diff --git a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb
index 47d6c632dbabb9..9c430ec9c213d8 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb
+++ b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb
@@ -179,11 +179,33 @@ def test_hasPod_whenInstallerHasPod_returnTrue
     # ============================ #
     # Test - Exclude Architectures #
     # ============================ #
-    def test_excludeArchitectures_whenHermesEngineIsNotIncluded_excludeNothing
+    def test_excludeArchitectures_whenHermesEngineIsNotIncluded_withNoValue_leaveUnset
+      # Arrange
+      user_project_mock = prepare_empty_user_project_mock()
+      pods_projects_mock = PodsProjectMock.new()
+      installer = InstallerMock.new(PodsProjectMock.new(), [
+          AggregatedProjectMock.new(user_project_mock)
+      ])
+
+      # Act
+      ReactNativePodsUtils.exclude_i386_architecture_while_using_hermes(installer)
+
+      # Assert
+      user_project_mock.build_configurations.each do |config|
+          assert_equal(config.build_settings["EXCLUDED_ARCHS[sdk=iphonesimulator*]"], nil)
+      end
+      assert_equal(user_project_mock.save_invocation_count, 0)
+      assert_equal(pods_projects_mock.save_invocation_count, 0)
+    end
+
+    def test_excludeArchitectures_whenHermesEngineIsNotIncluded_withExistingValue_preserveExistingValue
         # Arrange
         user_project_mock = prepare_empty_user_project_mock()
+        user_project_mock.build_configurations.each do |config|
+            config.build_settings["EXCLUDED_ARCHS[sdk=iphonesimulator*]"] = "arm64"
+        end
         pods_projects_mock = PodsProjectMock.new()
-        installer = InstallerMock.new(PodsProjectMock.new(), [
+        installer = InstallerMock.new(pods_projects_mock, [
             AggregatedProjectMock.new(user_project_mock)
         ])
 
@@ -192,13 +214,14 @@ def test_excludeArchitectures_whenHermesEngineIsNotIncluded_excludeNothing
 
         # Assert
         user_project_mock.build_configurations.each do |config|
-            assert_equal(config.build_settings["EXCLUDED_ARCHS[sdk=iphonesimulator*]"], "")
+            assert_equal(config.build_settings["EXCLUDED_ARCHS[sdk=iphonesimulator*]"], "arm64")
         end
-        assert_equal(user_project_mock.save_invocation_count, 1)
+
+        assert_equal(user_project_mock.save_invocation_count, 0)
         assert_equal(pods_projects_mock.save_invocation_count, 0)
     end
 
-    def test_excludeArchitectures_whenHermesEngineIsIncluded_excludeI386
+    def test_excludeArchitectures_whenHermesEngineIsIncluded_withNoValue_onlyExcludeI386
         # Arrange
         user_project_mock = prepare_empty_user_project_mock()
         pods_projects_mock = PodsProjectMock.new([], {"hermes-engine" => {}})
@@ -218,6 +241,29 @@ def test_excludeArchitectures_whenHermesEngineIsIncluded_excludeI386
         assert_equal(pods_projects_mock.save_invocation_count, 1)
     end
 
+    def test_excludeArchitectures_whenHermesEngineIsIncluded_withExistingValue_appendI386
+        # Arrange
+        user_project_mock = prepare_empty_user_project_mock()
+        user_project_mock.build_configurations.each do |config|
+            config.build_settings["EXCLUDED_ARCHS[sdk=iphonesimulator*]"] = "arm64"
+        end
+        pods_projects_mock = PodsProjectMock.new([], {"hermes-engine" => {}})
+        installer = InstallerMock.new(pods_projects_mock, [
+            AggregatedProjectMock.new(user_project_mock)
+        ])
+
+        # Act
+        ReactNativePodsUtils.exclude_i386_architecture_while_using_hermes(installer)
+
+        # Assert
+        user_project_mock.build_configurations.each do |config|
+            assert_equal(config.build_settings["EXCLUDED_ARCHS[sdk=iphonesimulator*]"], "arm64 i386")
+        end
+
+        assert_equal(user_project_mock.save_invocation_count, 1)
+        assert_equal(pods_projects_mock.save_invocation_count, 1)
+    end
+
     # ================= #
     # Test - Fix Config #
     # ================= #
diff --git a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb
index 3f1566d06a53ac..7221e81bf40529 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb
+++ b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb
@@ -54,18 +54,28 @@ def self.turn_off_resource_bundle_react_core(installer)
     end
 
     def self.exclude_i386_architecture_while_using_hermes(installer)
-        projects = self.extract_projects(installer)
+      is_using_hermes = self.has_pod(installer, 'hermes-engine')
 
-        # Hermes does not support `i386` architecture
-        excluded_archs_default = self.has_pod(installer, 'hermes-engine') ? "i386" : ""
+      if is_using_hermes
+          key = "EXCLUDED_ARCHS[sdk=iphonesimulator*]"
 
-        projects.each do |project|
-            project.build_configurations.each do |config|
-                config.build_settings["EXCLUDED_ARCHS[sdk=iphonesimulator*]"] = excluded_archs_default
-            end
+          projects = self.extract_projects(installer)
 
-            project.save()
-        end
+          projects.each do |project|
+              project.build_configurations.each do |config|
+                  current_setting = config.build_settings[key] || ""
+
+                  excluded_archs_includes_I386 = current_setting.include?("i386")
+
+                  if !excluded_archs_includes_I386
+                      # Hermes does not support `i386` architecture
+                      config.build_settings[key] = "#{current_setting} i386".strip
+                  end
+              end
+
+              project.save()
+          end
+      end
     end
 
     def self.set_node_modules_user_settings(installer, react_native_path)