diff --git a/.changeset/expo-debug-embedded-bundle.md b/.changeset/expo-debug-embedded-bundle.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..6659623d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/expo-debug-embedded-bundle.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@callstack/react-native-brownfield': patch
+---
+
+Fix Expo iOS framework debug bundle packaging so Debug builds load from Metro when it is available and fall back to embedded bundles without dev-server-only runtime code.
diff --git a/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/detox-ios-simulator-device.cjs b/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/detox-ios-simulator-device.cjs
index aa2d450d..11252b51 100644
--- a/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/detox-ios-simulator-device.cjs
+++ b/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/detox-ios-simulator-device.cjs
@@ -60,6 +60,27 @@ function scoreDeviceType(name) {
   return score;
 }
 
+function pickBestDeviceType(types) {
+  let best = null;
+  let bestScore = -1;
+  for (const type of types) {
+    const score = scoreDeviceType(type);
+    if (score > bestScore) {
+      bestScore = score;
+      best = type;
+    }
+  }
+  return best;
+}
+
+function pickIosSimulatorDeviceType({ deviceTypes, availableDevices }) {
+  return (
+    pickBestDeviceType(availableDevices) ||
+    pickBestDeviceType(deviceTypes) ||
+    FALLBACK_DEVICE_TYPE
+  );
+}
+
 /**
  * Device `type` string for Detox `ios.simulator` config (matches Xcode / simctl names).
  *
@@ -74,21 +95,10 @@ function getIosSimulatorDeviceType() {
     process.env.DETOX_IOS_SIMULATOR_DEVICE?.trim();
   if (fromEnv) return fromEnv;
 
-  const types = [
-    ...listSimctlIphoneDeviceTypes(),
-    ...listSimctlAvailableIphoneDevices(),
-  ];
-
-  let best = null;
-  let bestScore = -1;
-  for (const t of types) {
-    const s = scoreDeviceType(t);
-    if (s > bestScore) {
-      bestScore = s;
-      best = t;
-    }
-  }
-  return best || FALLBACK_DEVICE_TYPE;
+  return pickIosSimulatorDeviceType({
+    deviceTypes: listSimctlIphoneDeviceTypes(),
+    availableDevices: listSimctlAvailableIphoneDevices(),
+  });
 }
 
-module.exports = { getIosSimulatorDeviceType };
+module.exports = { getIosSimulatorDeviceType, pickIosSimulatorDeviceType };
diff --git a/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/detox-ios-simulator-device.test.cjs b/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/detox-ios-simulator-device.test.cjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f8394537
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/detox-ios-simulator-device.test.cjs
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+const assert = require('node:assert/strict');
+const test = require('node:test');
+
+const {
+  pickIosSimulatorDeviceType,
+} = require('./detox-ios-simulator-device.cjs');
+
+test('prefers an installed simulator over a newer uncreated device type', () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    pickIosSimulatorDeviceType({
+      deviceTypes: ['iPhone 16', 'iPhone 17 Pro Max'],
+      availableDevices: ['iPhone 16'],
+    }),
+    'iPhone 16'
+  );
+});
+
+test('falls back to available device types when no simulators are installed', () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    pickIosSimulatorDeviceType({
+      deviceTypes: ['iPhone 16', 'iPhone 17 Pro'],
+      availableDevices: [],
+    }),
+    'iPhone 17 Pro'
+  );
+});
+
+test('uses the default fallback when simctl returns no iPhone data', () => {
+  assert.equal(
+    pickIosSimulatorDeviceType({
+      deviceTypes: [],
+      availableDevices: [],
+    }),
+    'iPhone 16'
+  );
+});
diff --git a/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/e2e/expoPostMessageBrownfield.e2e.js b/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/e2e/expoPostMessageBrownfield.e2e.js
index 60fdab94..18092330 100644
--- a/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/e2e/expoPostMessageBrownfield.e2e.js
+++ b/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/e2e/expoPostMessageBrownfield.e2e.js
@@ -8,14 +8,25 @@ const {
   waitForVisible,
 } = require('@callstack/brownfield-example-shared-tests/e2e/detoxUtils');
 
+async function openPostMessageTab() {
+  await device.disableSynchronization();
+  try {
+    await waitForVisible(by.label('postMessage API'), 45000);
+    await element(by.label('postMessage API')).atIndex(0).tap();
+    await waitForVisible(by.id(ids.sendMessageToNative), 45000);
+  } finally {
+    await device.enableSynchronization();
+  }
+}
+
 describe('Brownfield postMessage (Expo demo)', () => {
   beforeEach(async () => {
     await launchBrownfieldAppForDetox({ newInstance: true });
     try {
-      await waitForVisible(by.id(ids.sendMessageToNative), 45000);
+      await openPostMessageTab();
     } catch {
       await device.reloadReactNative();
-      await waitForVisible(by.id(ids.sendMessageToNative), 45000);
+      await openPostMessageTab();
     }
   });
 
diff --git a/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/package.json b/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/package.json
index 2533d8cd..7e8949c4 100644
--- a/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/package.json
+++ b/apps/brownfield-example-shared-tests/package.json
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
   "version": "0.1.0",
   "private": true,
   "scripts": {
-    "test": "node -e \"process.exit(0)\""
+    "test": "node --test ./*.test.cjs"
   },
   "main": "src/index.ts",
   "types": "src/index.ts",
diff --git a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/Expo/ExpoHostRuntime.swift b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/Expo/ExpoHostRuntime.swift
index c38eeb2d..099b93bc 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/Expo/ExpoHostRuntime.swift
+++ b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/Expo/ExpoHostRuntime.swift
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ final class ExpoHostRuntime {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Prefer the embedded JavaScript bundle instead of Metro when this framework is built in Debug.
+   * Use the embedded JavaScript bundle as a Debug fallback when Metro is unavailable.
    * Default value: false
    */
   public var preferEmbeddedBundleInDebug: Bool = false {
@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ class ExpoHostRuntimeDelegate: ExpoReactNativeFactoryDelegate {
         bundleURLOverride: nil,
         metroURL: {
           RCTBundleURLProvider.sharedSettings().jsBundleURL(
-            forBundleRoot: entryFile
+            forBundleRoot: entryFile,
+            fallbackURLProvider: { nil }
           )
         }
       )
diff --git a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/ReactNativeBrownfield.swift b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/ReactNativeBrownfield.swift
index bd11c281..0c0cc054 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/ReactNativeBrownfield.swift
+++ b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/ReactNativeBrownfield.swift
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ internal import Expo
   }
 
   /**
-   * Prefer the embedded JavaScript bundle instead of Metro when this framework is built in Debug.
+   * Use the embedded JavaScript bundle as a Debug fallback when Metro is unavailable.
    * Default value: false
    */
   @objc public var preferEmbeddedBundleInDebug: Bool = false {
diff --git a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/Vanilla/ReactNativeHostRuntime.swift b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/Vanilla/ReactNativeHostRuntime.swift
index 5a3f6fd6..f2671aec 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/Vanilla/ReactNativeHostRuntime.swift
+++ b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/Vanilla/ReactNativeHostRuntime.swift
@@ -31,7 +31,10 @@ class ReactNativeBrownfieldDelegate: RCTDefaultReactNativeFactoryDelegate {
         bundle: bundle,
         bundleURLOverride: bundleURLOverride,
         metroURL: {
-          RCTBundleURLProvider.sharedSettings().jsBundleURL(forBundleRoot: entryFile)
+          RCTBundleURLProvider.sharedSettings().jsBundleURL(
+            forBundleRoot: entryFile,
+            fallbackURLProvider: { nil }
+          )
         }
       )
     } catch {
@@ -86,7 +89,7 @@ final class ReactNativeHostRuntime {
   }
 
   /**
-   * Prefer the embedded JavaScript bundle instead of Metro when this framework is built in Debug.
+   * Use the embedded JavaScript bundle as a Debug fallback when Metro is unavailable.
    * Default value: false
    */
   public var preferEmbeddedBundleInDebug: Bool = false {
diff --git a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/swiftpm/Sources/BrownfieldBundleSupport/BrownfieldBundleURLResolver.swift b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/swiftpm/Sources/BrownfieldBundleSupport/BrownfieldBundleURLResolver.swift
index ce744833..85528d44 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/swiftpm/Sources/BrownfieldBundleSupport/BrownfieldBundleURLResolver.swift
+++ b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/swiftpm/Sources/BrownfieldBundleSupport/BrownfieldBundleURLResolver.swift
@@ -15,14 +15,20 @@ final class BrownfieldBundleURLResolver {
       return overriddenURL
     }
 
-    if isDebug && !preferEmbeddedBundleInDebug {
-      return metroURL()
-    }
-
     let (resourceName, fileExtension) = try BrownfieldBundlePathResolver.resourceComponents(
       from: bundlePath
     )
 
-    return bundle.url(forResource: resourceName, withExtension: fileExtension)
+    let embeddedBundleURL = bundle.url(forResource: resourceName, withExtension: fileExtension)
+
+    if isDebug {
+      if preferEmbeddedBundleInDebug {
+        return metroURL() ?? embeddedBundleURL
+      }
+
+      return metroURL()
+    }
+
+    return embeddedBundleURL
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/swiftpm/Tests/BrownfieldBundleSupportTests/BrownfieldBundleURLResolverTests.swift b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/swiftpm/Tests/BrownfieldBundleSupportTests/BrownfieldBundleURLResolverTests.swift
index 6e4a52f1..1212a031 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/swiftpm/Tests/BrownfieldBundleSupportTests/BrownfieldBundleURLResolverTests.swift
+++ b/packages/react-native-brownfield/ios/swiftpm/Tests/BrownfieldBundleSupportTests/BrownfieldBundleURLResolverTests.swift
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import XCTest
 @testable import BrownfieldBundleSupport
 
 final class BrownfieldBundleURLResolverTests: XCTestCase {
-  func test_debugResolutionPrefersBundledResourceWhenEnabled() throws {
+  func test_debugResolutionUsesMetroWhenAvailableWithBundledFallbackEnabled() throws {
     let metroURL = URL(string: "http://localhost:8081/index.bundle?platform=ios")!
     let bundle = try makeFixtureBundle()
 
@@ -15,9 +15,23 @@ final class BrownfieldBundleURLResolverTests: XCTestCase {
       metroURL: { metroURL }
     )
 
+    XCTAssertEqual(resolvedURL, metroURL)
+  }
+
+  func test_debugResolutionFallsBackToBundledResourceWhenMetroIsUnavailable() throws {
+    let bundle = try makeFixtureBundle()
+
+    let resolvedURL = try BrownfieldBundleURLResolver.resolve(
+      isDebug: true,
+      preferEmbeddedBundleInDebug: true,
+      bundlePath: "main.jsbundle",
+      bundle: bundle,
+      bundleURLOverride: nil,
+      metroURL: { nil }
+    )
+
     XCTAssertNotNil(resolvedURL)
     XCTAssertEqual(resolvedURL?.lastPathComponent, "main.jsbundle")
-    XCTAssertNotEqual(resolvedURL, metroURL)
   }
 
   func test_debugResolutionUsesMetroByDefault() throws {
@@ -84,9 +98,7 @@ final class BrownfieldBundleURLResolverTests: XCTestCase {
       metroURL: { metroURL }
     )
 
-    XCTAssertNotNil(resolvedURL)
-    XCTAssertEqual(resolvedURL?.lastPathComponent, "main.jsbundle")
-    XCTAssertNotEqual(resolvedURL, metroURL)
+    XCTAssertEqual(resolvedURL, metroURL)
   }
 
   func test_invalidBundlePathThrows() {
diff --git a/packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/__tests__/xcodeHelpers.test.ts b/packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/__tests__/xcodeHelpers.test.ts
index 3494aee8..fbc6b376 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/__tests__/xcodeHelpers.test.ts
+++ b/packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/__tests__/xcodeHelpers.test.ts
@@ -63,6 +63,9 @@ fi
 
     expect(rewritten).toContain('unset SKIP_BUNDLING');
     expect(rewritten).toContain('export FORCE_BUNDLING=1');
+    expect(rewritten).toContain(
+      'export EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS="$EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS --dev false"'
+    );
     expect(rewritten).not.toContain('export SKIP_BUNDLING=1');
     expect(rewritten).toContain('export BUNDLE_COMMAND="export:embed"');
     expect(rewritten).toContain('react-native-xcode.sh');
@@ -77,7 +80,28 @@ fi
       rewriteBundleReactNativePhaseScriptForFrameworkTarget(script);
 
     expect(rewritten).toMatch(
-      /^# Brownfield framework packaging must embed JS in Debug builds\.\nif \[\[ "\$CONFIGURATION" = \*Debug\* \]\]; then\n {2}unset SKIP_BUNDLING\n {2}export FORCE_BUNDLING=1\nfi\n\nexport ENTRY_FILE="index\.js"/
+      /^# Brownfield framework packaging must embed JS in Debug builds\.\nif \[\[ "\$CONFIGURATION" = \*Debug\* \]\]; then\n {2}unset SKIP_BUNDLING\n {2}export FORCE_BUNDLING=1\n {2}export EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS="\$EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS --dev false"\nfi\n\nexport ENTRY_FILE="index\.js"/
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('backfills dev-mode disabling when an existing debug override is missing it', () => {
+    const script = `# Brownfield framework packaging must embed JS in Debug builds.
+if [[ "$CONFIGURATION" = *Debug* ]]; then
+  unset SKIP_BUNDLING
+  export FORCE_BUNDLING=1
+fi
+
+export ENTRY_FILE="index.js"
+\`"$NODE_BINARY" --print "require.resolve('react-native/package.json')"\`/scripts/react-native-xcode.sh
+`;
+
+    const rewritten =
+      rewriteBundleReactNativePhaseScriptForFrameworkTarget(script);
+
+    expect(rewritten).toContain('export FORCE_BUNDLING=1');
+    expect(rewritten).toContain(
+      'export EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS="$EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS --dev false"'
     );
+    expect(rewritten).toContain('export ENTRY_FILE="index.js"');
   });
 });
diff --git a/packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/xcodeHelpers.ts b/packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/xcodeHelpers.ts
index 53a508d1..49b53b1d 100644
--- a/packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/xcodeHelpers.ts
+++ b/packages/react-native-brownfield/src/expo-config-plugin/ios/xcodeHelpers.ts
@@ -454,10 +454,12 @@ export function rewriteBundleReactNativePhaseScriptForFrameworkTarget(
 if [[ "$CONFIGURATION" = *Debug* ]]; then
   unset SKIP_BUNDLING
   export FORCE_BUNDLING=1
+  export EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS="$EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS --dev false"
 fi
 `;
   const debugSkipBundlingBlock =
     /if \[\[ "\$CONFIGURATION" = \*Debug\* \]\]; then\s+export SKIP_BUNDLING=1\s+fi\s*/m;
+  const forceBundlingExport = /^([ \t]*)export FORCE_BUNDLING=1[ \t]*$/m;
 
   if (debugSkipBundlingBlock.test(shellScript)) {
     return shellScript.replace(
@@ -467,6 +469,18 @@ fi
   }
 
   if (shellScript.includes('export FORCE_BUNDLING=1')) {
+    if (shellScript.includes('--dev false')) {
+      return shellScript;
+    }
+
+    if (forceBundlingExport.test(shellScript)) {
+      return shellScript.replace(
+        forceBundlingExport,
+        (_, indentation: string) =>
+          `${indentation}export FORCE_BUNDLING=1\n${indentation}export EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS="$EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS --dev false"`
+      );
+    }
+
     return shellScript;
   }
 
diff --git a/scripts/ci-local-ios-e2e-common.sh b/scripts/ci-local-ios-e2e-common.sh
index a29daaa6..2fedab42 100644
--- a/scripts/ci-local-ios-e2e-common.sh
+++ b/scripts/ci-local-ios-e2e-common.sh
@@ -107,11 +107,13 @@ ci_local_e2e_register_pod_settings_restore() {
     return 0
   fi
 
-  for existing in "${CI_LOCAL_E2E_IOS_PATHS_FOR_POD_RESTORE[@]}"; do
-    if [[ "${existing}" == "${ios_path}" ]]; then
-      return 0
-    fi
-  done
+  if [[ "${#CI_LOCAL_E2E_IOS_PATHS_FOR_POD_RESTORE[@]}" -gt 0 ]]; then
+    for existing in "${CI_LOCAL_E2E_IOS_PATHS_FOR_POD_RESTORE[@]}"; do
+      if [[ "${existing}" == "${ios_path}" ]]; then
+        return 0
+      fi
+    done
+  fi
 
   CI_LOCAL_E2E_IOS_PATHS_FOR_POD_RESTORE+=("${ios_path}")
 
@@ -229,17 +231,21 @@ ci_local_e2e_ensure_ios_xcode_env_updates() {
   local file="${ios_path}/.xcode.env.updates"
   local marker='# Detox / CI embedded bundle'
 
-  if [[ -f "${file}" ]] && grep -q "${marker}" "${file}"; then
+  if [[ -f "${file}" ]] &&
+    grep -q "${marker}" "${file}" &&
+    grep -q -- "--dev false" "${file}"; then
     return 0
   fi
 
   # Detox sets FORCE_BUNDLING=1, but Expo Debug also sets SKIP_BUNDLING=1 in the Xcode
-  # bundle script. Unset SKIP_BUNDLING when FORCE_BUNDLING is set so main.jsbundle is embedded.
+  # bundle script. Unset SKIP_BUNDLING and disable dev transforms when FORCE_BUNDLING is set
+  # so main.jsbundle is embedded and can run without Metro/devtools.
   cat > "${file}" <<'EOF'
 # Detox / CI embedded bundle
-# When FORCE_BUNDLING=1 (see apps/*/.detoxrc.cjs), embed JS for simulator E2E without Metro.
+# When FORCE_BUNDLING=1 (see apps/*/.detoxrc.cjs), embed production JS for simulator E2E without Metro.
 if [[ -n "$FORCE_BUNDLING" ]]; then
   unset SKIP_BUNDLING
+  export EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS="${EXTRA_PACKAGER_ARGS:-} --dev false"
 fi
 EOF
   echo "==> Wrote ${file} for Detox embedded bundle builds"