diff --git a/src/command-executor.ts b/src/command-executor.ts
index dc6a3f70..4aaa7b12 100644
--- a/src/command-executor.ts
+++ b/src/command-executor.ts
@@ -1248,18 +1248,16 @@ export var releaseReact = (command: cli.IReleaseReactCommand): Promise<void> =>
         )
       )
       .then(() => {
-        if (platform === "android") {
-          return getHermesEnabled(command.gradleFile).then((isHermesEnabled) => {
-            if (isHermesEnabled) {
-              return runHermesEmitBinaryCommand(
-                bundleName,
-                outputFolder,
-                command.sourcemapOutput,
-                [] // TODO: extra flags
-              );
-            }
-          });
-        }
+        return getHermesEnabled(command.platform, command.gradleFile, command.podFile).then((isHermesEnabled) => {
+          if (isHermesEnabled) {
+            return runHermesEmitBinaryCommand(
+              bundleName,
+              outputFolder,
+              command.sourcemapOutput,
+              [] // TODO: extra flags
+            );
+          }
+        });
       })
       .then(() => {
         out.text(chalk.cyan("\nReleasing update contents to CodePush:\n"));
diff --git a/src/command-parser.ts b/src/command-parser.ts
index e2f97554..6a4ec0b2 100644
--- a/src/command-parser.ts
+++ b/src/command-parser.ts
@@ -828,6 +828,12 @@ var argv = yargs
         demand: false,
         description: "Path to the gradle file which specifies the binary version you want to target this release at (android only).",
       })
+      .option("podFile", {
+        alias: "pf",
+        default: null,
+        demand: false,
+        description: "Path to the cocopods config file (iOS only).",
+      })
       .option("mandatory", {
         alias: "m",
         default: false,
@@ -1316,6 +1322,7 @@ function createCommand(): cli.ICommand {
           releaseReactCommand.development = argv["development"];
           releaseReactCommand.entryFile = argv["entryFile"];
           releaseReactCommand.gradleFile = argv["gradleFile"];
+          releaseReactCommand.podFile = argv["podFile"];
           releaseReactCommand.mandatory = argv["mandatory"];
           releaseReactCommand.noDuplicateReleaseError = argv["noDuplicateReleaseError"];
           releaseReactCommand.plistFile = argv["plistFile"];
diff --git a/src/definitions/cli.ts b/src/definitions/cli.ts
index 1b867452..649829d3 100644
--- a/src/definitions/cli.ts
+++ b/src/definitions/cli.ts
@@ -198,6 +198,7 @@ export interface IReleaseReactCommand extends IReleaseBaseCommand {
   development?: boolean;
   entryFile?: string;
   gradleFile?: string;
+  podFile?: string;
   platform: string;
   plistFile?: string;
   plistFilePrefix?: string;
diff --git a/src/lib/react-native-utils.ts b/src/lib/react-native-utils.ts
index ee9376a6..f9a41d46 100644
--- a/src/lib/react-native-utils.ts
+++ b/src/lib/react-native-utils.ts
@@ -398,7 +398,27 @@ export function runHermesEmitBinaryCommand(
   });
 }
 
-export function getHermesEnabled(gradleFile: string): Promise<boolean> {
+export function getHermesEnabled(platform: string, gradleFile?: string, podFile?: string): Promise<boolean> {
+  if (platform === "ios") {
+    let podPath = path.join("ios", "Podfile");
+    if (podFile) {
+      podPath = podFile;
+    }
+    if (fileDoesNotExistOrIsDirectory(podPath)) {
+      throw new Error(`Unable to find Podfile file "${podPath}".`);
+    }
+
+    return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
+      fs.readFile(podPath, { encoding: "utf8" }, (error, res) => {
+        if (error) {
+          reject(error);
+          return;
+        }
+        resolve(/:hermes_enabled(\s+|\n+)?=>(\s+|\n+)?true/.test(res));
+      });
+    });
+  }
+
   let buildGradlePath: string = path.join("android", "app");
   if (gradleFile) {
     buildGradlePath = gradleFile;