diff --git a/.changes/only-validate-ios-lib-debug.md b/.changes/only-validate-ios-lib-debug.md
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..610c60f8f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changes/only-validate-ios-lib-debug.md
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+---
+"tauri-cli": patch:bug
+"@tauri-apps/cli": patch:bug
+---
+
+Only validate the output iOS library on debug builds.
diff --git a/tooling/cli/src/mobile/ios/xcode_script.rs b/tooling/cli/src/mobile/ios/xcode_script.rs
index f342cd052..006d02472 100644
--- a/tooling/cli/src/mobile/ios/xcode_script.rs
+++ b/tooling/cli/src/mobile/ios/xcode_script.rs
@@ -217,7 +217,10 @@ pub fn command(options: Options) -> Result<()> {
       return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("Library not found at {}. Make sure your Cargo.toml file has a [lib] block with `crate-type = [\"staticlib\", \"cdylib\", \"lib\"]`", lib_path.display()));
     }
 
-    validate_lib(&lib_path)?;
+    // for some reason the app works on release, but `nm <path>` does not print the start_app symbol
+    if profile == Profile::Debug {
+      validate_lib(&lib_path)?;
+    }
 
     let project_dir = config.project_dir();
     let externals_lib_dir = project_dir.join(format!("Externals/{arch}/{}", profile.as_str()));