+    }
+  }
+
+  return resolved;
+}
+
 function makeStyleValue (prop, value, extras = {}) {
   let item;
 
@@ -93,8 +108,7 @@ function makeStyleValue (prop, value, extras = {}) {
   } else if (styleMap[prop] === StyleTypes.Translation) {
     item = new MapStyleTranslationItem(value.x, value.y, extraData);
   } else if (styleMap[prop] === StyleTypes.Image) {
-    const res = resolveAssetSource(value) || {};
-    item = new MapStyleConstantItem(res.uri || value, { image: true, ...extraData });
+    item = new MapStyleConstantItem(resolveImage(value), { image: true, ...extraData });
   } else {
     item = new MapStyleConstantItem(value, extraData);
   }
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 4eedca3..adedbcd 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -63,7 +63,8 @@
       "javascript/**/*.js"
     ],
     "setupFiles": [
-      "./__tests__/__mocks__/react-native-mapbox-gl.mock.js"
+      "./__tests__/__mocks__/react-native-mapbox-gl.mock.js",
+      "./__tests__/__mocks__/react-native.mock.js"
     ],
     "modulePathIgnorePatterns": [
       "example",
diff --git a/scripts/templates/RCTMGLStyle.m.ejs b/scripts/templates/RCTMGLStyle.m.ejs
index dd69f38..6606ab4 100644
--- a/scripts/templates/RCTMGLStyle.m.ejs
+++ b/scripts/templates/RCTMGLStyle.m.ejs
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
   <% for (let i = 0; i < layer.properties.length; i++) { -%>
   <%- ifOrElseIf(i) -%> ([prop isEqualToString:@"<%= layer.properties[i].name %>"]) {
   <%_ if (layer.properties[i].image) { _%>
-      if ([self _isTokenString:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
+      if (![self _shouldAddImage:styleValue.payload[@"value"]]) {
         [self set<%- iosPropMethodName(layer, pascelCase(layer.properties[i].name)) -%>:layer withReactStyleValue:styleValue];
       } else {
         [RCTMGLUtils fetchImage:_bridge url:styleValue.payload[@"value"] callback:^(NSError *error, UIImage *image) {
@@ -88,12 +88,15 @@
 <% } %>
 <% } %>
 
-- (BOOL)_isTokenString:(NSString *)str
+- (BOOL)_shouldAddImage:(NSString *)str
 {
-    if (str == nil) {
-        return false;
-    }
-    return [str hasPrefix:@"{"] && [str hasSuffix:@"}"];
+    return str != nil && [self _isValidURL:str];
+}
+
+- (BOOL)_isValidURL:(NSString *)str
+{
+    NSURL *url = [NSURL URLWithString:str];
+    return [UIApplication.sharedApplication canOpenURL:url];
 }
 
 - (BOOL)_hasReactStyle:(NSDictionary *)reactStyle