diff --git a/packages/react-native/ReactCxxPlatform/react/devsupport/inspector/InspectorPackagerConnectionDelegate.cpp b/packages/react-native/ReactCxxPlatform/react/devsupport/inspector/InspectorPackagerConnectionDelegate.cpp
index 2b19c3a659615e..86dbca6a262aad 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/ReactCxxPlatform/react/devsupport/inspector/InspectorPackagerConnectionDelegate.cpp
+++ b/packages/react-native/ReactCxxPlatform/react/devsupport/inspector/InspectorPackagerConnectionDelegate.cpp
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ InspectorPackagerConnectionDelegate::WebSocket::WebSocket(
                 if (success) {
                   strongDelegate->didOpen();
                 } else {
-                  strongDelegate->didFailWithError(std::nullopt, message);
+                  // Assume the server is not running, and suppress an error log
+                  strongDelegate->didFailWithError(ECONNREFUSED, message);
                 }
               }
             });
diff --git a/private/react-native-fantom/runner/utils.js b/private/react-native-fantom/runner/utils.js
index 495b2e5ecacc9a..bcc51cb56534cf 100644
--- a/private/react-native-fantom/runner/utils.js
+++ b/private/react-native-fantom/runner/utils.js
@@ -54,8 +54,12 @@ export function getHermesCompilerTarget(variant: HermesVariant): string {
 export function getBuckModesForPlatform(
   enableRelease: boolean = false,
 ): $ReadOnlyArray<string> {
-  let mode = enableRelease ? 'opt' : 'dev';
+  let modes = ['@//xplat/mode/react-native/granite'];
+  if (enableRelease) {
+    modes.push('@//xplat/mode/hermes/opt');
+  }
 
+  let mode = enableRelease ? 'opt' : 'dev';
   if (enableRelease) {
     if (EnvironmentOptions.enableASAN || EnvironmentOptions.enableTSAN) {
       printConsoleLog({
@@ -101,7 +105,8 @@ export function getBuckModesForPlatform(
       throw new Error(`Unsupported platform: ${os.platform()}`);
   }
 
-  return ['@//xplat/mode/react-native/granite', osPlatform];
+  modes.push(osPlatform);
+  return modes;
 }
 
 // TODO: T240293839 Remove when we get rid of RN_USE_ANIMATION_BACKEND preprocessor flag