diff --git a/.github/workflows/sample-distribution.yml b/.github/workflows/sample-distribution.yml
index 363f9efd8e..bf1587da0b 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/sample-distribution.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/sample-distribution.yml
@@ -85,6 +85,22 @@ jobs:
       - name: Setup Android SDK
         uses: amyu/setup-android@v5
 
+      # AGP 8.12 (RN 0.86) does not auto provision the API 37 platform and the
+      # auto-detected install can land under a name Gradle's `android-37` lookup
+      # misses. Install it explicitly into the SDK root Gradle resolves from
+      # (ANDROID_SDK_ROOT/ANDROID_HOME since there is no local.properties here),
+      # otherwise every RN module fails with:
+      # "Failed to find target with hash string 'android-37'".
+      - name: Ensure Android 37 SDK platform & build-tools
+        run: |
+          set -e
+          SDK_ROOT="${ANDROID_SDK_ROOT:-${ANDROID_HOME:-$HOME/.android/sdk}}"
+          SDKMANAGER="$(command -v sdkmanager || echo "$SDK_ROOT/cmdline-tools/latest/bin/sdkmanager")"
+          echo "sdkmanager=$SDKMANAGER SDK_ROOT=$SDK_ROOT"
+          yes | "$SDKMANAGER" --sdk_root="$SDK_ROOT" --licenses >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+          "$SDKMANAGER" --sdk_root="$SDK_ROOT" "platforms;android-37" "build-tools;37.0.0"
+          ls "$SDK_ROOT/platforms"
+
       - uses: ./.github/actions/ruby-cache
       - name: Install && Build - SDK and Sample App
         uses: ./.github/actions/install-and-build-sdk
diff --git a/examples/SampleApp/android/build.gradle b/examples/SampleApp/android/build.gradle
index 6af6ee669e..81811f153c 100644
--- a/examples/SampleApp/android/build.gradle
+++ b/examples/SampleApp/android/build.gradle
@@ -3,10 +3,10 @@ import org.apache.tools.ant.taskdefs.condition.Os
 
 buildscript {
     ext {
-        buildToolsVersion = "36.0.0"
+        buildToolsVersion = "37.0.0"
         minSdkVersion = 24
-        compileSdkVersion = 36
-        targetSdkVersion = 36
+        compileSdkVersion = 37
+        targetSdkVersion = 37
         ndkVersion = "27.1.12297006"
         kotlinVersion = "2.1.20"
         androidXCore = "1.0.2"
diff --git a/examples/SampleApp/android/gradle.properties b/examples/SampleApp/android/gradle.properties
index 5923c56006..a975406df4 100644
--- a/examples/SampleApp/android/gradle.properties
+++ b/examples/SampleApp/android/gradle.properties
@@ -46,3 +46,10 @@ edgeToEdgeEnabled=true
 # disables the check for multiple instances for gesture handler
 # this is needed for react-native-gesture-handler to be both a devDep of core and be a dep on the expo sample app
 disableMultipleInstancesCheck=true
+
+# We compile against Android SDK 37, but RN 0.86 pins Android Gradle Plugin
+# 8.12.0, which is only validated up to compileSdk 36. The first AGP that
+# supports 37 is 9.2+, and moving RN 0.86 onto AGP 9 (a breaking major) is not
+# viable yet — so we use AGP's official escape hatch for "compileSdk newer than
+# the tested AGP" instead of downgrading. Remove once RN ships an AGP-9 release.
+android.suppressUnsupportedCompileSdk=37