diff --git a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/hermes/reactexecutor/HermesExecutor.java b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/hermes/reactexecutor/HermesExecutor.java
index 09c2eee962a172..f2e18746e4b193 100644
--- a/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/hermes/reactexecutor/HermesExecutor.java
+++ b/ReactAndroid/src/main/java/com/facebook/hermes/reactexecutor/HermesExecutor.java
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ public class HermesExecutor extends JavaScriptExecutor {
     // libhermes must be loaded explicitly to invoke its JNI_OnLoad.
     SoLoader.loadLibrary("hermes");
     try {
-      SoLoader.loadLibrary("hermes-executor-release");
-      mode_ = "Release";
-    } catch (UnsatisfiedLinkError e) {
       SoLoader.loadLibrary("hermes-executor-debug");
       mode_ = "Debug";
+    } catch (UnsatisfiedLinkError e) {
+      SoLoader.loadLibrary("hermes-executor-release");
+      mode_ = "Release";
     }
   }