diff --git a/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTBundleURLProvider.mm b/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTBundleURLProvider.mm
index 1cc42d71d3bc..4fa598abeac4 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTBundleURLProvider.mm
+++ b/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTBundleURLProvider.mm
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@
 #import "RCTDefines.h"
 #import "RCTDevSupportHttpHeaders.h"
 #import "RCTLog.h"
+#import "RCTUtils.h"
 
 #import <jsinspector-modern/InspectorFlags.h>
 
@@ -267,7 +268,10 @@ - (NSString *)packagerServerHostPort
   NSString *location = [self jsLocation];
 #if RCT_DEV_MENU
   NSString *scheme = [self packagerScheme];
-  if ([location length] && ![RCTBundleURLProvider isPackagerRunning:location scheme:scheme]) {
+  // A location saved in the defaults can be stale, so one whose packager does not answer gives way to a guessed host.
+  // A location passed as a launch argument is this launch's instruction, so it is used however late /status answers.
+  if ([location length] && RCTLaunchArgumentForKey(kRCTJsLocationKey) == nil &&
+      ![RCTBundleURLProvider isPackagerRunning:location scheme:scheme]) {
     location = nil;
   }
 #endif
diff --git a/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTUtils.h b/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTUtils.h
index abc8a851a5d8..302cded58b38 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTUtils.h
+++ b/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTUtils.h
@@ -86,6 +86,10 @@ RCT_EXTERN BOOL RCTRunningInTestEnvironment(void);
 // Returns YES if React is running in an iOS App Extension
 RCT_EXTERN BOOL RCTRunningInAppExtension(void);
 
+// Returns the value passed for a user defaults key as a launch argument (-key value),
+// leaving out any value the app saved for it
+RCT_EXTERN id __nullable RCTLaunchArgumentForKey(NSString *key);
+
 // Returns the shared UIApplication instance, or nil if running in an App Extension
 RCT_EXTERN UIApplication *__nullable RCTSharedApplication(void);
 
diff --git a/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTUtils.mm b/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTUtils.mm
index 21ddfb6ff1f2..ac6f6fbb76bb 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTUtils.mm
+++ b/packages/react-native/React/Base/RCTUtils.mm
@@ -601,6 +601,11 @@ BOOL RCTRunningInAppExtension(void)
   return [[[[NSBundle mainBundle] bundlePath] pathExtension] isEqualToString:@"appex"];
 }
 
+id __nullable RCTLaunchArgumentForKey(NSString *key)
+{
+  return [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] volatileDomainForName:NSArgumentDomain][key];
+}
+
 UIApplication *__nullable RCTSharedApplication(void)
 {
   if (RCTRunningInAppExtension()) {
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/RNTesterUnitTests/RCTBundleURLProviderTests.m b/packages/rn-tester/RNTesterUnitTests/RCTBundleURLProviderTests.m
index 3a2b33db0375..3ba46e05940a 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/RNTesterUnitTests/RCTBundleURLProviderTests.m
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/RNTesterUnitTests/RCTBundleURLProviderTests.m
@@ -43,6 +43,17 @@
                   RCTPlatformName]];
 }
 
+static NSURL *ipPortBundleURL(void)
+{
+  return [NSURL
+      URLWithString:
+          [NSString
+              stringWithFormat:
+                  @"http://192.168.1.1:8099/%@.bundle?platform=%@&dev=true&lazy=true&minify=false&inlineSourceMap=false&modulesOnly=false&runModule=true&excludeSource=true&sourcePaths=url-server&app=com.apple.dt.xctest.tool",
+                  testFile,
+                  RCTPlatformName]];
+}
+
 @implementation NSBundle (RCTBundleURLProviderTests)
 
 - (NSURL *)RCT_URLForResource:(NSString *)name withExtension:(NSString *)ext
@@ -59,7 +70,9 @@ - (NSURL *)RCT_URLForResource:(NSString *)name withExtension:(NSString *)ext
 @interface RCTBundleURLProviderTests : XCTestCase
 @end
 
-@implementation RCTBundleURLProviderTests
+@implementation RCTBundleURLProviderTests {
+  NSDictionary<NSString *, id> *_launchArguments;
+}
 
 - (void)setUp
 {
@@ -67,16 +80,25 @@ - (void)setUp
 
   RCTSwapInstanceMethods(
       [NSBundle class], @selector(URLForResource:withExtension:), @selector(RCT_URLForResource:withExtension:));
+  _launchArguments = [[NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults] volatileDomainForName:NSArgumentDomain];
 }
 
 - (void)tearDown
 {
+  [self replaceLaunchArguments:_launchArguments];
   RCTSwapInstanceMethods(
       [NSBundle class], @selector(URLForResource:withExtension:), @selector(RCT_URLForResource:withExtension:));
 
   [super tearDown];
 }
 
+- (void)replaceLaunchArguments:(NSDictionary<NSString *, id> *)launchArguments
+{
+  NSUserDefaults *defaults = [NSUserDefaults standardUserDefaults];
+  [defaults removeVolatileDomainForName:NSArgumentDomain];
+  [defaults setVolatileDomain:launchArguments forName:NSArgumentDomain];
+}
+
 - (void)testBundleURL
 {
   RCTBundleURLProvider *settings = [RCTBundleURLProvider sharedSettings];
@@ -109,4 +131,27 @@ - (void)testIPURL
   XCTAssertEqualObjects(URL, ipBundleURL());
 }
 
+- (void)testLaunchArgumentLocationIsKeptWhenPackagerDoesNotAnswer
+{
+  id classMock = OCMClassMock([RCTBundleURLProvider class]);
+  [[[classMock stub] andReturnValue:@NO] isPackagerRunning:[OCMArg any] scheme:[OCMArg any]];
+  NSMutableDictionary<NSString *, id> *launchArguments = [_launchArguments mutableCopy];
+  launchArguments[@"RCT_jsLocation"] = @"192.168.1.1:8099";
+  [self replaceLaunchArguments:launchArguments];
+  RCTBundleURLProvider *settings = [RCTBundleURLProvider sharedSettings];
+  settings.jsLocation = nil;
+  NSURL *URL = [settings jsBundleURLForBundleRoot:testFile];
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(URL, ipPortBundleURL());
+}
+
+- (void)testSavedLocationGivesWayWhenPackagerDoesNotAnswer
+{
+  id classMock = OCMClassMock([RCTBundleURLProvider class]);
+  [[[classMock stub] andReturnValue:@NO] isPackagerRunning:[OCMArg any] scheme:[OCMArg any]];
+  RCTBundleURLProvider *settings = [RCTBundleURLProvider sharedSettings];
+  settings.jsLocation = @"192.168.1.1:8099";
+  NSURL *URL = [settings jsBundleURLForBundleRoot:testFile];
+  XCTAssertEqualObjects(URL, mainBundleURL());
+}
+
 @end