diff --git a/.changeset/node-api-linkage.md b/.changeset/node-api-linkage.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3e5f4028
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.changeset/node-api-linkage.md
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+---
+"cmake-rn": major
+"react-native-node-api": minor
+"weak-node-api": minor
+"node-api-stub": minor
+---
+
+Add `--node-api-linkage <weak-node-api|hermes|none>` to `cmake-rn`, replacing `--no-weak-node-api-linkage` (use `--node-api-linkage none`).
+
+Addons linking the new `node-api` CMake target (`find_package(node-api REQUIRED CONFIG)`) link whatever the mode selects. With `hermes` they link a link-time stub of `libhermesvm`, built along with the addon, so they record `hermesvm` and call Hermes directly instead of going through `weak-node-api`, which doesn't need to be built. The stub never ships in an app. Addons naming the `weak-node-api` target directly keep building alongside. The default stays `weak-node-api`.
+
+The new `node-api-stub` package holds the stub and `getNodeApiFunctions()`, which moved there from `weak-node-api`.
diff --git a/.github/workflows/check.yml b/.github/workflows/check.yml
index 3bf7be7d..8ffd4b68 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/check.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/check.yml
@@ -318,6 +318,13 @@ jobs:
       - name: Build test app
         run: xcodebuild archive -workspace ReactTestApp.xcworkspace -configuration Release -scheme ReactTestApp -destination "generic/platform=iOS Simulator" -archivePath ./build/test-app.xcarchive CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY="-" CODE_SIGNING_ALLOWED=YES C_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=ccache CLANG_ENABLE_EXPLICIT_MODULES_WITH_COMPILER_LAUNCHER=YES
         working-directory: apps/test-app/ios
+      # The async test addon is built with `--node-api-linkage hermes` (#494).
+      - name: Verify the async addon links Hermes directly
+        run: |
+          node --run verify:hermes-linkage -- \
+            tests/async/build/RelWithDebInfo/addon.apple.node/ios-*-simulator/addon.framework/addon \
+            ../../apps/test-app/ios/build/test-app.xcarchive/Products/Applications/ReactTestApp.app/Frameworks/hermesvm.framework/hermesvm
+        working-directory: packages/node-addon-examples
       - name: Run test app
         run: |
           # Install the app
@@ -467,6 +474,22 @@ jobs:
             sleep 5
             # Stop logcat
             kill $LOGCAT_PID || true
+      # The async test addon is built with `--node-api-linkage hermes` (#494).
+      - name: Verify the async addon links Hermes directly
+        run: |
+          RNTA_DIR=$(node -p "path.dirname(require.resolve('react-native-test-app/package.json', { paths: ['../../apps/test-app'] }))")
+          APK=$(find ../../apps/test-app/android "$RNTA_DIR/android" -name '*.apk' 2>/dev/null | head -n 1)
+          if [ -z "$APK" ]; then
+            echo "::error::Found no APK of the test app"
+            exit 1
+          fi
+          echo "Extracting Hermes from $APK"
+          unzip -o -j "$APK" lib/x86_64/libhermesvm.so -d "$RUNNER_TEMP/apk"
+          export LLVM_BIN="$ANDROID_HOME/ndk/$NDK_VERSION/toolchains/llvm/prebuilt/linux-x86_64/bin"
+          node --run verify:hermes-linkage -- \
+            tests/async/build/RelWithDebInfo/addon.android.node/x86_64/libaddon.so \
+            "$RUNNER_TEMP/apk/libhermesvm.so"
+        working-directory: packages/node-addon-examples
       - name: Upload device logs
         if: always()
         uses: actions/upload-artifact@v7
diff --git a/packages/cmake-rn/README.md b/packages/cmake-rn/README.md
index d3584a29..58be78ef 100644
--- a/packages/cmake-rn/README.md
+++ b/packages/cmake-rn/README.md
@@ -86,4 +86,21 @@ else()
 endif()
 ```
 
+### Choosing what to link with `--node-api-linkage`
+
+An addon can instead link the `node-api` target, which links whatever `--node-api-linkage <mode>` selects:
+
+- `weak-node-api` (the default): the `weak-node-api` library described above.
+- `hermes`: a link-time stub of Hermes' `hermesvm` library from [`node-api-stub`](../node-api-stub), built along with the addon, so the addon records `hermesvm` and calls Hermes' Node-API directly. The stub is never shipped: the app's own Hermes provides the implementation at runtime. This doesn't need `weak-node-api` to be built, but requires a Hermes exporting Node-API (such as the one vendored by `react-native-node-api`), and the addon gets Hermes' own `napi_fatal_error` instead of the host's.
+- `none`: neither target is defined.
+
+```cmake
+# Defines the "node-api" target
+find_package(node-api REQUIRED CONFIG)
+
+target_link_libraries(addon PRIVATE node-api)
+```
+
+Addons linking the `weak-node-api` target directly can be built alongside: it's defined in the `weak-node-api` mode, and in the `hermes` mode whenever `weak-node-api` is built.
+
 This is different from how `cmake-js` "injects" the Node-API for linking (via `${CMAKE_JS_INC}`, `${CMAKE_JS_SRC}` and `${CMAKE_JS_LIB}`). To allow for interoperability between these tools, we inject these when you pass `--cmake-js` to `cmake-rn`.
diff --git a/packages/cmake-rn/cmake/node-api-config.cmake b/packages/cmake-rn/cmake/node-api-config.cmake
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..dcce56d4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/cmake-rn/cmake/node-api-config.cmake
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+# Defines the `node-api` target, linking what cmake-rn's --node-api-linkage
+# selected (NODE_API_LINKAGE).
+
+if(TARGET node-api)
+  return()
+endif()
+
+foreach(variable NODE_API_LINKAGE NODE_API_INC)
+  if(NOT DEFINED ${variable})
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "${variable} is not set: build with cmake-rn and a --node-api-linkage other than 'none'")
+  endif()
+endforeach()
+
+if(NODE_API_LINKAGE STREQUAL "hermes")
+  if(NOT TARGET node-api-stub)
+    add_subdirectory("${NODE_API_STUB_DIR}" "${CMAKE_BINARY_DIR}/node-api-stub")
+  endif()
+  add_library(node-api INTERFACE)
+  target_link_libraries(node-api INTERFACE node-api-stub)
+  target_include_directories(node-api INTERFACE ${NODE_API_INC})
+  message(STATUS "Linking Node-API against a stub of Hermes")
+else()
+  if(NOT DEFINED NODE_API_LIB)
+    message(FATAL_ERROR "NODE_API_LIB is not set")
+  endif()
+  add_library(node-api SHARED IMPORTED)
+  set_target_properties(node-api PROPERTIES
+    IMPORTED_LOCATION "${NODE_API_LIB}"
+    INTERFACE_INCLUDE_DIRECTORIES "${NODE_API_INC}"
+  )
+  message(STATUS "Linking Node-API against ${NODE_API_LINKAGE}: ${NODE_API_LIB}")
+endif()
diff --git a/packages/cmake-rn/package.json b/packages/cmake-rn/package.json
index 1b8df35e..ac88854a 100644
--- a/packages/cmake-rn/package.json
+++ b/packages/cmake-rn/package.json
@@ -17,7 +17,8 @@
     "dist",
     "!dist/**/*.test.d.ts",
     "!dist/**/*.test.d.ts.map",
-    "templates"
+    "templates",
+    "cmake"
   ],
   "scripts": {
     "build": "tsc",
@@ -29,7 +30,8 @@
     "cmake-file-api": "workspace:*",
     "react-native-node-api": "workspace:*",
     "zod": "^4.1.11",
-    "weak-node-api": "workspace:*"
+    "weak-node-api": "workspace:*",
+    "node-api-stub": "workspace:*"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
     "node-addon-api": "^8.3.1",
diff --git a/packages/cmake-rn/src/cli.ts b/packages/cmake-rn/src/cli.ts
index 41a362a9..d00a38b1 100644
--- a/packages/cmake-rn/src/cli.ts
+++ b/packages/cmake-rn/src/cli.ts
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   pLimit,
   InvalidArgumentError,
 } from "@react-native-node-api/cli-utils";
+import { nodeApiLinkageOption } from "react-native-node-api";
 
 import {
   platforms,
@@ -115,11 +116,6 @@ const noAutoLinkOption = new Option(
   "Don't mark the output as auto-linkable by react-native-node-api",
 );
 
-const noWeakNodeApiLinkageOption = new Option(
-  "--no-weak-node-api-linkage",
-  "Don't pass the path of the weak-node-api library from react-native-node-api",
-);
-
 const cmakeJsOption = new Option(
   "--cmake-js",
   "Define CMAKE_JS_* variables used for compatibility with cmake-js",
@@ -159,7 +155,7 @@ let buildCommand = new Command("build")
   .addOption(targetOption)
   .addOption(stripOption)
   .addOption(noAutoLinkOption)
-  .addOption(noWeakNodeApiLinkageOption)
+  .addOption(nodeApiLinkageOption)
   .addOption(cmakeJsOption)
   .addOption(ccachePathOption)
   .addOption(concurrencyOption);
diff --git a/packages/cmake-rn/src/platforms/android.ts b/packages/cmake-rn/src/platforms/android.ts
index 61dc0fc1..788b9dbf 100644
--- a/packages/cmake-rn/src/platforms/android.ts
+++ b/packages/cmake-rn/src/platforms/android.ts
@@ -13,12 +13,13 @@ import {
   AndroidTriplet as Triplet,
 } from "react-native-node-api";
 import * as cmakeFileApi from "cmake-file-api";
+import { NODE_API_STUB_TARGET } from "node-api-stub";
 
 import type { BaseOpts, Platform } from "./types.js";
 import { getArtifactName, toDefineArguments } from "../helpers.js";
 import {
   getCmakeJSVariables,
-  getWeakNodeApiVariables,
+  getNodeApiLinkageVariables,
 } from "../weak-node-api.js";
 import { isNinjaAvailable } from "../ninja.js";
 
@@ -183,7 +184,7 @@ export const platform: Platform<Triplet[], AndroidOpts> = {
       source,
       define,
       build,
-      weakNodeApiLinkage,
+      nodeApiLinkage,
       cmakeJs,
       ccachePath,
     },
@@ -228,7 +229,7 @@ export const platform: Platform<Triplet[], AndroidOpts> = {
           "--toolchain",
           toolchainPath,
           ...toDefineArguments([
-            ...(weakNodeApiLinkage ? [getWeakNodeApiVariables(triplet)] : []),
+            getNodeApiLinkageVariables(nodeApiLinkage, triplet),
             ...(cmakeJs ? [getCmakeJSVariables(triplet)] : []),
             ...commonDefinitions,
             {
@@ -280,6 +281,7 @@ export const platform: Platform<Triplet[], AndroidOpts> = {
       const sharedLibraries = targets.filter(
         ({ type, name }) =>
           type === "SHARED_LIBRARY" &&
+          name !== NODE_API_STUB_TARGET &&
           (target.length === 0 || target.includes(name)),
       );
       await Promise.all(
diff --git a/packages/cmake-rn/src/platforms/apple.ts b/packages/cmake-rn/src/platforms/apple.ts
index 82740793..90ca9481 100644
--- a/packages/cmake-rn/src/platforms/apple.ts
+++ b/packages/cmake-rn/src/platforms/apple.ts
@@ -19,10 +19,11 @@ import {
 
 import type { Platform } from "./types.js";
 import * as cmakeFileApi from "cmake-file-api";
+import { NODE_API_STUB_TARGET } from "node-api-stub";
 import { getArtifactName, toDefineArguments } from "../helpers.js";
 import {
   getCmakeJSVariables,
-  getWeakNodeApiVariables,
+  getNodeApiLinkageVariables,
 } from "../weak-node-api.js";
 
 import * as z from "zod";
@@ -189,6 +190,7 @@ async function readCmakeSharedLibraryTargets(
   return targets.filter(
     ({ type, name }) =>
       type === "SHARED_LIBRARY" &&
+      name !== NODE_API_STUB_TARGET &&
       (target.length === 0 || target.includes(name)),
   );
 }
@@ -292,7 +294,7 @@ export const platform: Platform<Triplet[], AppleOpts> = {
   },
   async configure(
     triplets,
-    { source, build, define, weakNodeApiLinkage, cmakeJs, ccachePath },
+    { source, build, define, nodeApiLinkage, cmakeJs, ccachePath },
   ) {
     // When using ccache, we're creating symlinks for the clang and clang++ binaries to the ccache binary
     // This is needed for ccache to understand it's being invoked as clang and clang++ respectively.
@@ -343,7 +345,7 @@ export const platform: Platform<Triplet[], AppleOpts> = {
           "Xcode",
           ...toDefineArguments([
             ...define,
-            weakNodeApiLinkage ? getWeakNodeApiVariables("apple") : {},
+            getNodeApiLinkageVariables(nodeApiLinkage, "apple"),
             cmakeJs ? getCmakeJSVariables("apple") : {},
             compilerDefinitions,
             {
diff --git a/packages/cmake-rn/src/weak-node-api.ts b/packages/cmake-rn/src/weak-node-api.ts
index 44b2e79c..d13f3a2b 100644
--- a/packages/cmake-rn/src/weak-node-api.ts
+++ b/packages/cmake-rn/src/weak-node-api.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import path from "node:path";
 import {
   isAndroidTriplet,
   isAppleTriplet,
+  type NodeApiLinkage,
   SupportedTriplet,
 } from "react-native-node-api";
 
@@ -13,6 +14,7 @@ import {
   androidPrebuildPath,
   weakNodeApiCmakePath,
 } from "weak-node-api";
+import { nodeApiStubPath } from "node-api-stub";
 
 import { ANDROID_ARCHITECTURES } from "./platforms/android.js";
 import { getNodeAddonHeadersPath, getNodeApiHeadersPath } from "./headers.js";
@@ -21,28 +23,30 @@ export function toCmakePath(input: string) {
   return input.split(path.win32.sep).join(path.posix.sep);
 }
 
-export function getWeakNodeApiPath(
-  triplet: SupportedTriplet | "apple",
-): string {
+const NODE_API_CONFIG_DIR = path.resolve(import.meta.dirname, "../cmake");
+
+function findWeakNodeApiPath(triplet: SupportedTriplet | "apple") {
   if (triplet === "apple" || isAppleTriplet(triplet)) {
-    assert(
-      fs.existsSync(applePrebuildPath),
-      `Expected an XCFramework at ${applePrebuildPath}`,
-    );
     return applePrebuildPath;
   } else if (isAndroidTriplet(triplet)) {
-    const libraryPath = path.join(
+    return path.join(
       androidPrebuildPath,
       ANDROID_ARCHITECTURES[triplet],
       "libweak-node-api.so",
     );
-    assert(fs.existsSync(libraryPath), `Expected library at ${libraryPath}`);
-    return libraryPath;
   } else {
     throw new Error(`Unexpected triplet: ${triplet as string}`);
   }
 }
 
+export function getWeakNodeApiPath(
+  triplet: SupportedTriplet | "apple",
+): string {
+  const result = findWeakNodeApiPath(triplet);
+  assert(fs.existsSync(result), `Expected weak-node-api at ${result}`);
+  return result;
+}
+
 function getNodeApiIncludePaths() {
   const includePaths = [getNodeApiHeadersPath(), getNodeAddonHeadersPath()];
   for (const includePath of includePaths) {
@@ -67,6 +71,39 @@ export function getWeakNodeApiVariables(
   };
 }
 
+/**
+ * Variables for the selected --node-api-linkage, which the `node-api` target follows.
+ */
+export function getNodeApiLinkageVariables(
+  linkage: NodeApiLinkage,
+  triplet: SupportedTriplet | "apple",
+): Record<string, string> {
+  if (linkage === "none") {
+    return {};
+  }
+  const nodeApiVariables = {
+    // Enable use of `find_package(node-api REQUIRED CONFIG)`
+    "node-api_DIR": NODE_API_CONFIG_DIR,
+    NODE_API_LINKAGE: linkage,
+    NODE_API_INC: getNodeApiIncludePaths().join(";"),
+  };
+  if (linkage === "hermes") {
+    return {
+      // Keeps the `weak-node-api` target available to addons naming it, without requiring it
+      ...(fs.existsSync(findWeakNodeApiPath(triplet))
+        ? getWeakNodeApiVariables(triplet)
+        : {}),
+      ...nodeApiVariables,
+      NODE_API_STUB_DIR: nodeApiStubPath,
+    };
+  }
+  return {
+    ...getWeakNodeApiVariables(triplet),
+    ...nodeApiVariables,
+    NODE_API_LIB: getWeakNodeApiPath(triplet),
+  };
+}
+
 /**
  * For compatibility with cmake-js
  */
diff --git a/packages/cmake-rn/tsconfig.node.json b/packages/cmake-rn/tsconfig.node.json
index d6472ce0..11edc397 100644
--- a/packages/cmake-rn/tsconfig.node.json
+++ b/packages/cmake-rn/tsconfig.node.json
@@ -8,5 +8,10 @@
     "types": ["node"]
   },
   "include": ["src/**/*.ts"],
-  "exclude": ["**/*.test.ts"]
+  "exclude": ["**/*.test.ts"],
+  "references": [
+    {
+      "path": "../node-api-stub/tsconfig.node.json"
+    }
+  ]
 }
diff --git a/packages/host/package.json b/packages/host/package.json
index e31b98c1..13784d3e 100644
--- a/packages/host/package.json
+++ b/packages/host/package.json
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@
     "@babel/types": "^7.27.0",
     "@types/babel__core": "^7.20.5",
     "fswin": "^3.24.829",
+    "node-api-stub": "workspace:*",
     "weak-node-api": "workspace:*"
   },
   "peerDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/host/scripts/generate-injector.mts b/packages/host/scripts/generate-injector.mts
index c58bb2f5..a045c3e3 100644
--- a/packages/host/scripts/generate-injector.mts
+++ b/packages/host/scripts/generate-injector.mts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
 import cp from "node:child_process";
 
-import { type FunctionDecl, getNodeApiFunctions } from "weak-node-api";
+import { type FunctionDecl, getNodeApiFunctions } from "node-api-stub";
 
 export const CPP_SOURCE_PATH = path.join(import.meta.dirname, "../cpp");
 
diff --git a/packages/host/src/node/cli/options.ts b/packages/host/src/node/cli/options.ts
index eb059b42..7680e475 100644
--- a/packages/host/src/node/cli/options.ts
+++ b/packages/host/src/node/cli/options.ts
@@ -26,3 +26,14 @@ export const pathSuffixOption = new Option(
 )
   .choices(LIBRARY_NAMING_CHOICES)
   .default(NODE_API_PATH_SUFFIX || "strip");
+
+export const NODE_API_LINKAGES = ["weak-node-api", "hermes", "none"] as const;
+
+export type NodeApiLinkage = (typeof NODE_API_LINKAGES)[number];
+
+export const nodeApiLinkageOption = new Option(
+  "--node-api-linkage <mode>",
+  "What addons link against for Node-API: weak-node-api, the Hermes library (via a link-time stub) or nothing at all",
+)
+  .choices(NODE_API_LINKAGES)
+  .default("weak-node-api" satisfies NodeApiLinkage);
diff --git a/packages/host/src/node/index.ts b/packages/host/src/node/index.ts
index db13383c..59ae16fa 100644
--- a/packages/host/src/node/index.ts
+++ b/packages/host/src/node/index.ts
@@ -28,3 +28,9 @@ export {
 } from "./path-utils.js";
 
 export { readAndParsePlist } from "./plist.js";
+
+export {
+  NODE_API_LINKAGES,
+  type NodeApiLinkage,
+  nodeApiLinkageOption,
+} from "./cli/options.js";
diff --git a/packages/host/tsconfig.node-scripts.json b/packages/host/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
index b3771a38..5addfb19 100644
--- a/packages/host/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
+++ b/packages/host/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
   "exclude": [],
   "references": [
     {
-      "path": "../weak-node-api/tsconfig.node.json"
+      "path": "../node-api-stub/tsconfig.node.json"
     }
   ]
 }
diff --git a/packages/node-addon-examples/package.json b/packages/node-addon-examples/package.json
index d1961e1f..c03d5bdd 100644
--- a/packages/node-addon-examples/package.json
+++ b/packages/node-addon-examples/package.json
@@ -23,16 +23,18 @@
     "copy-examples": "tsx scripts/copy-examples.mts",
     "gyp-to-cmake": "gyp-to-cmake --namespaced-targets --weak-node-api .",
     "generate-root-project": "tsx scripts/generate-root-project.mts",
-    "build": "cmake-rn --configuration RelWithDebInfo",
+    "build": "cmake-rn --configuration RelWithDebInfo --node-api-linkage hermes",
     "copy-and-build": "node --run copy-examples && node --run gyp-to-cmake && node --run generate-root-project && node --run build",
     "verify": "tsx scripts/verify-prebuilds.mts",
     "test": "node --run copy-and-build && node --run verify",
-    "bootstrap": "node --run copy-and-build"
+    "bootstrap": "node --run copy-and-build",
+    "verify:hermes-linkage": "tsx scripts/verify-hermes-linkage.mts"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "cmake-rn": "workspace:*",
     "gyp-to-cmake": "workspace:*",
     "node-addon-examples": "github:nodejs/node-addon-examples#4b7dd86a85644610e6de80154df9acac9329b509",
+    "node-api-stub": "workspace:*",
     "read-pkg": "^9.0.1",
     "weak-node-api": "workspace:*"
   },
diff --git a/packages/node-addon-examples/scripts/verify-hermes-linkage.mts b/packages/node-addon-examples/scripts/verify-hermes-linkage.mts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..5f5003a3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-addon-examples/scripts/verify-hermes-linkage.mts
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+/**
+ * Verifies an addon built with `--node-api-linkage hermes` links Hermes
+ * directly and that every Node-API function it imports is exported by the real
+ * Hermes library, reporting Node-API functions that library doesn't export.
+ *
+ * Usage: verify-hermes-linkage.mts <addon-binary> <hermes-binary>
+ *
+ * On Linux, set LLVM_BIN to a directory with llvm-nm and llvm-readelf (e.g. the NDK's).
+ */
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import cp from "node:child_process";
+import path from "node:path";
+
+import { nodeApiHeaders } from "node-api-stub";
+
+const [addonPath, hermesPath] = process.argv.slice(2);
+assert(addonPath && hermesPath, "Usage: <addon-binary> <hermes-binary>");
+
+const isDarwin = process.platform === "darwin";
+
+function llvmTool(name: string) {
+  const { LLVM_BIN } = process.env;
+  return LLVM_BIN ? path.join(LLVM_BIN, name) : name;
+}
+
+function run(command: string, args: string[]) {
+  return cp.execFileSync(command, args, {
+    encoding: "utf8",
+    maxBuffer: 64 * 1024 * 1024,
+  });
+}
+
+function getDependencies(binaryPath: string) {
+  if (isDarwin) {
+    return run("otool", ["-L", binaryPath])
+      .split("\n")
+      .filter((line) => /^\s/.test(line))
+      .map((line) => line.trim().split(" ")[0]);
+  } else {
+    return [
+      ...run(llvmTool("llvm-readelf"), ["-d", binaryPath]).matchAll(
+        /Shared library: \[(.+)\]/g,
+      ),
+    ].map(([, name]) => name);
+  }
+}
+
+function getNodeApiSymbols(binaryPath: string, filter: string[]) {
+  const args = isDarwin ? filter : ["-D", ...filter];
+  const output = run(isDarwin ? "nm" : llvmTool("llvm-nm"), [
+    ...args,
+    binaryPath,
+  ]);
+  return new Set(
+    output
+      .split("\n")
+      .map((line) => line.trim().split(/\s+/).at(-1) ?? "")
+      // Mach-O prefixes C symbols with an underscore
+      .map((name) => (isDarwin ? name.replace(/^_/, "") : name))
+      .filter((name) => /^(napi|node_api)_/.test(name)),
+  );
+}
+
+function fail(message: string): never {
+  console.log(`::error::${message}`);
+  process.exit(1);
+}
+
+const dependencies = getDependencies(addonPath);
+console.log(`Dependencies of ${addonPath}:`);
+for (const dependency of dependencies) {
+  console.log(`  ${dependency}`);
+}
+if (!dependencies.some((name) => name.includes("hermesvm"))) {
+  fail(`Expected ${addonPath} to link hermesvm`);
+}
+if (dependencies.some((name) => name.includes("weak-node-api"))) {
+  fail(`Expected ${addonPath} not to link weak-node-api`);
+}
+
+const imported = getNodeApiSymbols(addonPath, ["--undefined-only"]);
+const exported = getNodeApiSymbols(hermesPath, [
+  "--defined-only",
+  "--extern-only",
+]);
+
+if (imported.size === 0) {
+  fail(`Found no Node-API imports in ${addonPath}`);
+}
+const missing = [...imported].filter((name) => !exported.has(name));
+if (missing.length > 0) {
+  fail(
+    `${hermesPath} doesn't export Node-API functions imported by ${addonPath}: ${missing.join(", ")}`,
+  );
+}
+console.log(
+  `All ${imported.size} Node-API functions imported by the addon are exported by ${hermesPath}`,
+);
+
+const { js_native_api_symbols, node_api_symbols } = nodeApiHeaders.symbols.v10;
+const unexported = [...js_native_api_symbols, ...node_api_symbols].filter(
+  (name) => !exported.has(name),
+);
+if (unexported.length > 0) {
+  console.log(
+    `::warning::${hermesPath} doesn't export Node-API functions the stub does: ${unexported.join(", ")}`,
+  );
+} else {
+  console.log(`${hermesPath} exports every Node-API function the stub does`);
+}
diff --git a/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/CMakeLists.txt b/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/CMakeLists.txt
index ca9532d7..db6fcee6 100644
--- a/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.15...3.31)
 project(async-test)
 
-find_package(weak-node-api REQUIRED CONFIG)
+find_package(node-api REQUIRED CONFIG)
 
 add_library(async-test-addon SHARED addon.c)
 
@@ -24,5 +24,5 @@ else()
    )
 endif()
 
-target_link_libraries(async-test-addon PRIVATE weak-node-api)
+target_link_libraries(async-test-addon PRIVATE node-api)
 target_compile_features(async-test-addon PRIVATE cxx_std_17)
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/binding.gyp b/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/binding.gyp
deleted file mode 100644
index 80f9fa87..00000000
--- a/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/binding.gyp
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,8 +0,0 @@
-{
-  "targets": [
-    {
-      "target_name": "addon",
-      "sources": [ "addon.c" ]
-    }
-  ]
-}
diff --git a/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/package.json b/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/package.json
index c8016da0..c153ed21 100644
--- a/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/package.json
+++ b/packages/node-addon-examples/tests/async/package.json
@@ -9,6 +9,5 @@
   },
   "scripts": {
     "test": "node addon.js"
-  },
-  "gypfile": true
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/node-addon-examples/tsconfig.node-scripts.json b/packages/node-addon-examples/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
index e4ca4a5b..d8f6d3d2 100644
--- a/packages/node-addon-examples/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
+++ b/packages/node-addon-examples/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
@@ -8,5 +8,10 @@
     "types": ["node", "read-pkg"]
   },
   "include": ["scripts/**/*.mts"],
-  "exclude": []
+  "exclude": [],
+  "references": [
+    {
+      "path": "../node-api-stub/tsconfig.node.json"
+    }
+  ]
 }
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/.gitignore b/packages/node-api-stub/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..41a53b37
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+# Generated by `node --run generate`
+/generated/
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/CMakeLists.txt b/packages/node-api-stub/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..2c2cb2cc
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.19)
+project(node-api-stub)
+
+set(NODE_API_STUB_LIBRARY_NAME "hermesvm" CACHE STRING "Name of the library the stub stands in for")
+
+if(NOT DEFINED NODE_API_INC)
+  message(FATAL_ERROR "NODE_API_INC must point at the Node-API headers")
+endif()
+
+add_library(node-api-stub SHARED EXCLUDE_FROM_ALL ${CMAKE_CURRENT_LIST_DIR}/generated/node_api_stub.cpp)
+
+target_include_directories(node-api-stub PRIVATE ${NODE_API_INC})
+target_compile_definitions(node-api-stub PRIVATE NAPI_VERSION=10)
+
+if(APPLE)
+  set_target_properties(node-api-stub PROPERTIES
+    FRAMEWORK TRUE
+    MACOSX_FRAMEWORK_IDENTIFIER com.callstack.node-api-stub.${NODE_API_STUB_LIBRARY_NAME}
+    OUTPUT_NAME ${NODE_API_STUB_LIBRARY_NAME}
+  )
+else()
+  set_target_properties(node-api-stub PROPERTIES
+    OUTPUT_NAME ${NODE_API_STUB_LIBRARY_NAME}
+  )
+endif()
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/README.md b/packages/node-api-stub/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..cb1acc2e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+# Node-API stub
+
+Describes the Node-API functions declared by [`node-api-headers`](https://www.npmjs.com/package/node-api-headers) and generates a link-time stub of a library exporting them.
+
+This package is part of the [Node-API for React Native](https://github.com/callstackincubator/react-native-node-api) project.
+
+## The stub
+
+Linking an addon against the stub makes it record the stub's library name (`hermesvm` by default) as a dependency, so it calls that library's Node-API directly at runtime. The stub is only ever linked against: every function aborts, and it's never shipped in an app.
+
+`CMakeLists.txt` defines the `node-api-stub` target, excluded from `all`. It expects `NODE_API_INC` to point at the Node-API headers, and `NODE_API_STUB_LIBRARY_NAME` picks the library it stands in for. [`cmake-rn`](../cmake-rn) adds it to an addon's build when passed `--node-api-linkage hermes`.
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/package.json b/packages/node-api-stub/package.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..485dcb3c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/package.json
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+{
+  "name": "node-api-stub",
+  "version": "0.0.0",
+  "description": "Node-API function declarations and a link-time stub of a library exporting Node-API",
+  "homepage": "https://github.com/callstackincubator/react-native-node-api",
+  "repository": {
+    "type": "git",
+    "url": "git+https://github.com/callstackincubator/react-native-node-api.git",
+    "directory": "packages/node-api-stub"
+  },
+  "type": "module",
+  "exports": {
+    ".": "./dist/index.js"
+  },
+  "files": [
+    "dist",
+    "!dist/**/*.test.d.ts",
+    "!dist/**/*.test.d.ts.map",
+    "generated",
+    "CMakeLists.txt"
+  ],
+  "scripts": {
+    "build": "tsc --build",
+    "generate": "tsx scripts/generate-stub.ts",
+    "bootstrap": "node --run generate",
+    "prerelease": "node --run generate"
+  },
+  "keywords": [
+    "node-api",
+    "napi",
+    "stub",
+    "hermes",
+    "cmake"
+  ],
+  "author": {
+    "name": "Callstack",
+    "url": "https://github.com/callstackincubator"
+  },
+  "contributors": [
+    {
+      "name": "Kræn Hansen",
+      "url": "https://github.com/kraenhansen"
+    }
+  ],
+  "license": "MIT",
+  "dependencies": {
+    "node-api-headers": "^1.5.0",
+    "zod": "^4.1.11"
+  }
+}
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/scripts/generate-stub.ts b/packages/node-api-stub/scripts/generate-stub.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..91d73b72
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/scripts/generate-stub.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import cp from "node:child_process";
+import fs from "node:fs";
+import path from "node:path";
+
+import { generateFunction, getNodeApiFunctions } from "../src/index.js";
+
+const OUTPUT_PATH = path.join(import.meta.dirname, "../generated");
+
+const source = `
+  /**
+   * @file node_api_stub.cpp
+   * @brief Link-time stub of a library exporting Node-API.
+   *
+   * Lets an addon link directly against a Node-API provider (such as Hermes) without having it installed.
+   *
+   * @note This file is generated - don't edit it directly
+   */
+
+  #include <node_api.h>
+  #include <stdlib.h> // abort()
+
+  ${getNodeApiFunctions()
+    .map((fn) => generateFunction({ ...fn, extern: true, body: "abort();" }))
+    .join("\n")}
+`;
+
+await fs.promises.mkdir(OUTPUT_PATH, { recursive: true });
+const outputPath = path.join(OUTPUT_PATH, "node_api_stub.cpp");
+await fs.promises.writeFile(outputPath, source.trim(), "utf-8");
+const { status, stderr } = cp.spawnSync("clang-format", ["-i", outputPath], {
+  encoding: "utf8",
+});
+assert.equal(status, 0, `Failed to format ${outputPath}: ${stderr}`);
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/shared.ts b/packages/node-api-stub/src/generate-function.ts
similarity index 74%
rename from packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/shared.ts
rename to packages/node-api-stub/src/generate-function.ts
index 88104e58..b149d7ad 100644
--- a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/shared.ts
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/src/generate-function.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { FunctionDecl } from "../../src/node-api-functions.js";
+import type { FunctionDecl } from "./node-api-functions.js";
 
 type FunctionOptions = FunctionDecl & {
   extern?: true;
@@ -8,6 +8,9 @@ type FunctionOptions = FunctionDecl & {
   argumentNames?: string[];
 };
 
+/**
+ * Generates the C++ declaration of a Node-API function, or its definition when a body is given.
+ */
 export function generateFunction({
   extern,
   static: staticMember,
@@ -16,13 +19,12 @@ export function generateFunction({
   name,
   argumentTypes,
   argumentNames = [],
-  noReturn,
   body,
 }: FunctionOptions) {
   return `
     ${staticMember ? "static " : ""}${extern ? 'extern "C" ' : ""}${returnType} ${namespace ? namespace + "::" : ""}${name}(
       ${argumentTypes.map((type, index) => `${type} ` + (argumentNames[index] ?? `arg${index}`)).join(", ")}
-    ) ${body ? `{ ${body} ${noReturn ? "WEAK_NODE_API_UNREACHABLE;" : ""}\n}` : ""}
+    ) ${body ? `{ ${body}\n}` : ""}
     ;
   `;
 }
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/src/index.ts b/packages/node-api-stub/src/index.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e887b0af
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/src/index.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,3 @@
+export * from "./node-api-functions.js";
+export * from "./generate-function.js";
+export * from "./node-api-stub.js";
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/src/node-api-functions.ts b/packages/node-api-stub/src/node-api-functions.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/weak-node-api/src/node-api-functions.ts
rename to packages/node-api-stub/src/node-api-functions.ts
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/src/node-api-stub.ts b/packages/node-api-stub/src/node-api-stub.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..ea13a136
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/src/node-api-stub.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+import path from "node:path";
+
+export const nodeApiStubPath = path.resolve(import.meta.dirname, "..");
+
+/**
+ * Name of the CMake target building the stub, which is only linked against and never shipped.
+ */
+export const NODE_API_STUB_TARGET = "node-api-stub";
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.json b/packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..f08015f8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.json
@@ -0,0 +1,10 @@
+{
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "composite": true
+  },
+  "files": [],
+  "references": [
+    { "path": "./tsconfig.node.json" },
+    { "path": "./tsconfig.node-scripts.json" }
+  ]
+}
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.node-scripts.json b/packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..4bc586fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+{
+  "extends": "./tsconfig.node.json",
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "composite": true,
+    "emitDeclarationOnly": true,
+    "outDir": "dist",
+    "rootDir": "scripts",
+    "types": ["node"]
+  },
+  "include": ["scripts/**/*.ts", "types/**/*.d.ts"],
+  "exclude": [],
+  "references": [{ "path": "./tsconfig.node.json" }]
+}
diff --git a/packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.node.json b/packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.node.json
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..0028899f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.node.json
@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+{
+  "extends": "@tsconfig/node22/tsconfig.json",
+  "compilerOptions": {
+    "composite": true,
+    "declarationMap": true,
+    "outDir": "dist",
+    "rootDir": "src",
+    "types": ["node"]
+  },
+  "include": ["src/**/*.ts", "types/**/*.d.ts"],
+  "exclude": ["**/*.test.ts"]
+}
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/types/node-api-headers/index.d.ts b/packages/node-api-stub/types/node-api-headers/index.d.ts
similarity index 100%
rename from packages/weak-node-api/types/node-api-headers/index.d.ts
rename to packages/node-api-stub/types/node-api-headers/index.d.ts
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/package.json b/packages/weak-node-api/package.json
index 163192a6..ff551521 100644
--- a/packages/weak-node-api/package.json
+++ b/packages/weak-node-api/package.json
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@
     "copy-node-api-headers": "tsx scripts/copy-node-api-headers.ts",
     "generate": "tsx scripts/generate.ts",
     "prebuild:prepare": "node --run copy-node-api-headers && node --run generate",
-    "prebuild:build": "cmake-rn --no-auto-link --no-weak-node-api-linkage --xcframework-extension",
+    "prebuild:build": "cmake-rn --no-auto-link --node-api-linkage none --xcframework-extension",
     "prebuild:build:android": "node --run prebuild:build -- --android",
     "prebuild:build:apple": "node --run prebuild:build -- --apple",
     "prebuild:build:all": "node --run prebuild:build -- --android --apple",
@@ -64,11 +64,8 @@
     }
   ],
   "license": "MIT",
-  "dependencies": {
-    "node-api-headers": "^1.5.0"
-  },
   "devDependencies": {
     "cmake-rn": "workspace:*",
-    "zod": "^4.1.11"
+    "node-api-stub": "workspace:*"
   }
 }
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/copy-node-api-headers.ts b/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/copy-node-api-headers.ts
index 8d90174b..e14ac226 100644
--- a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/copy-node-api-headers.ts
+++ b/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/copy-node-api-headers.ts
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@ import assert from "node:assert/strict";
 import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
 
-import { nodeApiHeaders } from "../src/node-api-functions.js";
+import { nodeApiHeaders } from "node-api-stub";
 const { include_dir: includeSourcePath } = nodeApiHeaders;
 
 const includeDestinationPath = path.join(import.meta.dirname, "../include");
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generate.ts b/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generate.ts
index fc21e485..e3ba8852 100644
--- a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generate.ts
+++ b/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generate.ts
@@ -3,10 +3,7 @@ import fs from "node:fs";
 import path from "node:path";
 import cp from "node:child_process";
 
-import {
-  FunctionDecl,
-  getNodeApiFunctions,
-} from "../src/node-api-functions.js";
+import { type FunctionDecl, getNodeApiFunctions } from "node-api-stub";
 
 import * as weakNodeApiGenerator from "./generators/weak-node-api.js";
 import * as hostGenerator from "./generators/NodeApiHost.js";
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/NodeApiHost.ts b/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/NodeApiHost.ts
index c273cfe7..1ac547c6 100644
--- a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/NodeApiHost.ts
+++ b/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/NodeApiHost.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import type { FunctionDecl } from "../../src/node-api-functions.js";
+import type { FunctionDecl } from "node-api-stub";
 
 export function generateFunctionDecl({
   returnType,
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/weak-node-api.ts b/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/weak-node-api.ts
index 62a1a026..a72306a3 100644
--- a/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/weak-node-api.ts
+++ b/packages/weak-node-api/scripts/generators/weak-node-api.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-import type { FunctionDecl } from "../../src/node-api-functions.js";
-import { generateFunction } from "./shared.js";
+import { type FunctionDecl, generateFunction } from "node-api-stub";
 
 export function generateHeader() {
   return `
@@ -29,6 +28,7 @@ function generateFunctionImpl(fn: FunctionDecl) {
         ${returnType === "void" ? "" : "return "} g_host.${name}(
           ${argumentTypes.map((_, index) => `arg${index}`).join(", ")}
         );
+        ${fn.noReturn ? "WEAK_NODE_API_UNREACHABLE;" : ""}
       `,
   });
 }
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/src/index.ts b/packages/weak-node-api/src/index.ts
index fbd5337a..62e00b28 100644
--- a/packages/weak-node-api/src/index.ts
+++ b/packages/weak-node-api/src/index.ts
@@ -1,2 +1 @@
 export * from "./weak-node-api.js";
-export * from "./node-api-functions.js";
diff --git a/packages/weak-node-api/tsconfig.node-scripts.json b/packages/weak-node-api/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
index 4bc586fa..c6bc24ff 100644
--- a/packages/weak-node-api/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
+++ b/packages/weak-node-api/tsconfig.node-scripts.json
@@ -9,5 +9,8 @@
   },
   "include": ["scripts/**/*.ts", "types/**/*.d.ts"],
   "exclude": [],
-  "references": [{ "path": "./tsconfig.node.json" }]
+  "references": [
+    { "path": "./tsconfig.node.json" },
+    { "path": "../node-api-stub/tsconfig.node.json" }
+  ]
 }
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index bc4d7aeb..258b3295 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -198,6 +198,9 @@ importers:
       node-api-headers:
         specifier: ^1.5.0
         version: 1.9.0
+      node-api-stub:
+        specifier: workspace:*
+        version: link:../node-api-stub
       react-native-node-api:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../host
@@ -317,6 +320,9 @@ importers:
       fswin:
         specifier: ^3.24.829
         version: 3.25.1108
+      node-api-stub:
+        specifier: workspace:*
+        version: link:../node-api-stub
       weak-node-api:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../weak-node-api
@@ -342,6 +348,9 @@ importers:
       node-addon-examples:
         specifier: github:nodejs/node-addon-examples#4b7dd86a85644610e6de80154df9acac9329b509
         version: https://codeload.github.com/nodejs/node-addon-examples/tar.gz/4b7dd86a85644610e6de80154df9acac9329b509
+      node-api-stub:
+        specifier: workspace:*
+        version: link:../node-api-stub
       read-pkg:
         specifier: ^9.0.1
         version: 9.0.1
@@ -349,6 +358,15 @@ importers:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../weak-node-api
 
+  packages/node-api-stub:
+    dependencies:
+      node-api-headers:
+        specifier: ^1.5.0
+        version: 1.9.0
+      zod:
+        specifier: ^4.1.11
+        version: 4.4.3
+
   packages/node-tests:
     devDependencies:
       assert:
@@ -374,17 +392,13 @@ importers:
         version: link:../weak-node-api
 
   packages/weak-node-api:
-    dependencies:
-      node-api-headers:
-        specifier: ^1.5.0
-        version: 1.9.0
     devDependencies:
       cmake-rn:
         specifier: workspace:*
         version: link:../cmake-rn
-      zod:
-        specifier: ^4.1.11
-        version: 4.4.3
+      node-api-stub:
+        specifier: workspace:*
+        version: link:../node-api-stub
 
 packages:
 
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index 2d49bdb1..f05034b3 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@
     { "path": "./packages/cmake-rn/tsconfig.json" },
     { "path": "./packages/ferric/tsconfig.json" },
     { "path": "./packages/node-addon-examples/tsconfig.json" },
+    { "path": "./packages/node-api-stub/tsconfig.json" },
     { "path": "./packages/node-tests/tsconfig.json" },
     { "path": "./packages/weak-node-api/tsconfig.json" }
   ]