Native init not working?

[antoinerousseau]

What React Native libraries do you use?

Expo Application Services (EAS), Expo Router, Expo (mobile only)

Are you using sentry.io or on-premise?

sentry.io (SaS)

@sentry/react-native SDK Version

8.3.0

How does your development environment look like?

⬇  Place the `npx react-native@latest info` output here. ⬇

info Fetching system and libraries information...
System:
  OS: macOS 26.3.1
  CPU: (12) arm64 Apple M2 Pro
  Memory: 97.42 MB / 16.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: "5.9"
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 24.11.1
    path: /Users/antoine/.nvm/versions/node/v24.11.1/bin/node
  Yarn: Not Found
  npm:
    version: 11.6.2
    path: /Users/antoine/.nvm/versions/node/v24.11.1/bin/npm
  Watchman:
    version: 2025.11.10.00
    path: /opt/homebrew/bin/watchman
Managers:
  CocoaPods:
    version: 1.16.2
    path: /Users/antoine/.gem/bin/pod
SDKs:
  iOS SDK:
    Platforms:
      - DriverKit 25.2
      - iOS 26.2
      - macOS 26.2
      - tvOS 26.2
      - visionOS 26.2
      - watchOS 26.2
  Android SDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2022.1 AI-221.6008.13.2211.9477386
  Xcode:
    version: 26.3/17C529
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.17
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 3.4.7
    path: /opt/homebrew/opt/ruby/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 20.1.2
    wanted: ^20.1.2
  react:
    installed: 19.2.4
    wanted: catalog:react19
  react-native:
    installed: 0.83.2
    wanted: 0.83.2
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: Not found
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: Not found

Sentry.init()

// these override the values in sentry.options.json
Sentry.init({
  dsn: "https://xxx@xxx.ingest.us.sentry.io/xxx",
  environment: "development",
  enabled: !__DEV__,
  sendDefaultPii: true,
});

Steps to Reproduce

1. Activate native init in Expo config file:

[
  "@sentry/react-native/expo",
  {
    url: "https://sentry.io/",
    project: "backstage",
    organization: "shotgun-ms",
    useNativeInit: true,
  },
],

2. Start the app

Expected Result

No warning

Actual Result

INFO Initializing Sentry JS with the options file.
Expecting manual native initialization before JS.
Native will not be initialized automatically.

[linear-code]

RN-536

[antonis]

Thank you for reporting @antoinerousseau 🙇
I was able to reproduce the reported behavior.

This seems to be expected behavior. When useNativeInit: true is set, the native SDK is initialized from the native app entry point (AppDelegate/MainApplication), and the JS side correctly skips re-initializing it. That said the message is indeed confusing and I opened a PR to make it more clear #5801