diff --git a/.github/workflows/ios.preview.build.yml b/.github/workflows/ios.preview.build.yml
index 4469642bb..9eb6cbea8 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ios.preview.build.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ios.preview.build.yml
@@ -49,26 +49,61 @@ jobs:
       # simulator" (exit 70), so it's gone. Probe with xcrun (authoritative --
       # `xcodebuild -showsdks | grep` gives false positives) and retry the
       # download, since it hits Apple's CDN and is intermittently flaky.
+      # The iOS platform must be downloaded AND imported: `-downloadPlatform`
+      # only fetches the dmg to -exportPath, `-importPlatform` is what actually
+      # installs it. Skipping the import makes the archive fail with "iOS 26.1
+      # Platform Not Installed".
+      #
+      # Don't try to detect whether it's already installed first: both
+      # `xcodebuild -showsdks` and `xcrun --sdk iphoneos --show-sdk-version`
+      # report "iOS 26.1 / iphoneos26.1" from the SDK stub bundled with Xcode
+      # even when the platform is absent, so any such probe false-positives.
       - name: Ensure iOS platform is installed
         run: |
           set -uo pipefail
-          if xcrun --sdk iphoneos --show-sdk-version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-            echo "iOS platform already installed: $(xcrun --sdk iphoneos --show-sdk-version)"
-            exit 0
-          fi
-          echo "iOS platform missing; installing..."
+          DL_DIR="$RUNNER_TEMP/ios-platform"
+          mkdir -p "$DL_DIR"
+
+          # Download the platform dmg. Hits Apple's CDN, so retry.
           for attempt in 1 2 3; do
             echo "::group::xcodebuild -downloadPlatform iOS (attempt $attempt)"
-            xcodebuild -downloadPlatform iOS
+            xcodebuild -downloadPlatform iOS -exportPath "$DL_DIR"
+            status=$?
             echo "::endgroup::"
-            if xcrun --sdk iphoneos --show-sdk-version >/dev/null 2>&1; then
-              echo "iOS platform installed: $(xcrun --sdk iphoneos --show-sdk-version)"
-              exit 0
-            fi
-            echo "Attempt $attempt did not install the platform; retrying in 30s..."
+            [ $status -eq 0 ] && break
+            echo "Download attempt $attempt failed (exit $status); retrying in 30s..."
             sleep 30
           done
-          echo "::error::Failed to install the iOS platform after 3 attempts"
+
+          # Discover the dmg instead of hardcoding a filename like
+          # iphonesimulator_26.1_23B86.dmg, which breaks whenever Apple ships a
+          # new build number.
+          DMG="$(find "$DL_DIR" -maxdepth 1 -name '*.dmg' | head -n1)"
+          if [ -z "$DMG" ]; then
+            echo "::error::No iOS platform dmg was downloaded into $DL_DIR"
+            ls -la "$DL_DIR" || true
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "Importing $DMG"
+
+          # This is the step that randomly dies with "Unable to connect to
+          # simulator" (exit 70) when CoreSimulator is wedged. Bounce those
+          # services between attempts and retry.
+          for attempt in 1 2 3; do
+            echo "::group::xcodebuild -importPlatform (attempt $attempt)"
+            xcodebuild -importPlatform "$DMG"
+            status=$?
+            echo "::endgroup::"
+            if [ $status -eq 0 ]; then
+              echo "iOS platform installed."
+              exit 0
+            fi
+            echo "Import attempt $attempt failed (exit $status); resetting CoreSimulator and retrying in 30s..."
+            sudo killall -9 com.apple.CoreSimulator.CoreSimulatorService 2>/dev/null || true
+            sudo killall -9 simdiskimaged 2>/dev/null || true
+            sleep 30
+          done
+          echo "::error::Failed to import the iOS platform after 3 attempts"
           exit 1
 
       - name: Install node modules