diff --git a/packages/app/src/polyfills/navigator-startup.test.ts b/packages/app/src/polyfills/navigator-startup.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..7db65ed7b7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/app/src/polyfills/navigator-startup.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+import { readFileSync } from "node:fs";
+import { createRequire } from "node:module";
+import { runInNewContext } from "node:vm";
+import { expect, it } from "vitest";
+
+it("loads the native terminal dependency with the initial React Native navigator", () => {
+  const require = createRequire(import.meta.url);
+  const source = readFileSync(require.resolve("@xterm/headless"), "utf8");
+  // React Native exposes navigator before the app's layout initializes its polyfill.
+  expect(() => runInNewContext(source, { navigator: {}, module: { exports: {} } })).not.toThrow();
+});