diff --git a/.changeset/three-doors-start.md b/.changeset/three-doors-start.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..63c32eb85
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/three-doors-start.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@rock-js/platform-apple-helpers': patch
+---
+
+fix: turn off prebuilds for brownfield builds
diff --git a/packages/platform-apple-helpers/src/lib/utils/pods.ts b/packages/platform-apple-helpers/src/lib/utils/pods.ts
index 4c5418972..72697fa06 100644
--- a/packages/platform-apple-helpers/src/lib/utils/pods.ts
+++ b/packages/platform-apple-helpers/src/lib/utils/pods.ts
@@ -124,6 +124,7 @@ async function runPodInstall(options: {
       numeric: true,
       sensitivity: 'base',
     }) >= 0;
+  const usePrebuiltReactNative = !options.brownfield && isReactNative81OrHigher;
   const command = options.useBundler ? 'bundle' : 'pod';
   const args = options.useBundler ? ['exec', 'pod', 'install'] : ['install'];
   try {
@@ -132,9 +133,9 @@ async function runPodInstall(options: {
         RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED: options.newArch ? '1' : '0',
         RCT_IGNORE_PODS_DEPRECATION: '1',
         RCT_USE_RN_DEP:
-          process.env['RCT_USE_RN_DEP'] || isReactNative81OrHigher ? '1' : '0',
+          process.env['RCT_USE_RN_DEP'] || usePrebuiltReactNative ? '1' : '0',
         RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE:
-          process.env['RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE'] || isReactNative81OrHigher
+          process.env['RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE'] || usePrebuiltReactNative
             ? '1'
             : '0',
         ...(options.brownfield && { USE_FRAMEWORKS: 'static' }),