repro: react-native 0.86 Metro module loading failure

Author: hannojg

apps/playground/package.json

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
   "dependencies": {
     "react": "19.2.3",
     "react-dom": "19.2.3",
-    "react-native": "0.82.1",
+    "react-native": "0.86.0-nightly-20260409-b1d12f535",
     "react-native-web": "^0.21.2"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
@@ -18,10 +18,11 @@
     "@react-native-community/cli": "20.0.0",
     "@react-native-community/cli-platform-android": "20.0.0",
     "@react-native-community/cli-platform-ios": "20.0.0",
-    "@react-native/babel-preset": "0.82.1",
-    "@react-native/eslint-config": "0.82.1",
-    "@react-native/metro-config": "0.82.1",
-    "@react-native/typescript-config": "0.82.1",
+    "@react-native/babel-preset": "0.86.0-nightly-20260409-b1d12f535",
+    "@react-native/eslint-config": "0.86.0-nightly-20260409-b1d12f535",
+    "@react-native/jest-preset": "0.86.0-nightly-20260409-b1d12f535",
+    "@react-native/metro-config": "0.86.0-nightly-20260409-b1d12f535",
+    "@react-native/typescript-config": "0.86.0-nightly-20260409-b1d12f535",
     "@react-native-harness/jest": "workspace:*",
     "jest": "^30.2.0",
     "@react-native-harness/platform-android": "workspace:*",

packages/runtime/src/render/TestComponentOverlay.tsx

@@ -52,15 +52,19 @@ export const TestComponentOverlay = (): React.ReactElement | null => {
   };
 
   return (
-    <View key={key} style={styles.overlay} onLayout={handleLayout}>
+    <View
+      key={key}
+      // Keep runtime buildable on RN 0.85+ so this branch stays focused on the Metro loading repro.
+      style={[StyleSheet.absoluteFill, styles.overlay]}
+      onLayout={handleLayout}
+    >
       <ErrorBoundary>{element}</ErrorBoundary>
     </View>
   );
 };
 
 const styles = StyleSheet.create({
   overlay: {
-    ...StyleSheet.absoluteFillObject,
     backgroundColor: '#0a1628',
     zIndex: 1000,
   },