diff --git a/src/ImageEditor.tsx b/src/ImageEditor.tsx
index a01c9e8..a9e444d 100644
--- a/src/ImageEditor.tsx
+++ b/src/ImageEditor.tsx
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import React, {
 } from 'react';
 
 import { loadScript, resetLoader } from './loadScript';
+import { stableKey } from './optionsDiff';
 import { ImageEditorInstance, ImageEditorProps, ImageEditorRef } from './types';
 
 function ImageEditorInner(
@@ -66,8 +67,8 @@ function ImageEditorInner(
   // theme/locale/translations apply via updateOptions; everything else in
   // options requires a remount.
   const { theme, locale, translations, ...remountOptions } = options;
-  const remountKey = JSON.stringify(remountOptions);
-  const updatableKey = JSON.stringify([theme, locale, translations]);
+  const remountKey = stableKey(remountOptions);
+  const updatableKey = stableKey([theme, locale, translations]);
 
   useEffect(() => {
     let cancelled = false;
@@ -114,7 +115,7 @@ function ImageEditorInner(
         instance = created;
         editorRef.current = created;
         appliedImageRef.current = mountImage;
-        appliedUpdatableRef.current = JSON.stringify([
+        appliedUpdatableRef.current = stableKey([
           mountOptions.theme,
           mountOptions.locale,
           mountOptions.translations,
diff --git a/src/optionsDiff.ts b/src/optionsDiff.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7b8631d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/optionsDiff.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,89 @@
+/**
+ * Stable, comparison-safe serialization for option-diff detection.
+ *
+ * `JSON.stringify` is unsuitable as a React-effect key for the `options`
+ * prop:
+ *   1. object keys are emitted in insertion order, so semantically identical
+ *      objects that differ only in property declaration order produce
+ *      different strings (a spurious remount that discards unsaved edits, or
+ *      a spurious updateOptions);
+ *   2. `undefined` and function values are silently dropped, so real changes
+ *      can be invisible to the diff (stale editor configuration);
+ *   3. a circular reference throws at render time.
+ *
+ * `stableKey` returns a canonical string instead: object keys are sorted,
+ * `undefined` and functions are first-class values (functions keyed by a
+ * stable reference id), and circular references are emitted as a marker
+ * rather than recursing forever. Equal structures always serialize to equal
+ * strings, regardless of key order, without throwing.
+ */
+
+const UNDEFINED = '\uFFFCundefined';
+const CIRCULAR = '\uFFFCcircular';
+const SYMBOL_PREFIX = '\uFFFCsymbol:';
+const FUNCTION_PREFIX = '\uFFFCfunction:';
+const BIGINT_SUFFIX = 'n';
+
+// Functions carry no comparable intrinsic value, so key them by reference:
+// the same function instance is stable across renders, while a freshly
+// created closure is a genuine change the diff must not miss.
+const functionIds = new WeakMap<Function, number>();
+let nextFunctionId = 0;
+
+const functionId = (fn: Function): number => {
+  const existing = functionIds.get(fn);
+  if (existing !== undefined) return existing;
+  const id = nextFunctionId++;
+  functionIds.set(fn, id);
+  return id;
+};
+
+const serialize = (value: unknown, path: Set<object>): string => {
+  switch (typeof value) {
+    case 'string':
+      return JSON.stringify(value);
+    case 'number':
+    case 'boolean':
+      return String(value);
+    case 'bigint':
+      return `${value}${BIGINT_SUFFIX}`;
+    case 'undefined':
+      return UNDEFINED;
+    case 'symbol':
+      return `${SYMBOL_PREFIX}${String(value.description ?? '')}`;
+    case 'function':
+      return `${FUNCTION_PREFIX}${functionId(value)}`;
+    case 'object':
+      if (value === null) return 'null';
+      // A node already on the active path is a cycle: emit a marker and stop
+      // recursing so a circular `options` object can no longer crash render.
+      if (path.has(value)) return CIRCULAR;
+      path.add(value);
+      let result: string;
+      if (Array.isArray(value)) {
+        result = `[${value.map((item) => serialize(item, path)).join(',')}]`;
+      } else {
+        const entries = Object.entries(value)
+          .sort(([left], [right]) => left.localeCompare(right))
+          .map(
+            ([key, entry]) => `${JSON.stringify(key)}:${serialize(entry, path)}`
+          )
+          .join(',');
+        result = `{${entries}}`;
+      }
+      path.delete(value);
+      return result;
+    /* v8 ignore next -- every typeof is handled by a case above */
+    default:
+      return 'null';
+  }
+};
+
+/**
+ * Canonical serializer for structural option diffing. See the module doc for
+ * the guarantees it provides over `JSON.stringify`.
+ */
+export const stableKey = (value: unknown): string => {
+  const path = new Set<object>();
+  return serialize(value, path);
+};
diff --git a/test/index.test.tsx b/test/index.test.tsx
index 5c08aa2..541fb15 100644
--- a/test/index.test.tsx
+++ b/test/index.test.tsx
@@ -321,6 +321,62 @@ it('remounts the editor when a non-updatable option changes', async () => {
   expect(mountOptionsOf(1).projectId).toBe(2);
 });
 
+it('does not remount or update options when only the key order changes', async () => {
+  const { rerender } = render(
+    <ImageEditor image="img-a" options={{ projectId: 1, user: { id: 'u1' } }} />
+  );
+  await flush();
+
+  rerender(
+    <ImageEditor image="img-a" options={{ user: { id: 'u1' }, projectId: 1 }} />
+  );
+  await flush();
+
+  // Key-order-only differences are semantically identical and must neither
+  // destroy the editor nor push live options updates.
+  expect(mockInstance.destroy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+  expect(createEditor).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  expect(mockInstance.updateOptions).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+});
+
+it('detects a change in a previously-undefined option value', async () => {
+  const { rerender } = render(
+    <ImageEditor
+      image="img-a"
+      options={{ projectId: 1, user: { name: undefined } }}
+    />
+  );
+  await flush();
+
+  rerender(
+    <ImageEditor
+      image="img-a"
+      options={{ projectId: 1, user: { name: 'Adeel' } }}
+    />
+  );
+  await flush();
+
+  // JSON.stringify would have dropped the undefined name and treated both
+  // options as identical; the stable diff must see the real change.
+  expect(mockInstance.destroy).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  expect(createEditor).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(2);
+  expect(mountOptionsOf(1).user?.name).toBe('Adeel');
+});
+
+it('renders without crashing when options contain a circular reference', async () => {
+  const options: ImageEditorOptions = { projectId: 1 } as ImageEditorOptions;
+  const self: Record<string, unknown> = {};
+  self.user = self;
+  options.user = self as ImageEditorOptions['user'];
+
+  render(<ImageEditor image="img-a" options={options} />);
+  await flush();
+
+  // A circular options object must not throw at render; the editor mounts once.
+  expect(createEditor).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
+  expect(mockInstance.destroy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+});
+
 it('always invokes the latest callbacks', async () => {
   const firstOnSave = vi.fn();
   const secondOnSave = vi.fn();
diff --git a/test/optionsDiff.test.ts b/test/optionsDiff.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7416f81
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/optionsDiff.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,63 @@
+import { stableKey } from '../src/optionsDiff';
+
+describe('stableKey', () => {
+  it('produces equal keys for objects whose properties are in different order', () => {
+    expect(
+      stableKey({ a: { x: 1, y: { p: 2, q: 3 } }, b: 4, c: [1, 2, 3] })
+    ).toBe(stableKey({ c: [1, 2, 3], b: 4, a: { y: { q: 3, p: 2 }, x: 1 } }));
+  });
+
+  it('distinguishes different values', () => {
+    expect(stableKey({ a: 1 })).not.toBe(stableKey({ a: 2 }));
+    expect(stableKey('x')).not.toBe(stableKey('y'));
+    expect(stableKey([1])).not.toBe(stableKey([1, 2]));
+    expect(stableKey(null)).not.toBe(stableKey({}));
+  });
+
+  it('treats undefined as a first-class value so dropped fields stay visible', () => {
+    // JSON.stringify omits undefined; here it must be distinguishable from
+    // both an absent key and a present value.
+    expect(stableKey({ a: undefined })).not.toBe(stableKey({}));
+    expect(stableKey({ a: undefined })).not.toBe(stableKey({ a: 1 }));
+    expect(stableKey({ a: undefined })).toBe(stableKey({ a: undefined }));
+    expect(stableKey([undefined])).not.toBe(stableKey([]));
+  });
+
+  it('keys functions by reference: the same instance is stable, a new one differs', () => {
+    const callback = () => {};
+    expect(stableKey({ cb: callback })).toBe(stableKey({ cb: callback }));
+    expect(stableKey({ cb: () => {} })).not.toBe(stableKey({ cb: () => {} }));
+  });
+
+  it('does not throw on circular references and emits a stable marker', () => {
+    const first: { name: string; self?: unknown } = { name: 'a' };
+    first.self = first;
+    const second: { name: string; self?: unknown } = { name: 'a' };
+    second.self = second;
+
+    expect(() => stableKey(first)).not.toThrow();
+    expect(stableKey(first)).toBe(stableKey(second));
+    expect(stableKey(first)).not.toBe(stableKey({ name: 'b', self: first }));
+
+    // A node already on the active path inside an array is handled too.
+    const cycles: unknown[] = [1, 2];
+    cycles.push(cycles);
+    expect(() => stableKey(cycles)).not.toThrow();
+  });
+
+  it('serializes every primitive value type without throwing', () => {
+    expect(() =>
+      stableKey({
+        str: 'text',
+        num: 42,
+        bool: false,
+        big: BigInt(10),
+        nil: null,
+        sym: Symbol('sym'),
+        bareSym: Symbol(),
+        undef: undefined,
+        fn: () => {},
+      })
+    ).not.toThrow();
+  });
+});