diff --git a/scripts/releases-ci/__tests__/publish-npm-test.js b/scripts/releases-ci/__tests__/publish-npm-test.js
index a494dc31a57e..2fee2e9ab90b 100644
--- a/scripts/releases-ci/__tests__/publish-npm-test.js
+++ b/scripts/releases-ci/__tests__/publish-npm-test.js
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ const getNpmInfoMock = jest.fn();
 const generateAndroidArtifactsMock = jest.fn();
 const getPackagesMock = jest.fn();
 const updateHermesVersionsToNightlyMock = jest.fn();
+const getBranchName = jest.fn();
 
 const {REPO_ROOT} = require('../../shared/consts');
 const {publishNpm} = require('../publish-npm');
@@ -38,6 +39,7 @@ describe('publish-npm', () => {
         exitIfNotOnGit: command => command(),
         getCurrentCommit: () => 'currentco_mmit',
         isTaggedLatest: isTaggedLatestMock,
+        getBranchName: getBranchName,
       }))
       .mock('../../releases/utils/release-utils', () => ({
         generateAndroidArtifacts: generateAndroidArtifactsMock,
@@ -93,12 +95,13 @@ describe('publish-npm', () => {
   });
 
   describe("publishNpm('dry-run')", () => {
-    it('should set version and not publish', async () => {
+    it('should set version, hermes version, and not publish', async () => {
       const version = '1000.0.0-currentco';
       getNpmInfoMock.mockReturnValueOnce({
         version,
         tag: null,
       });
+      getBranchName.mockReturnValueOnce('main');
 
       await publishNpm('dry-run');
 
@@ -118,6 +121,33 @@ describe('publish-npm', () => {
       expect(publishExternalArtifactsToMavenMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
       expect(publishPackageMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
+
+    it('should set version, not set hermes version, and not publish', async () => {
+      const version = '1000.0.0-currentco';
+      getNpmInfoMock.mockReturnValueOnce({
+        version,
+        tag: null,
+      });
+      getBranchName.mockReturnValueOnce('0.83-stable');
+
+      await publishNpm('dry-run');
+
+      expect(updateHermesVersionsToNightlyMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(setVersionMock).not.toBeCalled();
+      expect(updateReactNativeArtifactsMock).toBeCalledWith(version, 'dry-run');
+
+      // Generate Android artifacts is now delegate to build_android entirely
+      expect(generateAndroidArtifactsMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+      expect(consoleLogMock).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
+        'Skipping `npm publish` because --dry-run is set.',
+      );
+
+      // Expect termination
+      expect(publishAndroidArtifactsToMavenMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(publishExternalArtifactsToMavenMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+      expect(publishPackageMock).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+    });
   });
 
   describe("publishNpm('nightly')", () => {
diff --git a/scripts/releases-ci/publish-npm.js b/scripts/releases-ci/publish-npm.js
index 75193c1f4ca7..e0522b77b228 100755
--- a/scripts/releases-ci/publish-npm.js
+++ b/scripts/releases-ci/publish-npm.js
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ const {
   publishAndroidArtifactsToMaven,
   publishExternalArtifactsToMaven,
 } = require('../releases/utils/release-utils');
+const {getBranchName} = require('../releases/utils/scm-utils');
 const {REPO_ROOT} = require('../shared/consts');
 const {getPackages} = require('../shared/monorepoUtils');
 const fs = require('fs');
@@ -119,8 +120,10 @@ async function publishNpm(buildType /*: BuildType */) /*: Promise<void> */ {
     const packageJson = JSON.parse(packageJsonContent);
 
     if (packageJson.version === '1000.0.0') {
-      // Set hermes versions to latest available
-      await updateHermesVersionsToNightly();
+      // Set hermes versions to latest available if not on a stable branch
+      if (!/.*-stable/.test(getBranchName())) {
+        await updateHermesVersionsToNightly();
+      }
       await updateReactNativeArtifacts(version, buildType);
     }
   }