diff --git a/ReactAndroid/build.gradle b/ReactAndroid/build.gradle
index ae8ddc796f8..4c2f9a5a1af 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/build.gradle
+++ b/ReactAndroid/build.gradle
@@ -224,11 +224,8 @@ def reactNativeInspectorProxyPort() {
 }
 
 def reactNativeArchitectures() {
-    def isDebug = gradle.startParameter.taskRequests.any {
-        it.args.any { it.endsWith("Debug") }
-    }
-    def value = project.getProperties().get("reactNativeDebugArchitectures")
-    return value != null && isDebug ? value : "all"
+    def value = project.getProperties().get("reactNativeArchitectures")
+    return value ? value.split(",") : ["armeabi-v7a", "x86", "x86_64", "arm64-v8a"]
 }
 
 def ndkBuildJobs() {
@@ -290,8 +287,7 @@ android {
 
         externalNativeBuild {
             ndkBuild {
-                arguments "APP_ABI=${reactNativeArchitectures()}",
-                        "NDK_APPLICATION_MK=$projectDir/src/main/jni/Application.mk",
+                arguments "NDK_APPLICATION_MK=$projectDir/src/main/jni/Application.mk",
                         "THIRD_PARTY_NDK_DIR=$thirdPartyNdkDir",
                         "REACT_COMMON_DIR=$projectDir/../ReactCommon",
                         "REACT_GENERATED_SRC_DIR=$buildDir/generated/source",
@@ -304,6 +300,9 @@ android {
                 }
             }
         }
+        ndk {
+            abiFilters (*reactNativeArchitectures())
+        }
     }
 
     externalNativeBuild {
diff --git a/packages/rn-tester/android/app/build.gradle b/packages/rn-tester/android/app/build.gradle
index a2ee432bdb4..b4b543ae352 100644
--- a/packages/rn-tester/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/packages/rn-tester/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -133,9 +133,11 @@ def enableFabric = project.ext.react.enableFabric
 def useIntlJsc = false
 
 /**
- * Architectures to build native code for in debug.
+ * Architectures to build native code for.
  */
-def nativeArchitectures = project.getProperties().get("reactNativeDebugArchitectures")
+def nativeArchitectures = project.getProperties().get("reactNativeArchitectures") ?
+                          project.getProperties().get("reactNativeArchitectures").split(",")
+                          : ["armeabi-v7a", "x86", "x86_64", "arm64-v8a"]
 
 android {
     compileSdkVersion 29
@@ -183,18 +185,13 @@ android {
             enable enableSeparateBuildPerCPUArchitecture
             universalApk false
             reset()
-            include "armeabi-v7a", "x86", "x86_64", "arm64-v8a"
+            include (*nativeArchitectures)
         }
     }
     buildTypes {
         debug {
             debuggable true
             signingConfig signingConfigs.release
-            if (nativeArchitectures) {
-                ndk {
-                    abiFilters nativeArchitectures.split(',')
-                }
-            }
         }
         release {
             debuggable false
diff --git a/template/android/app/build.gradle b/template/android/app/build.gradle
index 022855a20b9..04130f5c713 100644
--- a/template/android/app/build.gradle
+++ b/template/android/app/build.gradle
@@ -121,10 +121,11 @@ def jscFlavor = 'org.webkit:android-jsc:+'
 def enableHermes = project.ext.react.get("enableHermes", false);
 
 /**
- * Architectures to build native code for in debug.
+ * Architectures to build native code for.
  */
-def nativeArchitectures = project.getProperties().get("reactNativeDebugArchitectures")
-
+def nativeArchitectures = project.getProperties().get("reactNativeArchitectures") ?
+                          project.getProperties().get("reactNativeArchitectures").split(",")
+                          : ["armeabi-v7a", "x86", "x86_64", "arm64-v8a"]
 android {
     ndkVersion rootProject.ext.ndkVersion
 
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ android {
             reset()
             enable enableSeparateBuildPerCPUArchitecture
             universalApk false  // If true, also generate a universal APK
-            include "armeabi-v7a", "x86", "arm64-v8a", "x86_64"
+            include (*nativeArchitectures)
         }
     }
     signingConfigs {
@@ -156,11 +157,6 @@ android {
     buildTypes {
         debug {
             signingConfig signingConfigs.debug
-            if (nativeArchitectures) {
-                ndk {
-                    abiFilters nativeArchitectures.split(',')
-                }
-            }
         }
         release {
             // Caution! In production, you need to generate your own keystore file.