diff --git a/samples/react-native/android/app/build.gradle b/samples/react-native/android/app/build.gradle
index 2d24b2ede1..6c0d4a7ca1 100644
--- a/samples/react-native/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/samples/react-native/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -138,6 +138,7 @@ android {
         targetSdkVersion rootProject.ext.targetSdkVersion
         versionCode 39
         versionName "6.7.0-alpha.0"
+        buildConfigField "boolean", "SENTRY_DISABLE_NATIVE_START", System.getenv('SENTRY_DISABLE_NATIVE_START') ?: String.valueOf(sentryDisableNativeStart)
     }
 
     signingConfigs {
diff --git a/samples/react-native/android/app/src/main/java/io/sentry/reactnative/sample/MainApplication.kt b/samples/react-native/android/app/src/main/java/io/sentry/reactnative/sample/MainApplication.kt
index 6546ca8b10..5b5ac47444 100644
--- a/samples/react-native/android/app/src/main/java/io/sentry/reactnative/sample/MainApplication.kt
+++ b/samples/react-native/android/app/src/main/java/io/sentry/reactnative/sample/MainApplication.kt
@@ -37,23 +37,14 @@ class MainApplication :
 
     override fun onCreate() {
         super.onCreate()
-        // When the native init is enabled the `autoInitializeNativeSdk`
-        // in JS has to be set to `false`
-        // this.initializeSentry()
+        if (!BuildConfig.SENTRY_DISABLE_NATIVE_START) {
+            RNSentrySDK.init(this)
+        }
+
         SoLoader.init(this, OpenSourceMergedSoMapping)
         if (BuildConfig.IS_NEW_ARCHITECTURE_ENABLED) {
             // If you opted-in for the New Architecture, we load the native entry point for this app.
             load()
         }
     }
-
-    private fun initializeSentry() {
-        RNSentrySDK.init(this) { options ->
-            // Options set here will apply to the Android SDK overriding the ones from `sentry.options.json`
-            options.dsn = "https://1df17bd4e543fdb31351dee1768bb679@o447951.ingest.sentry.io/5428561"
-            options.isDebug = true
-        }
-
-        // RNSentrySDK.init(this)
-    }
 }
diff --git a/samples/react-native/android/gradle.properties b/samples/react-native/android/gradle.properties
index 600fea4b77..d71a974450 100644
--- a/samples/react-native/android/gradle.properties
+++ b/samples/react-native/android/gradle.properties
@@ -38,3 +38,8 @@ newArchEnabled=true
 # Use this property to enable or disable the Hermes JS engine.
 # If set to false, you will be using JSC instead.
 hermesEnabled=true
+
+# Only implemented in this sample project.
+# It's used for testing the native SDK auto-start feature.
+# true means manual native start is disabled and JS auto initializes native SDK.
+sentryDisableNativeStart=false
diff --git a/samples/react-native/ios/sentryreactnativesample.xcodeproj/xcshareddata/xcschemes/sentryreactnativesample.xcscheme b/samples/react-native/ios/sentryreactnativesample.xcodeproj/xcshareddata/xcschemes/sentryreactnativesample.xcscheme
index 15d942042b..61b12d2c2c 100644
--- a/samples/react-native/ios/sentryreactnativesample.xcodeproj/xcshareddata/xcschemes/sentryreactnativesample.xcscheme
+++ b/samples/react-native/ios/sentryreactnativesample.xcodeproj/xcshareddata/xcschemes/sentryreactnativesample.xcscheme
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@
             ReferencedContainer = "container:sentryreactnativesample.xcodeproj">
          </BuildableReference>
       </BuildableProductRunnable>
+      <CommandLineArguments>
+         <CommandLineArgument
+            argument = "--sentry-disable-native-start"
+            isEnabled = "NO">
+         </CommandLineArgument>
+      </CommandLineArguments>
    </LaunchAction>
    <ProfileAction
       buildConfiguration = "Release"
diff --git a/samples/react-native/ios/sentryreactnativesample/AppDelegate.mm b/samples/react-native/ios/sentryreactnativesample/AppDelegate.mm
index fe0893c5b6..fa061be54c 100644
--- a/samples/react-native/ios/sentryreactnativesample/AppDelegate.mm
+++ b/samples/react-native/ios/sentryreactnativesample/AppDelegate.mm
@@ -23,9 +23,9 @@ @implementation AppDelegate
 - (BOOL)application:(UIApplication *)application
     didFinishLaunchingWithOptions:(NSDictionary *)launchOptions
 {
-    // When the native init is enabled the `autoInitializeNativeSdk`
-    // in JS has to be set to `false`
-    // [RNSentrySDK start];
+    if ([self shouldStartSentry]) {
+        [RNSentrySDK start];
+    }
 
     self.moduleName = @"sentry-react-native-sample";
     // You can add your custom initial props in the dictionary below.
@@ -73,4 +73,9 @@ - (BOOL)concurrentRootEnabled
     return nullptr;
 }
 
+- (BOOL) shouldStartSentry {
+  NSArray<NSString*>* arguments = [[NSProcessInfo processInfo] arguments];
+  return ![arguments containsObject:@"--sentry-disable-native-start"];
+}
+
 @end
diff --git a/samples/react-native/package.json b/samples/react-native/package.json
index 143a4b6c7f..2cdee52a1d 100644
--- a/samples/react-native/package.json
+++ b/samples/react-native/package.json
@@ -29,7 +29,9 @@
     "delay": "^6.0.0",
     "react": "18.3.1",
     "react-native": "0.76.3",
+    "react-native-build-config": "^0.3.2",
     "react-native-gesture-handler": "^2.21.1",
+    "react-native-launch-arguments": "^4.0.4",
     "react-native-reanimated": "3.16.1",
     "react-native-safe-area-context": "4.14.0",
     "react-native-screens": "4.1.0",
diff --git a/samples/react-native/src/App.tsx b/samples/react-native/src/App.tsx
index f6d1063736..d84f1b9470 100644
--- a/samples/react-native/src/App.tsx
+++ b/samples/react-native/src/App.tsx
@@ -31,12 +31,16 @@ import GesturesTracingScreen from './Screens/GesturesTracingScreen';
 import { LogBox, Platform, StyleSheet, View } from 'react-native';
 import Ionicons from 'react-native-vector-icons/Ionicons';
 import PlaygroundScreen from './Screens/PlaygroundScreen';
-import { logWithoutTracing } from './utils';
+import { clearSentryOptionsFromFile, logWithoutTracing, shouldUseAutoStart } from './utils';
 import { ErrorEvent } from '@sentry/core';
 import HeavyNavigationScreen from './Screens/HeavyNavigationScreen';
 import WebviewScreen from './Screens/WebviewScreen';
 import { isTurboModuleEnabled } from '@sentry/react-native/dist/js/utils/environment';
 
+if (shouldUseAutoStart()) {
+  clearSentryOptionsFromFile();
+}
+
 if (typeof setImmediate === 'undefined') {
   require('setimmediate');
 }
@@ -130,7 +134,7 @@ Sentry.init({
   spotlight: true,
   // This should be disabled when manually initializing the native SDK
   // Note that options from JS are not passed to the native SDKs when initialized manually
-  autoInitializeNativeSdk: true,
+  // autoInitializeNativeSdk: true,
 });
 
 const Stack = isMobileOs
diff --git a/samples/react-native/src/utils.ts b/samples/react-native/src/utils.ts
index 8681333e30..33ccfdf084 100644
--- a/samples/react-native/src/utils.ts
+++ b/samples/react-native/src/utils.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
+import { LaunchArguments } from 'react-native-launch-arguments';
+import BuildConfig from 'react-native-build-config';
+import { Platform } from 'react-native';
+
 export function logWithoutTracing(...args: unknown[]) {
   if ('__sentry_original__' in console.log) {
     console.log.__sentry_original__(...args);
@@ -5,3 +9,29 @@ export function logWithoutTracing(...args: unknown[]) {
     console.log(...args);
   }
 }
+
+export function shouldUseAutoStart(): boolean {
+  if (Platform.OS === 'android') {
+    return !!(
+      BuildConfig as {
+        SENTRY_DISABLE_NATIVE_START?: boolean;
+      }
+    ).SENTRY_DISABLE_NATIVE_START;
+  } else if (Platform.OS === 'ios') {
+    const args = LaunchArguments.value<{
+      sentrydisablenativestart?: boolean;
+    }>();
+    return !!args.sentrydisablenativestart;
+  } else {
+    return false;
+  }
+}
+
+export function clearSentryOptionsFromFile() {
+  (
+    globalThis as {
+      __SENTRY_OPTIONS__?: Record<string, unknown>;
+    }
+  ).__SENTRY_OPTIONS__ = undefined;
+  logWithoutTracing('Sentry options from file cleared.');
+}
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index 64b67a8bb0..ddc9c22aa9 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -22463,6 +22463,13 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"react-native-build-config@npm:^0.3.2":
+  version: 0.3.2
+  resolution: "react-native-build-config@npm:0.3.2"
+  checksum: d2095580be7e6662c968bce5d64cc6524b7f34380999756fb9d4ad24a34e3566b203f93e9bc63bd1e0213d28e1e76dae0c0f39b0b65c55528a876e96dd6c5810
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "react-native-codegen@npm:^0.70.7":
   version: 0.70.7
   resolution: "react-native-codegen@npm:0.70.7"
@@ -22561,6 +22568,16 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
+"react-native-launch-arguments@npm:^4.0.4":
+  version: 4.0.4
+  resolution: "react-native-launch-arguments@npm:4.0.4"
+  peerDependencies:
+    react: ">=16.8.1"
+    react-native: ">=0.60.0-rc.0 <1.0.x"
+  checksum: 7346af606cedc35c58bdccabd88a8ef9b2b55138accf490fe8291c6d7110679f9125af072eaaf896909554cd54be20e863c987d1ce91c39a2f401a999c7fde9f
+  languageName: node
+  linkType: hard
+
 "react-native-macos@npm:0.73.34":
   version: 0.73.34
   resolution: "react-native-macos@npm:0.73.34"
@@ -24283,7 +24300,9 @@ __metadata:
     prettier: 2.8.8
     react: 18.3.1
     react-native: 0.76.3
+    react-native-build-config: ^0.3.2
     react-native-gesture-handler: ^2.21.1
+    react-native-launch-arguments: ^4.0.4
     react-native-reanimated: 3.16.1
     react-native-safe-area-context: 4.14.0
     react-native-screens: 4.1.0