[🐛] NativeAd.createForAdRequest() never resolves or rejects on RN 0.85 + New Architecture (Fabric)

What happened?

NativeAd.createForAdRequest() returns a promise that never settles — it neither resolves nor rejects. No error thrown, no callback fires. I added an 8-second timeout to confirm; it fires every time.

BannerAd works correctly in the same app, same screen, same App ID, using Google's test unit IDs. So the SDK, App ID, and Play Services are all configured correctly — this appears specific to the bridged native-ad response path.

mobileAds().initialize() reports ready: [{ description: '', state: 1, name: 'com.google.android.gms.ads.MobileAds' }]

Reproduction:

await mobileAds().initialize(); NativeAd.createForAdRequest(TestIds.NATIVE) .then(ad => console.log('resolved', ad)) // never fires .catch(err => console.warn('rejected', err)); // never fires

Expected: promise resolves with a NativeAd, or rejects with an error. Actual: promise hangs indefinitely.

Note: #818 shows native ads working on RN 0.76.5, so this may be a regression related to the New Architecture.

Google Play Services confirmed present: adb shell pm list packages | grep com.google.android.gms → package:com.google.android.gms

Happy to provide a minimal reproducer repo and to test any fix on this setup.

Platforms

Android, but have not tested behavior on iOS

React Native Info

System:
  OS: macOS 12.7.6
  CPU: (8) x64 Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-4870HQ CPU @ 2.50GHz
  Memory: 32.20 MB / 16.00 GB
  Shell:
    version: 5.8.1
    path: /bin/zsh
Binaries:
  Node:
    version: 22.14.0
    path: /usr/local/bin/node
  Yarn: Not Found
  npm:
    version: 10.9.2
    path: /usr/local/bin/npm
  Watchman: Not Found
Managers:
  CocoaPods: Not Found
SDKs:
  iOS SDK: Not Found
  Android SDK:
    API Levels:
      - "31"
      - "35"
      - "36"
    Build Tools:
      - 35.0.0
      - 36.0.0
    System Images:
      - android-35 | Google APIs Intel x86_64 Atom
    Android NDK: Not Found
IDEs:
  Android Studio: 2022.2 AI-222.4459.24.2221.10121639
  Xcode:
    version: /undefined
    path: /usr/bin/xcodebuild
Languages:
  Java:
    version: 17.0.12
    path: /usr/bin/javac
  Ruby:
    version: 2.6.10
    path: /usr/bin/ruby
npmPackages:
  "@react-native-community/cli":
    installed: 20.1.0
    wanted: 20.1.0
  react:
    installed: 19.2.3
    wanted: 19.2.3
  react-native:
    installed: 0.85.2
    wanted: 0.85.2
  react-native-macos: Not Found
npmGlobalPackages:
  "*react-native*": Not Found
Android:
  hermesEnabled: true
  newArchEnabled: true
iOS:
  hermesEnabled: Not found
  newArchEnabled: false

info React Native v0.86.2 is now available (your project is running on v0.85.2).
info Changelog: https://github.com/facebook/react-native/releases/tag/v0.86.2
info Diff: https://react-native-community.github.io/upgrade-helper/?from=0.85.2&to=0.86.2
info For more info, check out "https://reactnative.dev/docs/upgrading?os=macos".

Are your using Typescript?

• My project is using Typescript

package.json

{
  "name": "Lensora",
  "version": "0.0.1",
  "private": true,
  "scripts": {
    "android": "react-native run-android",
    "ios": "react-native run-ios",
    "lint": "eslint .",
    "start": "react-native start",
    "test": "jest",
    "link:fonts": "npx react-native-asset"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "@react-native-community/blur": "^4.4.1",
    "@react-native-community/datetimepicker": "^9.1.0",
    "@react-native-firebase/app": "^24.0.0",
    "@react-native-firebase/auth": "^24.0.0",
    "@react-native/new-app-screen": "0.85.2",
    "@react-navigation/native": "^7.2.2",
    "@react-navigation/native-stack": "^7.14.11",
    "lucide-react-native": "^1.8.0",
    "nativewind": "^5.0.0-preview.3",
    "react": "19.2.3",
    "react-icons": "^5.6.0",
    "react-native": "0.85.2",
    "react-native-google-mobile-ads": "^16.4.0",
    "react-native-image-crop-picker": "^0.51.1",
    "react-native-image-picker": "^8.2.1",
    "react-native-linear-gradient": "^2.8.3",
    "react-native-safe-area-context": "^5.7.0",
    "react-native-screens": "^4.24.0",
    "react-native-svg": "^15.15.4",
    "react-native-toast-message": "^2.3.3",
    "react-native-vector-icons": "^10.3.0",
    "zod": "^3.23.8"
  },
  "devDependencies": {
    "@babel/core": "^7.25.2",
    "@babel/preset-env": "^7.25.3",
    "@babel/runtime": "^7.25.0",
    "@react-native-community/cli": "20.1.0",
    "@react-native-community/cli-platform-android": "20.1.0",
    "@react-native-community/cli-platform-ios": "20.1.0",
    "@react-native/babel-preset": "0.85.2",
    "@react-native/eslint-config": "0.85.2",
    "@react-native/jest-preset": "0.85.2",
    "@react-native/metro-config": "0.85.2",
    "@react-native/typescript-config": "0.85.2",
    "@types/jest": "^29.5.13",
    "@types/react": "^19.2.0",
    "@types/react-native-vector-icons": "^6.4.18",
    "@types/react-test-renderer": "^19.1.0",
    "babel-plugin-module-resolver": "^5.0.3",
    "eslint": "^8.19.0",
    "jest": "^29.6.3",
    "prettier": "2.8.8",
    "react-test-renderer": "19.2.3",
    "typescript": "^5.8.3"
  },
  "engines": {
    "node": ">= 22.11.0"
  }
}

app.json

{
  "name": "Lensora",
  "displayName": "Lensora",
  "react-native-google-mobile-ads": {
    "android_app_id": "ca-app-pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX~XXXXXXXXXX"
  }
}

ios/Podfile

android/build.gradle

buildscript {
    ext {
        buildToolsVersion = "36.0.0"
        minSdkVersion = 24
        compileSdkVersion = 36
        targetSdkVersion = 36
        ndkVersion = "27.1.12297006"
        kotlinVersion = "2.3.0"
    }
    repositories {
        google()
        mavenCentral()
    }
    dependencies {
        classpath("com.android.tools.build:gradle")
        classpath("com.facebook.react:react-native-gradle-plugin")
        classpath("org.jetbrains.kotlin:kotlin-gradle-plugin:$kotlinVersion")
        classpath ("com.google.gms:google-services:4.3.15")
    }
}

apply plugin: "com.facebook.react.rootproject"

android/app/build.gradle

apply plugin: "com.android.application"
apply plugin: "org.jetbrains.kotlin.android"
apply plugin: "com.facebook.react"
apply plugin: 'com.google.gms.google-services'

/**
 * This is the configuration block to customize your React Native Android app.
 * By default you don't need to apply any configuration, just uncomment the lines you need.
 */
react {
    /* Folders */
    //   The root of your project, i.e. where "package.json" lives. Default is '../..'
    // root = file("../../")
    //   The folder where the react-native NPM package is. Default is ../../node_modules/react-native
    // reactNativeDir = file("../../node_modules/react-native")
    //   The folder where the react-native Codegen package is. Default is ../../node_modules/@react-native/codegen
    // codegenDir = file("../../node_modules/@react-native/codegen")
    //   The cli.js file which is the React Native CLI entrypoint. Default is ../../node_modules/react-native/cli.js
    // cliFile = file("../../node_modules/react-native/cli.js")

    /* Variants */
    //   The list of variants to that are debuggable. For those we're going to
    //   skip the bundling of the JS bundle and the assets. Default is "debug", "debugOptimized".
    //   If you add flavors like lite, prod, etc. you'll have to list your debuggableVariants.
    // debuggableVariants = ["liteDebug", "liteDebugOptimized", "prodDebug", "prodDebugOptimized"]

    /* Bundling */
    //   A list containing the node command and its flags. Default is just 'node'.
    // nodeExecutableAndArgs = ["node"]
    //
    //   The command to run when bundling. By default is 'bundle'
    // bundleCommand = "ram-bundle"
    //
    //   The path to the CLI configuration file. Default is empty.
    // bundleConfig = file(../rn-cli.config.js)
    //
    //   The name of the generated asset file containing your JS bundle
    // bundleAssetName = "MyApplication.android.bundle"
    //
    //   The entry file for bundle generation. Default is 'index.android.js' or 'index.js'
    // entryFile = file("../js/MyApplication.android.js")
    //
    //   A list of extra flags to pass to the 'bundle' commands.
    //   See https://github.com/react-native-community/cli/blob/main/docs/commands.md#bundle
    // extraPackagerArgs = []

    /* Hermes Commands */
    //   The hermes compiler command to run. By default it is 'hermesc'
    // hermesCommand = "$rootDir/my-custom-hermesc/bin/hermesc"
    //
    //   The list of flags to pass to the Hermes compiler. By default is "-O", "-output-source-map"
    // hermesFlags = ["-O", "-output-source-map"]

    /* Autolinking */
    autolinkLibrariesWithApp()
}

/**
 * Set this to true to Run Proguard on Release builds to minify the Java bytecode.
 */
def enableProguardInReleaseBuilds = false

/**
 * The preferred build flavor of JavaScriptCore (JSC)
 *
 * For example, to use the international variant, you can use:
 * `def jscFlavor = io.github.react-native-community:jsc-android-intl:2026004.+`
 *
 * The international variant includes ICU i18n library and necessary data
 * allowing to use e.g. `Date.toLocaleString` and `String.localeCompare` that
 * give correct results when using with locales other than en-US. Note that
 * this variant is about 6MiB larger per architecture than default.
 */
def jscFlavor = 'io.github.react-native-community:jsc-android:2026004.+'

android {
    ndkVersion rootProject.ext.ndkVersion
    buildToolsVersion rootProject.ext.buildToolsVersion
    compileSdk rootProject.ext.compileSdkVersion

    namespace "com.lensora"
    defaultConfig {
        applicationId "com.lensora"
        minSdkVersion rootProject.ext.minSdkVersion
        targetSdkVersion rootProject.ext.targetSdkVersion
        versionCode 1
        versionName "1.0"
    }
    signingConfigs {
        debug {
            storeFile file('debug.keystore')
            storePassword 'android'
            keyAlias 'androiddebugkey'
            keyPassword 'android'
        }
    }
    buildTypes {
        debug {
            signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
        }
        release {
            // Caution! In production, you need to generate your own keystore file.
            // see https://reactnative.dev/docs/signed-apk-android.
            signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
            minifyEnabled enableProguardInReleaseBuilds
            proguardFiles getDefaultProguardFile("proguard-android.txt"), "proguard-rules.pro"
        }
    }
}

dependencies {
    // The version of react-native is set by the React Native Gradle Plugin
    implementation("com.facebook.react:react-android")

    if (hermesEnabled.toBoolean()) {
        implementation("com.facebook.react:hermes-android")
    } else {
        implementation jscFlavor
    }
}

android/settings.gradle

pluginManagement { includeBuild("../node_modules/@react-native/gradle-plugin") }
plugins { id("com.facebook.react.settings") }
extensions.configure(com.facebook.react.ReactSettingsExtension){ ex -> ex.autolinkLibrariesFromCommand() }
rootProject.name = 'Lensora'
include ':app'
includeBuild('../node_modules/@react-native/gradle-plugin')

AndroidManifest.xml

<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
  xmlns:tools="http://schemas.android.com/tools">

    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
    <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.CAMERA" />

    <application
      android:name=".MainApplication"
      android:label="@string/app_name"
      android:icon="@mipmap/ic_launcher"
      android:roundIcon="@mipmap/ic_launcher_round"
      android:allowBackup="false"
      android:theme="@style/AppTheme"
      android:usesCleartextTraffic="${usesCleartextTraffic}"
      android:supportsRtl="true">
      <meta-data
        android:name="com.google.android.gms.ads.APPLICATION_ID"
        android:value="ca-app-pub-XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX~XXXXXXXXXX"
        tools:replace="android:value" />
      <activity
        android:name=".MainActivity"
        android:label="@string/app_name"
        android:configChanges="keyboard|keyboardHidden|orientation|screenLayout|screenSize|smallestScreenSize|uiMode"
        android:launchMode="singleTask"
        android:windowSoftInputMode="adjustResize"
        android:exported="true">
        <intent-filter>
            <action android:name="android.intent.action.MAIN" />
            <category android:name="android.intent.category.LAUNCHER" />
        </intent-filter>
      </activity>
    </application>
</manifest>