diff --git a/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb b/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb
index 95331a47063ddc..84a433a82cdb9a 100644
--- a/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb
+++ b/scripts/cocoapods/__tests__/utils-test.rb
@@ -566,7 +566,7 @@ def test_applyXcode15Patch_whenXcodebuild15_correctlyAppliesNecessaryPatch
         # Assert
         user_project_mock.build_configurations.each do |config|
             assert_equal("$(inherited) _LIBCPP_ENABLE_CXX17_REMOVED_UNARY_BINARY_FUNCTION", config.build_settings["GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS"])
-            assert_equal("$(inherited) -Wl -ld_classic ", config.build_settings["OTHER_LDFLAGS"])
+            assert_equal("$(inherited) -Wl -ld_classic", config.build_settings["OTHER_LDFLAGS"])
         end
 
         # User project and Pods project
@@ -616,7 +616,7 @@ def test_applyXcode15Patch_whenXcodebuild14ButProjectHasSettings_correctlyRemove
         # Assert
         user_project_mock.build_configurations.each do |config|
             assert_equal("$(inherited) _LIBCPP_ENABLE_CXX17_REMOVED_UNARY_BINARY_FUNCTION", config.build_settings["GCC_PREPROCESSOR_DEFINITIONS"])
-            assert_equal("$(inherited) ", config.build_settings["OTHER_LDFLAGS"])
+            assert_equal("$(inherited)", config.build_settings["OTHER_LDFLAGS"])
         end
 
         # User project and Pods project
diff --git a/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb b/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb
index 5cd07ee7b8159e..53d0d8b837522d 100644
--- a/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb
+++ b/scripts/cocoapods/utils.rb
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ def self.exclude_i386_architecture_while_using_hermes(installer)
             .push(installer.pods_project)
 
 
-        # Hermes does not support `i386` architecture
+        # Hermes does not support 'i386' architecture
         excluded_archs_default = ReactNativePodsUtils.has_pod(installer, 'hermes-engine') ? "i386" : ""
 
         projects.each do |project|
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@ def self.apply_xcode_15_patch(installer, xcodebuild_manager: Xcodebuild)
                 if self.is_using_xcode15_or_greter(:xcodebuild_manager => xcodebuild_manager)
                     self.add_value_to_setting_if_missing(config, other_ld_flags_key, xcode15_compatibility_flags)
                 else
-                    self.remove_value_to_setting_if_present(config, other_ld_flags_key, xcode15_compatibility_flags)
+                    self.remove_value_from_setting_if_present(config, other_ld_flags_key, xcode15_compatibility_flags)
                 end
             end
             project.save()
@@ -255,20 +255,26 @@ def self.safe_init(config, setting_name)
 
     def self.add_value_to_setting_if_missing(config, setting_name, value)
         old_config = config.build_settings[setting_name]
-        if !old_config.include?(value)
-            config.build_settings[setting_name] << value
+        if old_config.is_a?(Array)
+            old_config = old_config.join(" ")
+        end
+
+        trimmed_value = value.strip()
+        if !old_config.include?(trimmed_value)
+            config.build_settings[setting_name] = "#{old_config.strip()} #{trimmed_value}".strip()
         end
     end
 
-    def self.remove_value_to_setting_if_present(config, setting_name, value)
+    def self.remove_value_from_setting_if_present(config, setting_name, value)
         old_config = config.build_settings[setting_name]
-        if old_config.include?(value)
-            # Old config can be either an Array or a String
-            if old_config.is_a?(Array)
-                old_config = old_config.join(" ")
-            end
-            new_config = old_config.gsub(value,  "")
-            config.build_settings[setting_name] = new_config
+        if old_config.is_a?(Array)
+            old_config = old_config.join(" ")
+        end
+
+        trimmed_value = value.strip()
+        if old_config.include?(trimmed_value)
+            new_config = old_config.gsub(trimmed_value,  "")
+            config.build_settings[setting_name] = new_config.strip()
         end
     end