diff --git a/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/patch/patch_ios_command.dart b/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/patch/patch_ios_command.dart
index ed46ec051..9dc61d63b 100644
--- a/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/patch/patch_ios_command.dart
+++ b/packages/shorebird_cli/lib/src/commands/patch/patch_ios_command.dart
@@ -72,6 +72,12 @@ If this option is not provided, the version number will be determined from the p
         'staging',
         negatable: false,
         help: 'Whether to publish the patch to the staging environment.',
+      )
+      ..addFlag(
+        'use-linker',
+        negatable: false,
+        hide: true,
+        help: 'Whether to use the new linker when building the patch.',
       );
   }
 
@@ -103,6 +109,7 @@ If this option is not provided, the version number will be determined from the p
     final force = results['force'] == true;
     final dryRun = results['dry-run'] == true;
     final isStaging = results['staging'] == true;
+    final useLinker = results['use-linker'] == true;
 
     if (force && dryRun) {
       logger.err('Cannot use both --force and --dry-run.');
@@ -221,56 +228,11 @@ Current Flutter Revision: $originalFlutterRevision
       return ExitCode.software.code;
     }
 
-    final appDirectory = getAppDirectory();
-
-    if (appDirectory == null) {
-      logger.err('Unable to find .app directory within .xcarchive.');
-      return ExitCode.software.code;
+    if (useLinker) {
+      final exitCode = await _runLinker();
+      if (exitCode != ExitCode.success.code) return exitCode;
     }
 
-    final base = File(
-      p.join(
-        appDirectory.path,
-        'Frameworks',
-        'App.framework',
-        'App',
-      ),
-    );
-
-    if (!base.existsSync()) {
-      logger.err('Unable to find base AOT file at ${base.path}');
-      return ExitCode.software.code;
-    }
-
-    final patch = File(_aotOutputPath);
-
-    if (!patch.existsSync()) {
-      logger.err('Unable to find patch AOT file at ${patch.path}');
-      return ExitCode.software.code;
-    }
-
-    final analyzeSnapshot = shorebirdEnv.analyzeSnapshotFile;
-
-    if (!analyzeSnapshot.existsSync()) {
-      logger.err('Unable to find analyze_snapshot at ${analyzeSnapshot.path}');
-      return ExitCode.software.code;
-    }
-
-    final linkProgress = logger.progress('Linking AOT files');
-    try {
-      await aotTools.link(
-        base: base.path,
-        patch: patch.path,
-        analyzeSnapshot: analyzeSnapshot.path,
-        workingDirectory: _buildDirectory,
-      );
-    } catch (error) {
-      linkProgress.fail('Failed to link AOT files: $error');
-      return ExitCode.software.code;
-    }
-
-    linkProgress.complete();
-
     if (dryRun) {
       logger
         ..info('No issues detected.')
@@ -278,7 +240,7 @@ Current Flutter Revision: $originalFlutterRevision
       return ExitCode.success.code;
     }
 
-    final patchFile = File(_vmcodeOutputPath);
+    final patchFile = File(useLinker ? _vmcodeOutputPath : _aotOutputPath);
     final patchFileSize = patchFile.statSync().size;
 
     final summary = [
@@ -375,4 +337,61 @@ ${summary.join('\n')}
 
     buildProgress.complete();
   }
+
+  Future<int> _runLinker() async {
+    logger.warn(
+      '--use-linker is an experimental feature and may not work as expected.',
+    );
+
+    final appDirectory = getAppDirectory();
+
+    if (appDirectory == null) {
+      logger.err('Unable to find .app directory within .xcarchive.');
+      return ExitCode.software.code;
+    }
+
+    final base = File(
+      p.join(
+        appDirectory.path,
+        'Frameworks',
+        'App.framework',
+        'App',
+      ),
+    );
+
+    if (!base.existsSync()) {
+      logger.err('Unable to find base AOT file at ${base.path}');
+      return ExitCode.software.code;
+    }
+
+    final patch = File(_aotOutputPath);
+
+    if (!patch.existsSync()) {
+      logger.err('Unable to find patch AOT file at ${patch.path}');
+      return ExitCode.software.code;
+    }
+
+    final analyzeSnapshot = shorebirdEnv.analyzeSnapshotFile;
+
+    if (!analyzeSnapshot.existsSync()) {
+      logger.err('Unable to find analyze_snapshot at ${analyzeSnapshot.path}');
+      return ExitCode.software.code;
+    }
+
+    final linkProgress = logger.progress('Linking AOT files');
+    try {
+      await aotTools.link(
+        base: base.path,
+        patch: patch.path,
+        analyzeSnapshot: analyzeSnapshot.path,
+        workingDirectory: _buildDirectory,
+      );
+    } catch (error) {
+      linkProgress.fail('Failed to link AOT files: $error');
+      return ExitCode.software.code;
+    }
+
+    linkProgress.complete();
+    return ExitCode.success.code;
+  }
 }
diff --git a/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/patch/patch_ios_command_test.dart b/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/patch/patch_ios_command_test.dart
index 304644985..685227f75 100644
--- a/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/patch/patch_ios_command_test.dart
+++ b/packages/shorebird_cli/test/src/commands/patch/patch_ios_command_test.dart
@@ -295,6 +295,7 @@ flutter:
       when(() => argResults['force']).thenReturn(false);
       when(() => argResults['codesign']).thenReturn(true);
       when(() => argResults['staging']).thenReturn(false);
+      when(() => argResults['use-linker']).thenReturn(false);
       when(() => argResults.rest).thenReturn([]);
       when(
         () => aotTools.link(
@@ -867,111 +868,128 @@ Please re-run the release command for this version or create a new release.'''),
       );
     });
 
-    test('exits with code 70 if appDirectory is not found', () async {
-      setUpProjectRoot();
-      setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
+    group('when --use-linker', () {
+      setUp(() {
+        when(() => argResults['use-linker']).thenReturn(true);
+      });
 
-      File(
-        p.join(
-          projectRoot.path,
-          'build',
-          'ios',
-          'archive',
-          'Runner.xcarchive',
-          'Products',
-          'Applications',
-          'Runner.app',
-        ),
-      ).deleteSync(recursive: true);
+      test('logs warning', () async {
+        setUpProjectRoot();
+        setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
+        await runWithOverrides(command.run);
+        verify(
+          () => logger.warn(
+            '''--use-linker is an experimental feature and may not work as expected.''',
+          ),
+        ).called(1);
+      });
 
-      final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
+      test('exits with code 70 if appDirectory is not found', () async {
+        setUpProjectRoot();
+        setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
 
-      expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
-      verify(
-        () => logger.err('Unable to find .app directory within .xcarchive.'),
-      ).called(1);
-    });
+        File(
+          p.join(
+            projectRoot.path,
+            'build',
+            'ios',
+            'archive',
+            'Runner.xcarchive',
+            'Products',
+            'Applications',
+            'Runner.app',
+          ),
+        ).deleteSync(recursive: true);
 
-    test('exits with code 70 if base app is not found', () async {
-      setUpProjectRoot();
-      setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
+        final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
 
-      final base = File(
-        p.join(
-          projectRoot.path,
-          'build',
-          'ios',
-          'archive',
-          'Runner.xcarchive',
-          'Products',
-          'Applications',
-          'Runner.app',
-          'Frameworks',
-          'App.framework',
-          'App',
-        ),
-      )..deleteSync(recursive: true);
+        expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
+        verify(
+          () => logger.err('Unable to find .app directory within .xcarchive.'),
+        ).called(1);
+      });
 
-      final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
+      test('exits with code 70 if base app is not found', () async {
+        setUpProjectRoot();
+        setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
 
-      expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
-      verify(
-        () => logger.err('Unable to find base AOT file at ${base.path}'),
-      ).called(1);
-    });
+        final base = File(
+          p.join(
+            projectRoot.path,
+            'build',
+            'ios',
+            'archive',
+            'Runner.xcarchive',
+            'Products',
+            'Applications',
+            'Runner.app',
+            'Frameworks',
+            'App.framework',
+            'App',
+          ),
+        )..deleteSync(recursive: true);
 
-    test('exits with code 70 if patch AOT file is not found', () async {
-      setUpProjectRoot();
-      setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
+        final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
 
-      final patch = File(
-        p.join(projectRoot.path, 'build', elfAotSnapshotFileName),
-      )..deleteSync(recursive: true);
+        expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
+        verify(
+          () => logger.err('Unable to find base AOT file at ${base.path}'),
+        ).called(1);
+      });
 
-      final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
+      test('exits with code 70 if patch AOT file is not found', () async {
+        setUpProjectRoot();
+        setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
 
-      expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
-      verify(
-        () => logger.err('Unable to find patch AOT file at ${patch.path}'),
-      ).called(1);
-    });
+        final patch = File(
+          p.join(projectRoot.path, 'build', elfAotSnapshotFileName),
+        )..deleteSync(recursive: true);
 
-    test('exits with code 70 if analyze snapshot is not found', () async {
-      setUpProjectRoot();
-      setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
+        final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
 
-      analyzeSnapshotFile.deleteSync(recursive: true);
+        expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
+        verify(
+          () => logger.err('Unable to find patch AOT file at ${patch.path}'),
+        ).called(1);
+      });
 
-      final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
+      test('exits with code 70 if analyze snapshot is not found', () async {
+        setUpProjectRoot();
+        setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
 
-      expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
-      verify(
-        () => logger.err(
-          'Unable to find analyze_snapshot at ${analyzeSnapshotFile.path}',
-        ),
-      ).called(1);
-    });
+        analyzeSnapshotFile.deleteSync(recursive: true);
 
-    test('exits with code 70 if linking fails', () async {
-      final exception = Exception('oops');
-      when(
-        () => aotTools.link(
-          base: any(named: 'base'),
-          patch: any(named: 'patch'),
-          analyzeSnapshot: any(named: 'analyzeSnapshot'),
-          workingDirectory: any(named: 'workingDirectory'),
-        ),
-      ).thenThrow(exception);
+        final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
 
-      setUpProjectRoot();
-      setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
+        expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
+        verify(
+          () => logger.err(
+            'Unable to find analyze_snapshot at ${analyzeSnapshotFile.path}',
+          ),
+        ).called(1);
+      });
 
-      final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
+      test('exits with code 70 if linking fails', () async {
+        final exception = Exception('oops');
+        when(
+          () => aotTools.link(
+            base: any(named: 'base'),
+            patch: any(named: 'patch'),
+            analyzeSnapshot: any(named: 'analyzeSnapshot'),
+            workingDirectory: any(named: 'workingDirectory'),
+          ),
+        ).thenThrow(exception);
 
-      expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
-      verify(
-        () => progress.fail('Failed to link AOT files: $exception'),
-      ).called(1);
+        setUpProjectRoot();
+        setUpProjectRootArtifacts();
+
+        final exitCode = await runWithOverrides(command.run);
+
+        expect(exitCode, equals(ExitCode.software.code));
+        verify(
+          () => progress.fail('Failed to link AOT files: $exception'),
+        ).called(1);
+      });
     });
 
     test('does not create patch on --dry-run', () async {