diff --git a/.github/workflows/check.yml b/.github/workflows/check.yml
index 07e44d52..50dccd4a 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check.yml
@@ -222,7 +222,8 @@ jobs:
         run: npx react-native bundle --entry-file index.js --platform macos --dev false --minify false --bundle-output dist/main.macos.jsbundle --assets-dest dist/res
         working-directory: apps/macos-test-app
       - name: Build test app
-        run: xcodebuild archive -workspace MacOSTestApp.xcworkspace -configuration Release -scheme MacOSTestApp-macOS -destination generic/platform="macOS" -archivePath ./build/macos-test-app.xcarchive | xcbeautify
+        # pipefail so an xcodebuild failure is not masked by xcbeautify's exit code
+        run: set -o pipefail && xcodebuild archive -workspace MacOSTestApp.xcworkspace -configuration Release -scheme MacOSTestApp-macOS -destination generic/platform="macOS" -archivePath ./build/macos-test-app.xcarchive | xcbeautify
         working-directory: apps/macos-test-app/macos
       - name: Run test app
         run: npx mocha-remote --exit-on-error -- macos/build/macos-test-app.xcarchive/Products/Applications/MacOSTestApp.app/Contents/MacOS/MacOSTestApp
diff --git a/apps/test-app/metro.config.js b/apps/test-app/metro.config.js
index 395431b6..bea1a4e0 100644
--- a/apps/test-app/metro.config.js
+++ b/apps/test-app/metro.config.js
@@ -17,6 +17,15 @@ if (config.projectRoot.endsWith("macos-test-app")) {
   // duplicate react-native version and pollution of the package lock.
   const path = require("node:path");
   config.watchFolders.push(path.resolve(__dirname, "../.."));
+
+  // Resolve workspace packages (and the specifiers the babel plugin rewrites
+  // their `*.node` requires to) from this app's own node_modules, independent of
+  // the root package manager's hoisting layout.
+  config.resolver = config.resolver || {};
+  config.resolver.nodeModulesPaths = [
+    ...(config.resolver.nodeModulesPaths || []),
+    path.resolve(__dirname, "node_modules"),
+  ];
 }
 
 module.exports = config;
diff --git a/scripts/init-macos-test-app.ts b/scripts/init-macos-test-app.ts
index 84708634..bf3d962c 100644
--- a/scripts/init-macos-test-app.ts
+++ b/scripts/init-macos-test-app.ts
@@ -4,8 +4,10 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
 import { readPackage } from "read-pkg";
 
-const REACT_NATIVE_VERSION = "0.81.5";
-const REACT_NATIVE_MACOS_VERSION = "0.81.1";
+// react-native-macos peer-pins an exact react-native core version
+// (react-native-macos 0.81.8 -> react-native 0.81.6); keep these two in lockstep.
+const REACT_NATIVE_VERSION = "0.81.6";
+const REACT_NATIVE_MACOS_VERSION = "0.81.8";
 const REACT_VERSION = "^19.1.4";
 
 const ROOT_PATH = path.join(import.meta.dirname, "..");
@@ -88,6 +90,8 @@ async function patchPackageJson() {
 
   const transferredDependencies = new Set([
     "@rnx-kit/metro-config",
+    // Needed by mocha-remote-server at runtime (not hoisted for this standalone app).
+    "mocha",
     "mocha-remote-cli",
     "mocha-remote-react-native",
   ]);