diff --git a/.github/workflows/ci.yml b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
index 23ef03bdb..0b6ac8dd5 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/ci.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/ci.yml
@@ -200,42 +200,11 @@ jobs:
           path: android/app/build/reports/tests/
           if-no-files-found: ignore
 
-  android-build:
-    runs-on: ubuntu-latest
-
-    steps:
-      - name: Checkout code
-        uses: actions/checkout@v4
-
-      - name: Setup Node.js
-        uses: actions/setup-node@v4
-        with:
-          node-version: '22'
-          cache: 'npm'
-
-      - name: Setup Java
-        uses: actions/setup-java@v4
-        with:
-          distribution: 'temurin'
-          java-version: '17'
-
-      - name: Free disk space
-        # The native C++ builds (react-native-audio-api, op-sqlite) exhausted the runner
-        # disk ("LLVM ERROR: IO failure on output stream: No space left on device").
-        # Reclaim large preinstalled toolchains we don't use; keep the Android SDK/NDK.
-        run: |
-          sudo rm -rf /usr/share/dotnet /opt/ghc /usr/local/.ghcup /opt/hostedtoolcache/CodeQL || true
-          sudo docker image prune --all --force || true
-          df -h
-
-      - name: Install dependencies
-        run: npm ci
-
-      - name: Build Android Debug
-        run: cd android && ./gradlew assembleDebug
-
-      - name: Build Android Release
-        run: cd android && ./gradlew assembleRelease
+  # NOTE: the Android build is NOT run in CI — it is a LOCAL pre-merge gate instead (the hosted
+  # runner repeatedly hung for 3+ hours on the native C++ builds and burned hours). Run it locally
+  # before merging any change that touches native/Android/gradle/deps:
+  #     cd android && ./gradlew assembleDebug assembleRelease
+  # (see rules.md → On-device testing & verification). Docs-only / JS-only PRs don't need it.
 
   # NOTE: SonarCloud runs via Automatic Analysis (SonarCloud-side, on the public core project) —
   # no CI job. A CI scan would only add coverage import, which Codecov (in the `test` job) already
diff --git a/.husky/pre-push b/.husky/pre-push
index 804c2a5c3..4836ba753 100755
--- a/.husky/pre-push
+++ b/.husky/pre-push
@@ -40,6 +40,12 @@ PUSHED_JS=$(printf '%s\n' "$CHANGED_FILES" | grep -E '\.(ts|tsx|js|jsx)$' || tru
 PUSHED_SWIFT=$(printf '%s\n' "$CHANGED_FILES" | grep '\.swift$' | grep -v 'Pods/' | grep -v 'build/' || true)
 PUSHED_KOTLIN=$(printf '%s\n' "$CHANGED_FILES" | grep -E '\.(kt|kts)$' || true)
 
+# Native BUILD gate — moved OUT of CI (the hosted android-build runner hung for 3+ hours on the
+# native C++ builds). Run the full native builds LOCALLY on push when native / gradle / pods / deps
+# change. JS-only and docs-only pushes skip these (they stay fast).
+PUSHED_ANDROID_NATIVE=$(printf '%s\n' "$CHANGED_FILES" | grep -E '\.(kt|kts)$|^android/|^package(-lock)?\.json$' | grep -v '/build/' || true)
+PUSHED_IOS_NATIVE=$(printf '%s\n' "$CHANGED_FILES" | grep -E '\.swift$|^ios/|Podfile' | grep -v 'Pods/' | grep -v '/build/' || true)
+
 if [ -n "$PUSHED_JS" ]; then
   echo "▶ JS/TS lint (push range)..."
   echo "$PUSHED_JS" | tr '\n' '\0' | xargs -0 eslint --max-warnings=999
@@ -83,6 +89,24 @@ if [ -n "$PUSHED_KOTLIN" ]; then
   npm run test:android
 fi
 
+if [ -n "$PUSHED_ANDROID_NATIVE" ]; then
+  echo "▶ Android build (assembleDebug + assembleRelease) — local gate, replaces CI android-build..."
+  (cd android && ./gradlew assembleDebug assembleRelease)
+fi
+
+if [ -n "$PUSHED_IOS_NATIVE" ]; then
+  echo "▶ iOS build (simulator, no code-signing) — local gate..."
+  (cd ios && xcodebuild \
+    -workspace OffgridMobile.xcworkspace \
+    -scheme OffgridMobile \
+    -configuration Debug \
+    -sdk iphonesimulator \
+    -destination 'generic/platform=iOS Simulator' \
+    -derivedDataPath build/prepush-ios \
+    CODE_SIGNING_ALLOWED=NO \
+    build)
+fi
+
 if [ -n "$PUSHED_JS$PUSHED_SWIFT$PUSHED_KOTLIN" ]; then
   echo "▶ Sonar scan..."
   npm run sonar