diff --git a/.changeset/dirty-carrots-sit.md b/.changeset/dirty-carrots-sit.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..336a8a595
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/dirty-carrots-sit.md
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+---
+'@compiled/babel-plugin': minor
+---
+
+Fix `@compiled/babel-plugin` to not require `cssMap()` to be called prior to use.
+
+Example, this failed before for no reason other than the fact that our `state.cssMap` was generated _after_ `JSXElement` and `JSXOpeningElement` were ran.
+
+```tsx
+import { cssMap } from '@compiled/react';
+export default () => <div css={styles.root} />;
+const styles = cssMap({ root: { padding: 8 } });
+```
diff --git a/.changeset/silent-geese-wonder.md b/.changeset/silent-geese-wonder.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ffeef80ee
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/silent-geese-wonder.md
@@ -0,0 +1,21 @@
+---
+'@compiled/babel-plugin': minor
+---
+
+Throw an error when compiling a `cssMap` object where we expect a `css` or nested `cssMap` object.
+
+Example of code that silently fails today, using `styles` directly:
+
+```tsx
+import { cssMap } from '@compiled/react';
+const styles = cssMap({ root: { padding: 8 } });
+export default () => <div css={styles} />;
+```
+
+What we expect to see instead, using `styles.root` instead:
+
+```tsx
+import { cssMap } from '@compiled/react';
+const styles = cssMap({ root: { padding: 8 } });
+export default () => <div css={styles.root} />;
+```
diff --git a/packages/babel-plugin/src/babel-plugin.ts b/packages/babel-plugin/src/babel-plugin.ts
index 380101199..89d03245b 100644
--- a/packages/babel-plugin/src/babel-plugin.ts
+++ b/packages/babel-plugin/src/babel-plugin.ts
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ export default declare<State>((api) => {
 
       this.sheets = {};
       this.cssMap = {};
+      this.ignoreMemberExpressions = {};
       let cache: Cache;
 
       if (this.opts.cache === true) {
@@ -239,7 +240,6 @@ export default declare<State>((api) => {
       },
       ImportDeclaration(path, state) {
         const userLandModule = path.node.source.value;
-
         const isCompiledModule = this.importSources.some((compiledModuleOrigin) => {
           if (compiledModuleOrigin === userLandModule) {
             return true;
@@ -282,6 +282,7 @@ export default declare<State>((api) => {
               const apiArray = state.compiledImports[apiName] || [];
               apiArray.push(specifier.node.local.name);
               state.compiledImports[apiName] = apiArray;
+
               specifier.remove();
             }
           });
@@ -311,6 +312,7 @@ Reasons this might happen:
             path.parentPath
           );
         }
+
         if (isCompiledCSSMapCallExpression(path.node, state)) {
           visitCssMapPath(path, { context: 'root', state, parentPath: path });
           return;
diff --git a/packages/babel-plugin/src/css-map/__tests__/index.test.ts b/packages/babel-plugin/src/css-map/__tests__/index.test.ts
index 7036eecc4..685d60bf5 100644
--- a/packages/babel-plugin/src/css-map/__tests__/index.test.ts
+++ b/packages/babel-plugin/src/css-map/__tests__/index.test.ts
@@ -36,6 +36,25 @@ describe('css map basic functionality', () => {
     ]);
   });
 
+  it('should transform css map even when the styles are defined below the component', () => {
+    const actual = transform(`
+      import { cssMap } from '@compiled/react';
+
+      const Component = () => <div>
+        <span css={styles.danger} />
+        <span css={styles.success} />
+      </div>
+
+      const styles = cssMap(${styles});
+    `);
+
+    expect(actual).toIncludeMultiple([
+      'const styles={danger:"_syaz5scu _bfhk5scu",success:"_syazbf54 _bfhkbf54"};',
+      '<span className={ax([styles.danger])}/>',
+      '<span className={ax([styles.success])}/>',
+    ]);
+  });
+
   it('should transform css map even with an empty object', () => {
     const actual = transform(`
         import { css, cssMap } from '@compiled/react';
@@ -88,6 +107,30 @@ describe('css map basic functionality', () => {
     ]);
   });
 
+  it('should error out if the root cssMap object is being directly called', () => {
+    expect(() => {
+      transform(`
+      import { cssMap } from '@compiled/react';
+
+      const styles = cssMap({ root: { color: 'red' } });
+
+      // Eg. we expect 'styles.root' here instead of 'styles'
+      <div css={styles} />
+    `);
+    }).toThrow(ErrorMessages.USE_VARIANT_OF_CSS_MAP);
+
+    expect(() => {
+      transform(`
+      import { cssMap } from '@compiled/react';
+
+      // Eg. we expect 'styles.root' here instead of 'styles'
+      <div css={styles} />
+
+      const styles = cssMap({ root: { color: 'red' } });
+    `);
+    }).toThrow(ErrorMessages.USE_VARIANT_OF_CSS_MAP);
+  });
+
   it('should error out if variants are not defined at the top-most scope of the module.', () => {
     expect(() => {
       transform(`
diff --git a/packages/babel-plugin/src/types.ts b/packages/babel-plugin/src/types.ts
index f697dda57..55c4726e2 100644
--- a/packages/babel-plugin/src/types.ts
+++ b/packages/babel-plugin/src/types.ts
@@ -194,6 +194,11 @@ export interface State extends PluginPass {
    */
   cssMap: Record<string, string[]>;
 
+  /**
+   * Holdings a record of member expression names to ignore
+   */
+  ignoreMemberExpressions: Record<string, true>;
+
   /**
    * A custom resolver used to statically evaluate import declarations
    */
diff --git a/packages/babel-plugin/src/utils/css-builders.ts b/packages/babel-plugin/src/utils/css-builders.ts
index f0d6d6f0b..a82253d21 100644
--- a/packages/babel-plugin/src/utils/css-builders.ts
+++ b/packages/babel-plugin/src/utils/css-builders.ts
@@ -1,15 +1,19 @@
 import generate from '@babel/generator';
+import type { NodePath } from '@babel/traverse';
 import * as t from '@babel/types';
 import { addUnitIfNeeded, cssAffixInterpolation } from '@compiled/css';
 import { hash, kebabCase } from '@compiled/utils';
 
+import { visitCssMapPath } from '../css-map';
 import type { Metadata } from '../types';
 
 import { buildCodeFrameError } from './ast';
 import { CONDITIONAL_PATHS } from './constants';
+import { createErrorMessage, ErrorMessages } from './css-map';
 import { evaluateExpression } from './evaluate-expression';
 import {
   isCompiledCSSCallExpression,
+  isCompiledCSSMapCallExpression,
   isCompiledCSSTaggedTemplateExpression,
   isCompiledKeyframesCallExpression,
   isCompiledKeyframesTaggedTemplateExpression,
@@ -665,6 +669,45 @@ const extractObjectExpression = (node: t.ObjectExpression, meta: Metadata): CSSO
   return { css: mergeSubsequentUnconditionalCssItems(css), variables };
 };
 
+/**
+ * If we don't yet have a `meta.state.cssMap[node.name]` built yet, try to build and cache it, eg. in this scenario:
+ * ```tsx
+ * const Component = () => <div css={styles.root} />
+ * const styles = cssMap({ root: { padding: 0 } });
+ * ```
+ *
+ * If we don't find this is a `cssMap()` call, we put it into `ignoreMemberExpressions` to ignore on future runs.
+ *
+ * @returns {Boolean} Whether the cache was generated
+ */
+const generateCacheForCSSMap = (node: t.Identifier, meta: Metadata): void => {
+  if (meta.state.cssMap[node.name] || meta.state.ignoreMemberExpressions[node.name]) {
+    return;
+  }
+
+  const resolved = resolveBinding(node.name, meta, evaluateExpression);
+  if (resolved && isCompiledCSSMapCallExpression(resolved.node, meta.state)) {
+    let resolvedCallPath = resolved.path.get('init');
+    if (Array.isArray(resolvedCallPath)) {
+      resolvedCallPath = resolvedCallPath[0];
+    }
+
+    if (t.isCallExpression(resolvedCallPath.node)) {
+      // This visits the cssMap path and caches the styles
+      visitCssMapPath(resolvedCallPath as NodePath<t.CallExpression>, {
+        context: 'root',
+        state: meta.state,
+        parentPath: resolved.path,
+      });
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (!meta.state.cssMap[node.name]) {
+    // If this cannot be found, it's likely not a `cssMap` identifier and we shouldn't parse it again on future runs…
+    meta.state.ignoreMemberExpressions[node.name] = true;
+  }
+};
+
 /**
  * Extracts CSS data from a member expression node (eg. `styles.primary`)
  *
@@ -688,11 +731,16 @@ function extractMemberExpression(
   fallbackToEvaluate = true
 ): CSSOutput | undefined {
   const bindingIdentifier = findBindingIdentifier(node);
-  if (bindingIdentifier && meta.state.cssMap[bindingIdentifier.name]) {
-    return {
-      css: [{ type: 'map', expression: node, name: bindingIdentifier.name, css: '' }],
-      variables: [],
-    };
+
+  if (bindingIdentifier) {
+    // In some cases, the `state.cssMap` is not warmed yet, so run it:
+    generateCacheForCSSMap(bindingIdentifier, meta);
+    if (meta.state.cssMap[bindingIdentifier.name]) {
+      return {
+        css: [{ type: 'map', expression: node, name: bindingIdentifier.name, css: '' }],
+        variables: [],
+      };
+    }
   }
 
   if (fallbackToEvaluate) {
@@ -956,6 +1004,16 @@ export const buildCss = (node: t.Expression | t.Expression[], meta: Metadata): C
       );
     }
 
+    // In some cases, the `state.cssMap` is not warmed yet, so run it:
+    generateCacheForCSSMap(node, meta);
+    if (meta.state.cssMap[node.name]) {
+      throw buildCodeFrameError(
+        createErrorMessage(ErrorMessages.USE_VARIANT_OF_CSS_MAP),
+        node,
+        meta.parentPath
+      );
+    }
+
     const result = buildCss(resolvedBinding.node, resolvedBinding.meta);
 
     assertNoImportedCssVariables(node, meta, resolvedBinding, result);
diff --git a/packages/babel-plugin/src/utils/css-map.ts b/packages/babel-plugin/src/utils/css-map.ts
index 2a9786d85..984bcbb0a 100644
--- a/packages/babel-plugin/src/utils/css-map.ts
+++ b/packages/babel-plugin/src/utils/css-map.ts
@@ -86,6 +86,7 @@ export enum ErrorMessages {
   STATIC_PROPERTY_KEY = 'Property key may only be a static string.',
   SELECTOR_BLOCK_WRONG_PLACE = '`selector` key was defined in the wrong place.',
   USE_SELECTORS_WITH_AMPERSAND = 'This selector is applied to the parent element, and so you need to specify the ampersand symbol (&) directly before it. For example, `:hover` should be written as `&:hover`.',
+  USE_VARIANT_OF_CSS_MAP = 'You must use the variant of a CSS Map object (eg. `styles.root`), not the root object itself, eg. `styles`.',
 }
 
 export const createErrorMessage = (message: string): string => {
diff --git a/packages/react/src/create-strict-api/__tests__/generics.test.tsx b/packages/react/src/create-strict-api/__tests__/generics.test.tsx
index 268f8d263..dde15c333 100644
--- a/packages/react/src/create-strict-api/__tests__/generics.test.tsx
+++ b/packages/react/src/create-strict-api/__tests__/generics.test.tsx
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ describe('createStrictAPI()', () => {
   });
 
   it('should mark all styles as optional in cssMap()', () => {
-    const styles = cssMap({
+    const stylesMap = cssMap({
       nested: {
         '&:hover': {},
         '&:active': {},
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ describe('createStrictAPI()', () => {
       },
     });
 
-    const { getByTestId } = render(<div css={styles.nested} data-testid="div" />);
+    const { getByTestId } = render(<div css={stylesMap.nested} data-testid="div" />);
 
     expect(getByTestId('div')).toBeDefined();
   });
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ describe('createStrictAPI()', () => {
     });
 
     it('should violate types for cssMap()', () => {
-      const styles = cssMap({
+      const stylesMap = cssMap({
         primary: {
           // @ts-expect-error — Type '""' is not assignable to type ...
           color: '',
@@ -129,7 +129,7 @@ describe('createStrictAPI()', () => {
         },
       });
 
-      const { getByTestId } = render(<div css={styles.primary} data-testid="div" />);
+      const { getByTestId } = render(<div css={stylesMap.primary} data-testid="div" />);
 
       expect(getByTestId('div')).toBeDefined();
     });
@@ -224,7 +224,7 @@ describe('createStrictAPI()', () => {
     });
 
     it('should pass type check for cssMap()', () => {
-      const styles = cssMap({
+      const stylesMap = cssMap({
         primary: {
           color: 'var(--ds-text)',
           backgroundColor: 'var(--ds-bold)',
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ describe('createStrictAPI()', () => {
         },
       });
 
-      const { getByTestId } = render(<div css={styles.primary} data-testid="div" />);
+      const { getByTestId } = render(<div css={stylesMap.primary} data-testid="div" />);
 
       expect(getByTestId('div')).toHaveCompiledCss('color', 'var(--ds-text)');
     });