diff --git a/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/ReactActivity.java b/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/ReactActivity.java
index 757ba90d5be..031f534afec 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/ReactActivity.java
+++ b/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/ReactActivity.java
@@ -11,11 +11,13 @@ import android.content.Intent;
 import android.content.res.Configuration;
 import android.os.Bundle;
 import android.view.KeyEvent;
+import androidx.activity.OnBackPressedCallback;
 import androidx.annotation.Nullable;
 import androidx.appcompat.app.AppCompatActivity;
 import com.facebook.react.modules.core.DefaultHardwareBackBtnHandler;
 import com.facebook.react.modules.core.PermissionAwareActivity;
 import com.facebook.react.modules.core.PermissionListener;
+import com.facebook.react.util.AndroidVersion;
 import org.jetbrains.annotations.NotNull;
 
 /** Base Activity for React Native applications. */
@@ -24,6 +26,18 @@ public abstract class ReactActivity extends AppCompatActivity
 
   private final ReactActivityDelegate mDelegate;
 
+  // Due to enforced predictive back on targetSdk 36, 'onBackPressed()' is disabled by default.
+  // Using a workaround to trigger it manually.
+  private final OnBackPressedCallback mBackPressedCallback =
+      new OnBackPressedCallback(true) {
+        @Override
+        public void handleOnBackPressed() {
+          setEnabled(false);
+          onBackPressed();
+          setEnabled(true);
+        }
+      };
+
   protected ReactActivity() {
     mDelegate = createReactActivityDelegate();
   }
@@ -45,6 +59,9 @@ public abstract class ReactActivity extends AppCompatActivity
   protected void onCreate(Bundle savedInstanceState) {
     super.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
     mDelegate.onCreate(savedInstanceState);
+    if (AndroidVersion.isAtLeastTargetSdk36(this)) {
+      getOnBackPressedDispatcher().addCallback(this, mBackPressedCallback);
+    }
   }
 
   @Override
@@ -103,6 +120,9 @@ public abstract class ReactActivity extends AppCompatActivity
 
   @Override
   public void invokeDefaultOnBackPressed() {
+    // Disabling callback so the fallback logic (finish activity) can run
+    // as super.onBackPressed() will call all enabled callbacks in the dispatcher.
+    mBackPressedCallback.setEnabled(false);
     super.onBackPressed();
   }
 
diff --git a/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/util/AndroidVersion.kt b/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/util/AndroidVersion.kt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..325ab60f901
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/util/AndroidVersion.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) Meta Platforms, Inc. and affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ */
+
+package com.facebook.react.util
+
+import android.content.Context
+import android.os.Build
+
+/** Helper class for checking Android version-related information. */
+internal object AndroidVersion {
+
+  /**
+   * This is the version code for Android 16 (SDK Level 36). Delete it once we bump up the default
+   * compile SDK version to 36.
+   */
+  private const val VERSION_CODE_BAKLAVA: Int = 36
+
+  /**
+   * This method is used to check if the current device is running Android 16 (SDK Level 36) or
+   * higher and the app is targeting Android 16 (SDK Level 36) or higher.
+   */
+  @JvmStatic
+  fun isAtLeastTargetSdk36(context: Context): Boolean =
+      Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= VERSION_CODE_BAKLAVA &&
+          context.applicationInfo.targetSdkVersion >= VERSION_CODE_BAKLAVA
+}