diff --git a/.github/actions/maestro-ios/action.yml b/.github/actions/maestro-ios/action.yml
index 8e1a11c9a25..f7f3feac346 100644
--- a/.github/actions/maestro-ios/action.yml
+++ b/.github/actions/maestro-ios/action.yml
@@ -37,22 +37,23 @@ inputs:
 
 runs:
   using: composite
+  # Expects Node.js to be set up by the calling job.
   steps:
+    # Booting takes a couple of minutes; it finishes while the next steps run.
+    - name: Boot simulator
+      shell: bash
+      run: |
+        node .github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js boot \
+          "${{ inputs.device-model }}" \
+          "${{ inputs.device-os }}"
     - name: Installing Maestro
       shell: bash
       run: export MAESTRO_VERSION=2.6.1; curl -Ls "https://get.maestro.mobile.dev" | bash
-    - name: Installing Maestro dependencies
-      shell: bash
-      run: |
-        brew tap facebook/fb
-        brew install facebook/fb/idb-companion
     - name: Set up JDK 17
       uses: actions/setup-java@v5
       with:
         java-version: '17'
         distribution: 'zulu'
-    - name: Setup node.js
-      uses: ./.github/actions/setup-node
     - name: Run yarn install
       uses: ./.github/actions/yarn-install
     - name: Start Metro in Debug
diff --git a/.github/workflow-scripts/__tests__/maestro-android-test.js b/.github/workflow-scripts/__tests__/maestro-android-test.js
index c07def601b2..bf353061d97 100644
--- a/.github/workflow-scripts/__tests__/maestro-android-test.js
+++ b/.github/workflow-scripts/__tests__/maestro-android-test.js
@@ -47,22 +47,16 @@ describe('Maestro Android runner', () => {
   });
 
   it('excludes flows with matching tags', () => {
-    const releaseOnlyFlow = path.join(
-      temporaryDirectory,
-      'android-release-only.yml',
-    );
+    const releaseOnlyFlow = path.join(temporaryDirectory, 'release-only.yml');
     const regularFlow = path.join(temporaryDirectory, 'regular.yml');
     fs.writeFileSync(
       releaseOnlyFlow,
-      'appId: x\ntags:\n  - android-release-only\n---\n- launchApp\n',
+      'appId: x\ntags:\n  - release-only\n---\n- launchApp\n',
     );
     fs.writeFileSync(regularFlow, 'appId: x\n---\n- launchApp\n');
 
     expect(
-      filterFlowsByTags(
-        [releaseOnlyFlow, regularFlow],
-        ['android-release-only'],
-      ),
+      filterFlowsByTags([releaseOnlyFlow, regularFlow], ['release-only']),
     ).toEqual([regularFlow]);
   });
 
diff --git a/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js b/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js
index fb2c26836d1..bbc870dd56b 100644
--- a/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js
+++ b/.github/workflow-scripts/maestro-ios.js
@@ -25,6 +25,11 @@ node maestro-ios.js <path to app> <app_id> <maestro_flow> <jsengine> <flavor> <w
 @param {string} deviceOS - Optional Maestro device OS, such as iOS-26-2
 @param {string} testStatePath - Optional file used to persist per-flow results between CI retries
 @param {string} excludeTags - Optional comma-separated flow tags to exclude
+
+node maestro-ios.js boot [device_model] [device_os]
+
+Starts booting the simulator the tests will run on and returns without
+waiting for the boot to finish.
 ==============
 `;
 
@@ -557,11 +562,24 @@ async function main(args = process.argv.slice(2)) {
   console.log('Test finished');
 }
 
+// Lets the workflow start the (slow) simulator boot before the rest of the
+// setup, instead of waiting for it in the middle of the test step.
+function boot(args) {
+  if (args.length > 2) {
+    throw new Error(`Invalid number of arguments.\n${usage}`);
+  }
+  launchSimulator(findAvailableSimulator(args[0] || null, args[1] || null));
+}
+
 if (require.main === module) {
-  main().catch(error => {
-    console.error(error);
-    process.exitCode = 1;
-  });
+  const args = process.argv.slice(2);
+  const command = args[0] === 'boot' ? () => boot(args.slice(1)) : main;
+  Promise.resolve()
+    .then(command)
+    .catch(error => {
+      console.error(error);
+      process.exitCode = 1;
+    });
 }
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-android-rntester.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-android-rntester.yml
index f3ff2fc0dc9..ef91256ce37 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-android-rntester.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-android-rntester.yml
@@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ jobs:
           # These timing-sensitive flows remain covered by the release APK.
           # Running the debug ARM64 APK through native translation can delay
           # React commits long enough for Maestro to miss taps and assertions.
-          exclude-tags: ${{ matrix.flavor == 'debug' && 'android-release-only' || '' }}
+          exclude-tags: ${{ matrix.flavor == 'debug' && 'release-only' || '' }}
       - name: Store per-flow test state
         if: always()
         uses: ./.github/actions/upload-artifact
diff --git a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml
index 4fba45819de..9acfe081b7f 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/e2e-ios-rntester.yml
@@ -52,10 +52,9 @@ jobs:
             SHOULD_RUN=false
           fi
           echo "should-run=$SHOULD_RUN" >> "$GITHUB_OUTPUT"
-      - name: Setup Node.js
-        if: steps.test-state.outputs.should-run == 'true'
-        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-node
+      # First, so that a missing app fails the job before any other setup.
       - name: Download App
+        id: download-app
         if: steps.test-state.outputs.should-run == 'true'
         uses: ./.github/actions/download-artifact
         with:
@@ -64,6 +63,9 @@ jobs:
       - name: Check downloaded folder content
         if: steps.test-state.outputs.should-run == 'true'
         run: ls -lR /tmp/RNTesterBuild
+      - name: Setup Node.js
+        if: steps.test-state.outputs.should-run == 'true'
+        uses: ./.github/actions/setup-node
       - name: Run E2E Tests
         id: run-tests
         if: steps.test-state.outputs.should-run == 'true'
@@ -77,7 +79,11 @@ jobs:
           device-model: iPhone-17-Pro
           device-os: iOS-26-2
           test-state-path: /tmp/maestro-ios-state/results.json
-          exclude-tags: android-only
+          # The `release-only` flows (FlatList maintainVisibleContentPosition)
+          # are half of the suite and test scroll behavior that doesn't depend
+          # on the build flavor. Nearly 90% of their failed attempts were in
+          # Debug, so like on Android they only run against Release.
+          exclude-tags: ${{ matrix.flavor == 'Debug' && 'android-only,release-only' || 'android-only' }}
       - name: Store per-flow test state
         if: always()
         uses: ./.github/actions/upload-artifact
@@ -91,14 +97,19 @@ jobs:
         if: always()
         shell: bash
         # passed: every flow passed.
-        # failed: a flow failed all of its attempts; retrying the job would only
-        #   repeat the same failure.
+        # failed: a flow failed all of its attempts, or the app to test is
+        #   missing; retrying the job would only repeat the same failure.
         # incomplete: the job stopped before running every flow (runner or
         #   setup failure); a retry can pick up the remaining flows.
         run: |
           STATE=/tmp/maestro-ios-state/results.json
           if [[ "${{ steps.test-state.outputs.should-run }}" == "false" || "${{ steps.run-tests.outcome }}" == "success" ]]; then
             RESULT=passed
+          elif [[ "${{ steps.download-app.outcome }}" == "failure" ]]; then
+            # test_ios_rntester uses continue-on-error, so it reports success
+            # even when the build that uploads this app failed.
+            echo "::error::RNTesterApp-NewArch-${{ matrix.flavor }} is missing. Check the test_ios_rntester (${{ matrix.flavor }}, frameworks: false) job."
+            RESULT=failed
           elif [[ -f "$STATE" ]] && jq -e 'any(.flows[]; .status == "failed")' "$STATE" > /dev/null; then
             RESULT=failed
           else
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-append-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-append-maintainvisible.yml
index 47a3097fe68..e477f1ce16f 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-append-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-append-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Appending items should NOT affect scroll offset (delta ~0)
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-complex-mutations-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-complex-mutations-maintainvisible.yml
index 72781f1a9a3..188ccf4570b 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-complex-mutations-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-complex-mutations-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Tests prepend + append + delete in sequence
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 - setOrientation: portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-delete-anchor-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-delete-anchor-maintainvisible.yml
index 7e6dd3a5f6c..162f8c1f812 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-delete-anchor-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-delete-anchor-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # When the anchor item (first visible) is deleted, MVCP should select a new anchor
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 - setOrientation: portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-delete-middle-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-delete-middle-maintainvisible.yml
index 8ca036af020..03620b2dd22 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-delete-middle-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-delete-middle-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # When items are deleted from the middle, MVCP should adjust scroll offset
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 - setOrientation: portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-empty-list-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-empty-list-maintainvisible.yml
index be79c35b7a6..f2c549e5355 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-empty-list-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-empty-list-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # correction.
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-first-prepend-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-first-prepend-maintainvisible.yml
index 8305cbc874c..b7d032a94b9 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-first-prepend-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-first-prepend-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Single prepend with fixed-height items: delta should be ~44px (40px height + 4px margin)
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-add50-reset-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-add50-reset-maintainvisible.yml
index 04d9c3c2072..44b9e863afa 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-add50-reset-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-add50-reset-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # reset returns offset to 0.
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 - setOrientation: portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-inverted-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-inverted-maintainvisible.yml
index c53fcd8db23..bc629d5155d 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-inverted-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-inverted-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # In inverted mode, prepending adds items to the right end
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-inverted-recycle-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-inverted-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
index ce9234cae13..2d8e39090dd 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-inverted-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-inverted-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Items are 200px wide + 4px margin = 204px each
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-maintainvisible.yml
index 8258d117230..e625f861ace 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Horizontal: items are 200px wide, delta should be ~204px (200px + 4px margin)
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-recycle-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
index c63531017e3..b80c7f975b6 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-horizontal-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Items are 200px wide + 4px margin = 204px each
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-inverted-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-inverted-maintainvisible.yml
index 28f585f95f4..132565d9cce 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-inverted-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-inverted-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # not logical order. Prepending shifts anchor view frame downward in both modes.
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-inverted-recycle-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-inverted-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
index ded9fe4c987..ed0041bdedb 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-inverted-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-inverted-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # In inverted mode, items display in reverse order but MVCP delta behavior is the same
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-maintainvisible.yml
index d0e05fc6287..f767288857c 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 # - Delta should equal height of prepended items (~44px per item with margin)
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ tags:
 # Test that user scroll is not interrupted during prepend
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 - assertVisible: 'Components'
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-momentum-scroll-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-momentum-scroll-maintainvisible.yml
index 820c6586db2..cb1baa52e5a 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-momentum-scroll-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-momentum-scroll-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # post-prepend. MVCP correction runs asynchronously in didMountItems.
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-orientation-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-orientation-maintainvisible.yml
index 8ecefd77df5..5f1a5f00c25 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-orientation-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-orientation-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 # to work correctly after the change.
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-prepend-delete-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-prepend-delete-maintainvisible.yml
index ad116f7a61e..c42ca0bee0a 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-prepend-delete-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-prepend-delete-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 # the first visible view, but re-ordering edge case is untested.
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-pull-to-refresh-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-pull-to-refresh-maintainvisible.yml
index 31445c02d9a..a4d561a73bc 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-pull-to-refresh-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-pull-to-refresh-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Simulates scroll-to-top then prepend (like pull-to-refresh with new items)
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 - setOrientation: portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-rapid-prepends-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-rapid-prepends-maintainvisible.yml
index c7434fb6a12..ac203a99c83 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-rapid-prepends-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-rapid-prepends-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # promptly, blocking render window updates. All prepends fired without waiting.
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-recycle-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
index 16cb6cf3132..69072f4afc5 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-recycle-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # With windowSize=3, only ~3 pages of items are rendered
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-scrolltooffset-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-scrolltooffset-maintainvisible.yml
index db298cc2b2f..c3736d81676 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-scrolltooffset-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-scrolltooffset-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 # of the scrollTo target).
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-throttle-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-throttle-maintainvisible.yml
index 5b0e4103f5e..02ffcf6c982 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-throttle-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-throttle-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Throttle affects timing but not final delta: should be ~44px
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-variable-height-first-prepend-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-variable-height-first-prepend-maintainvisible.yml
index 385b1d20952..2c69fd301fc 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-variable-height-first-prepend-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-variable-height-first-prepend-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Single prepend with variable height: delta should be 28-112px
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-variable-height-maintainvisible.yml b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-variable-height-maintainvisible.yml
index da034ec4b2b..26b4d01ed96 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-variable-height-maintainvisible.yml
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/.maestro/flatlist-variable-height-maintainvisible.yml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # Delta should be between 28-112px (random height from [30,50,70,90,110])
 appId: ${APP_ID}
 tags:
-  - android-release-only
+  - release-only
 ---
 - launchApp
 # Change to portrait