diff --git a/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/modules/appearance/AppearanceModule.kt b/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/modules/appearance/AppearanceModule.kt
index 443baea4528f..65f1088ef51c 100644
--- a/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/modules/appearance/AppearanceModule.kt
+++ b/packages/react-native/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/react/modules/appearance/AppearanceModule.kt
@@ -137,6 +137,9 @@ constructor(
     public const val NAME: String = NativeAppearanceSpec.NAME
     private const val APPEARANCE_CHANGED_EVENT_NAME = "appearanceChanged"
 
+    // Must remain `var` (not `val`) — this field is set from JNI in
+    // configurePlatformColorCacheInvalidationHook.cpp. Android 17+ crashes
+    // if JNI modifies a static final field (which `val` compiles to).
     @DoNotStrip private var invalidatePlatformColorCache: Runnable? = null
   }
 }