diff --git a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/test_utils/FileMock.rb b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/test_utils/FileMock.rb
index 8b9796cd951f..cc85741e2a00 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/test_utils/FileMock.rb
+++ b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/test_utils/FileMock.rb
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ class FileMock < File
     @@open_files = []
 
     @@files_to_read = {}
+    @@written_files = {}
     attr_reader :collected_write
     attr_reader :fsync_invocation_count
 
@@ -98,6 +99,14 @@ def self.read(filepath)
         return @@files_to_read[filepath]
     end
 
+    def self.write(filepath, content)
+        @@written_files[filepath] = content
+    end
+
+    def self.written_files
+        return @@written_files
+    end
+
     # Resets all the settings for the File mock
     def self.reset()
         @@delete_invocation_count = 0
@@ -109,5 +118,6 @@ def self.reset()
         @@file_invocation_params = []
         @@exist_invocation_params = []
         @@files_to_read = {}
+        @@written_files = {}
     end
 end
diff --git a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb
index 2f338430009c..5b2e28090002 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb
+++ b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb
@@ -747,13 +747,43 @@ def test_setBuildSettingDebug_addTheUserSetting
     # =================================== #
     def test_createXcodeEnvIfMissing_whenTheyArePresent_doNothing
         # Arrange
-        FileMock.mocked_existing_files("/.xcode.env")
-        FileMock.mocked_existing_files("/.xcode.env.local")
+        FileMock.mocked_existing_files(["/.xcode.env", "/.xcode.env.local", "/usr/local/bin/node"])
+        FileMock.files_to_read({
+            "/.xcode.env.local" => "export NODE_BINARY=/usr/local/bin/node\n",
+        })
+        # Act
+        ReactNativePodsUtils.create_xcode_env_if_missing(file_manager: FileMock)
+        # Assert
+        assert_equal(["/.xcode.env", "/.xcode.env.local", "/usr/local/bin/node"], FileMock.exist_invocation_params)
+        assert_equal([], $collected_commands)
+    end
+
+    def test_createXcodeEnvIfMissing_whenLocalNodeIsMissing_updatesNodeBinary
+        # Arrange
+        FileMock.mocked_existing_files(["/.xcode.env", "/.xcode.env.local"])
+        FileMock.files_to_read({
+            "/.xcode.env.local" => "export FOO=bar\nexport NODE_BINARY=/old/bin/node\n",
+        })
+        # Act
+        ReactNativePodsUtils.create_xcode_env_if_missing(file_manager: FileMock)
+        # Assert
+        assert_equal(["/.xcode.env", "/.xcode.env.local", "/old/bin/node"], FileMock.exist_invocation_params)
+        assert_equal([], $collected_commands)
+        assert_match(/\Aexport FOO=bar\nexport NODE_BINARY=(?!\/old\/bin\/node).+\n\z/, FileMock.written_files["/.xcode.env.local"])
+    end
+
+    def test_createXcodeEnvIfMissing_whenLocalNodeIsEmpty_updatesNodeBinary
+        # Arrange
+        FileMock.mocked_existing_files(["/.xcode.env", "/.xcode.env.local"])
+        FileMock.files_to_read({
+            "/.xcode.env.local" => "export FOO=bar\nexport NODE_BINARY=\n",
+        })
         # Act
         ReactNativePodsUtils.create_xcode_env_if_missing(file_manager: FileMock)
         # Assert
         assert_equal(["/.xcode.env", "/.xcode.env.local"], FileMock.exist_invocation_params)
         assert_equal([], $collected_commands)
+        assert_match(/\Aexport FOO=bar\nexport NODE_BINARY=.+\n\z/, FileMock.written_files["/.xcode.env.local"])
     end
 
     def test_createXcodeEnvIfMissing_whenTheyAreNotPresent_createsThem
diff --git a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb
index 6473278a2e7e..b8e6263d9fc5 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb
+++ b/packages/react-native/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb
@@ -306,16 +306,31 @@ def self.create_xcode_env_if_missing(file_manager: File)
             system("echo 'export NODE_BINARY=$(command -v node)' > #{file_path}")
         end
 
-        if !file_manager.exist?("#{file_path}.local")
+        local_file_exists = file_manager.exist?("#{file_path}.local")
+        if !local_file_exists || !self.local_node_binary_exists?("#{file_path}.local", file_manager: file_manager)
             # When installing pods with a yarn alias, yarn creates a fake yarn and node executables
             # in a temporary folder.
             # Using `node --print "process.argv[0]";` we are able to retrieve the actual path from which node is running.
             # see https://github.com/facebook/react-native/issues/43285 for more info. We've tweaked this slightly.
             node_binary = Shellwords.escape(`node --print "process.argv[0]"`.strip)
-            system("echo 'export NODE_BINARY=#{node_binary}' > #{file_path}.local")
+            if local_file_exists
+                local_env = file_manager.read("#{file_path}.local")
+                file_manager.write("#{file_path}.local", local_env.gsub(/^export NODE_BINARY=.*$/) { "export NODE_BINARY=#{node_binary}" })
+            else
+                system("echo 'export NODE_BINARY=#{node_binary}' > #{file_path}.local")
+            end
         end
     end
 
+    def self.local_node_binary_exists?(local_file_path, file_manager: File)
+        node_binary = file_manager.read(local_file_path).scan(/^export NODE_BINARY=(.*)$/).flatten.last
+        return true if node_binary.nil?
+        node_binary = Shellwords.split(node_binary).first
+        return false if node_binary.nil? || node_binary.empty?
+        return true if !node_binary.start_with?("/")
+        return file_manager.exist?(node_binary)
+    end
+
     # It examines the target_definition property and sets the appropriate value for
     # ENV['USE_FRAMEWORKS'] variable.
     #