diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
index 61cf42826..ff6de6ff7 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yaml
@@ -189,6 +189,13 @@ jobs:
         shell: pwsh
         run: sccache --zero-stats
 
+      - name: Test IL2CPP runtime helpers
+        run: |
+          xmake build -y il2cpp-runtime-tests
+          if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { exit $LASTEXITCODE }
+          xmake run il2cpp-runtime-tests
+          if ($LASTEXITCODE -ne 0) { exit $LASTEXITCODE }
+
       - name: Build
         run: xmake build -y stfc-community-mod
 
@@ -469,6 +476,11 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: sccache --zero-stats
 
+      - name: Test IL2CPP runtime helpers
+        run: |
+          xmake build -y il2cpp-runtime-tests
+          xmake run il2cpp-runtime-tests
+
       - name: Build
         # -D keeps the existing XMake compiler-cache diagnostics too.
         run: xmake -y -D
diff --git a/mods/src/il2cpp/runtime.h b/mods/src/il2cpp/runtime.h
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b3043673e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/mods/src/il2cpp/runtime.h
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+#pragma once
+
+#include "il2cpp_helper.h"
+#include <il2cpp-tabledefs.h>
+
+// Mechanics shared by optional runtime features. Signature/overload selection,
+// argument storage and feature-specific failure policy remain with the caller.
+namespace Il2CppRuntime
+{
+// The method and argument ABI must already be established by the caller.
+// IL2CPP takes references directly, but value/byref arguments as addresses.
+// A null target is valid for static methods. Success is independent of whether
+// the return value is null (including void methods). Outputs change on success only.
+inline bool TryInvoke(const MethodInfo* method, void* target, void** args, Il2CppObject** result = nullptr)
+{
+  if (!method)
+    return false;
+  Il2CppException* exception = nullptr;
+  auto*            value     = il2cpp_runtime_invoke(method, target, args, &exception);
+  if (exception)
+    return false;
+  if (result)
+    *result = value;
+  return true;
+}
+
+inline bool TryBoolean(Il2CppObject* boxed, bool& value)
+{
+  if (!boxed || !boxed->klass)
+    return false;
+  const auto* type = il2cpp_class_get_type(boxed->klass);
+  if (!type || type->byref || type->type != IL2CPP_TYPE_BOOLEAN)
+    return false;
+  auto* data = static_cast<bool*>(il2cpp_object_unbox(boxed));
+  if (!data)
+    return false;
+  value = *data;
+  return true;
+}
+} // namespace Il2CppRuntime
diff --git a/mods/src/patches/parts/loading_screen_common.h b/mods/src/patches/parts/loading_screen_common.h
index 071b63976..4f78890c7 100644
--- a/mods/src/patches/parts/loading_screen_common.h
+++ b/mods/src/patches/parts/loading_screen_common.h
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 #include "config.h"
 #include "errormsg.h"
 
-#include <il2cpp/il2cpp_helper.h>
+#include <il2cpp/runtime.h>
 #include <il2cpp/il2cpp-functions.h>
 #include <spdlog/spdlog.h>
 
@@ -28,9 +28,8 @@ struct FakeColor { float r, g, b, a; };
 inline Il2CppObject* InvokeRuntime(const MethodInfo* method, void* target, void** args, const char* name)
 {
   if (!method) return nullptr;
-  Il2CppException* exception = nullptr;
-  Il2CppObject*    result    = il2cpp_runtime_invoke(method, target, args, &exception);
-  if (exception) {
+  Il2CppObject* result = nullptr;
+  if (!Il2CppRuntime::TryInvoke(method, target, args, &result)) {
     spdlog::warn("[LS] {} invocation failed", name);
     return nullptr;
   }
@@ -40,9 +39,7 @@ inline Il2CppObject* InvokeRuntime(const MethodInfo* method, void* target, void*
 inline bool InvokeVoid(const MethodInfo* method, void* target, void** args, const char* name)
 {
   if (!method) return false;
-  Il2CppException* exception = nullptr;
-  il2cpp_runtime_invoke(method, target, args, &exception);
-  if (exception) {
+  if (!Il2CppRuntime::TryInvoke(method, target, args)) {
     spdlog::warn("[LS] {} invocation failed", name);
     return false;
   }
@@ -52,9 +49,8 @@ inline bool InvokeVoid(const MethodInfo* method, void* target, void** args, cons
 inline bool InvokeBool(const MethodInfo* method, void* target, void** args, const char* name)
 {
   Il2CppObject* result = InvokeRuntime(method, target, args, name);
-  if (!result) return false;
-  void* value = il2cpp_object_unbox(result);
-  return value ? *reinterpret_cast<bool*>(value) : false;
+  bool value = false;
+  return Il2CppRuntime::TryBoolean(result, value) && value;
 }
 
 inline int32_t InvokeInt32(const MethodInfo* method, void* target, int32_t fallback, const char* name)
diff --git a/tests/il2cpp_runtime.cc b/tests/il2cpp_runtime.cc
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..b098a2bbc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/il2cpp_runtime.cc
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+// Production helpers with a controlled IL2CPP boundary, on Windows and macOS.
+#include <il2cpp-config.h>
+#if _WIN32
+#undef IL2CPP_IMPORT
+#define IL2CPP_IMPORT
+#endif
+#include "il2cpp/runtime.h"
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <iostream>
+#include <stdexcept>
+
+namespace
+{
+Il2CppClass  klass;
+Il2CppType   type{};
+Il2CppObject object{};
+MethodInfo   method{};
+int          calls = 0;
+bool         fail = false, boxed = false, null_result = false, null_type = false, null_unbox = false;
+void*        seen_target = nullptr;
+void**       seen_args   = nullptr;
+} // namespace
+#if _WIN32
+#define API(ret, name, params) extern "C" ret name params
+#define END_API
+#else
+#define API(ret, name, params) name##_t name = +[] params->ret
+#define END_API ;
+#endif
+API(const Il2CppType*, il2cpp_class_get_type, (Il2CppClass*))
+{ return null_type ? nullptr : &type; }
+END_API
+API(void*, il2cpp_object_unbox, (Il2CppObject*))
+{ return null_unbox ? nullptr : &boxed; }
+END_API
+API(Il2CppObject*, il2cpp_runtime_invoke, (const MethodInfo*, void* target, void** args, Il2CppException** error))
+{
+  ++calls;
+  seen_target = target;
+  seen_args   = args;
+  if (fail)
+    *error = reinterpret_cast<Il2CppException*>(&object);
+  return null_result ? nullptr : &object;
+}
+END_API
+void Require(bool condition)
+{
+  if (!condition)
+    throw std::runtime_error("runtime helper regression");
+}
+int main()
+{
+  Il2CppObject* result = &object;
+  Require(!Il2CppRuntime::TryInvoke(nullptr, nullptr, nullptr, &result) && calls == 0 && result == &object);
+  bool  value  = true;
+  void* args[] = {&value, &object, nullptr};
+  Require(Il2CppRuntime::TryInvoke(&method, &object, args, &result));
+  Require(seen_target == &object && seen_args == args && seen_args[0] == &value && seen_args[1] == &object);
+  // Static calls, null reference/void returns and exceptions remain distinct.
+  null_result = true;
+  Require(Il2CppRuntime::TryInvoke(&method, nullptr, args, &result) && !result && !seen_target);
+  result = &object;
+  fail   = true;
+  Require(!Il2CppRuntime::TryInvoke(&method, nullptr, args, &result) && result == &object);
+
+  object.klass = &klass;
+  type.type    = IL2CPP_TYPE_BOOLEAN;
+  Require(Il2CppRuntime::TryBoolean(&object, value) && !value);
+  boxed = true;
+  Require(Il2CppRuntime::TryBoolean(&object, value) && value);
+  type.type = IL2CPP_TYPE_I4;
+  Require(!Il2CppRuntime::TryBoolean(&object, value) && value);
+  Require(!Il2CppRuntime::TryBoolean(nullptr, value));
+  type.type = IL2CPP_TYPE_BOOLEAN;
+  type.byref = true;
+  Require(!Il2CppRuntime::TryBoolean(&object, value) && value);
+  type.byref = false;
+  null_type = true;
+  Require(!Il2CppRuntime::TryBoolean(&object, value) && value);
+  null_type = false;
+  null_unbox = true;
+  Require(!Il2CppRuntime::TryBoolean(&object, value) && value);
+  null_unbox = false;
+  object.klass = nullptr;
+  Require(!Il2CppRuntime::TryBoolean(&object, value) && value);
+  std::cout << "IL2CPP runtime helper regressions passed\n";
+}
diff --git a/xmake.lua b/xmake.lua
index 9b25acbfb..ac08005a2 100644
--- a/xmake.lua
+++ b/xmake.lua
@@ -26,3 +26,14 @@ add_rules("mode.releasedbg")
 includes("xmake/rules/protobuf_sccache.lua")
 includes("xmake/rules/cxx_sccache.lua")
 includes("mods")
+
+target("il2cpp-runtime-tests")
+    set_kind("binary")
+    set_default(false)
+    add_files("tests/il2cpp_runtime.cc")
+    add_includedirs("mods/src")
+    add_packages("libil2cpp", "eastl")
+    set_exceptions("cxx")
+    if is_plat("windows") then
+        add_linkdirs("mods/src/il2cpp")
+    end