diff --git a/.changeset/cold-buckets-float.md b/.changeset/cold-buckets-float.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..f6f5db77d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/cold-buckets-float.md
@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'@rock-js/platform-apple-helpers': patch
+---
+
+fix: always use `RCT_USE_RN_DEP` and `RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE` values when passed
diff --git a/packages/platform-apple-helpers/src/lib/utils/pods.ts b/packages/platform-apple-helpers/src/lib/utils/pods.ts
index fa6c05d78..e77b44932 100644
--- a/packages/platform-apple-helpers/src/lib/utils/pods.ts
+++ b/packages/platform-apple-helpers/src/lib/utils/pods.ts
@@ -132,12 +132,12 @@ async function runPodInstall(options: {
       env: {
         RCT_NEW_ARCH_ENABLED: options.newArch ? '1' : '0',
         RCT_IGNORE_PODS_DEPRECATION: '1',
-        RCT_USE_RN_DEP:
-          process.env['RCT_USE_RN_DEP'] || usePrebuiltReactNative ? '1' : '0',
-        RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE:
-          process.env['RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE'] || usePrebuiltReactNative
-            ? '1'
-            : '0',
+        RCT_USE_RN_DEP: process.env['RCT_USE_RN_DEP'] != undefined
+          ? String(process.env['RCT_USE_RN_DEP'])
+          : usePrebuiltReactNative ? '1' : '0',
+        RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE: process.env['RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE'] != undefined
+          ? String(process.env['RCT_USE_PREBUILT_RNCORE'])
+          : usePrebuiltReactNative ? '1' : '0',
         ...(options.brownfield && { USE_FRAMEWORKS: 'static' }),
         ...(process.env['USE_THIRD_PARTY_JSC'] && {
           USE_THIRD_PARTY_JSC: process.env['USE_THIRD_PARTY_JSC'],