diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 11c1194100..deb3324d8d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,6 +8,23 @@
 
 ## Unreleased
 
+### Important Changes
+
+This release includes a fix for a [behaviour change](https://docs.sentry.io/platforms/javascript/migration/v8-to-v9/#behavior-changes)
+that was originally fixed on version 6.21.0 of the React Native SDK: User IP Addresses should only be added to Sentry events automatically,
+if `sendDefaultPii` was set to `true`.
+
+To avoid making a major bump, the fix was patched on the current version and not by bumping to V8.
+There is _no API_ breakage involved and hence it is safe to update.
+However, after updating the SDK, events (errors, traces, replays, etc.) sent from the browser, will only include
+user IP addresses, if you set `sendDefaultPii: true` in your `Sentry.init` options.
+
+We apologize for any inconvenience caused!
+
+## Fixes
+
+- Ensure IP address is only inferred by Relay if `sendDefaultPii` is `true` ([#5138](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-react-native/pull/5137))
+
 ### Dependencies
 
 - Bump Bundler Plugins from v4.2.0 to v4.3.0 ([#5131](https://github.com/getsentry/sentry-react-native/pull/5131))
diff --git a/packages/core/src/js/client.ts b/packages/core/src/js/client.ts
index fb8e8eea40..a9aedfcd48 100644
--- a/packages/core/src/js/client.ts
+++ b/packages/core/src/js/client.ts
@@ -13,7 +13,6 @@ import type {
 import {
   _INTERNAL_flushLogsBuffer,
   addAutoIpAddressToSession,
-  addAutoIpAddressToUser,
   Client,
   dateTimestampInSeconds,
   debug,
@@ -52,6 +51,15 @@ export class ReactNativeClient extends Client<ReactNativeClientOptions> {
     ignoreRequireCycleLogs(ReactNativeLibraries.ReactNativeVersion?.version);
     options._metadata = options._metadata || {};
     options._metadata.sdk = options._metadata.sdk || defaultSdkInfo;
+
+    // Only allow IP inferral by Relay if sendDefaultPii is true
+    if (options._metadata?.sdk) {
+      options._metadata.sdk.settings = {
+        infer_ip: options.sendDefaultPii ? 'auto' : 'never',
+        ...options._metadata.sdk.settings,
+      };
+    }
+
     // We default this to true, as it is the safer scenario
     options.parentSpanIsAlwaysRootSpan =
       options.parentSpanIsAlwaysRootSpan === undefined ? true : options.parentSpanIsAlwaysRootSpan;
@@ -60,7 +68,6 @@ export class ReactNativeClient extends Client<ReactNativeClientOptions> {
     this._outcomesBuffer = [];
 
     if (options.sendDefaultPii === true) {
-      this.on('postprocessEvent', addAutoIpAddressToUser);
       this.on('beforeSendSession', addAutoIpAddressToSession);
     }
 
diff --git a/packages/core/test/client.test.ts b/packages/core/test/client.test.ts
index 14c35b533e..eb0da4b3ea 100644
--- a/packages/core/test/client.test.ts
+++ b/packages/core/test/client.test.ts
@@ -687,25 +687,42 @@ describe('Tests ReactNativeClient', () => {
       });
 
       expect(mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].user).toEqual(
-        expect.objectContaining({ ip_address: '{{auto}}' }),
+        expect.objectContaining({ ip_address: undefined }),
+      );
+      expect(mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].sdk).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          settings: {
+            infer_ip: 'never',
+          },
+        }),
       );
     });
 
-    test('adds ip_address {{auto}} to user if not set', () => {
+    test('adds ip_address undefined to user if not set', () => {
       client.captureEvent({
         user: {},
       });
 
-      expect(mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].user).toEqual(
-        expect.objectContaining({ ip_address: '{{auto}}' }),
+      expect(mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].user).toBeEmptyObject();
+      expect(mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].sdk).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          settings: {
+            infer_ip: 'never',
+          },
+        }),
       );
     });
 
-    test('adds ip_address {{auto}} to undefined user', () => {
+    test('leaves ip_address undefined to undefined user', () => {
       client.captureEvent({});
 
-      expect(mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].user).toEqual(
-        expect.objectContaining({ ip_address: '{{auto}}' }),
+      expect(mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].user).toBeUndefined();
+      expect(mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].sdk).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          settings: {
+            infer_ip: 'never',
+          },
+        }),
       );
     });
 
@@ -724,15 +741,13 @@ describe('Tests ReactNativeClient', () => {
       expect(
         mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].user?.ip_address,
       ).toBeUndefined();
-    });
-
-    test('uses ip address hooks if sendDefaultPii is true', () => {
-      const { onSpy } = createClientWithSpy({
-        sendDefaultPii: true,
-      });
-
-      expect(onSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('postprocessEvent', addAutoIpAddressToUser);
-      expect(onSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('beforeSendSession', addAutoIpAddressToSession);
+      expect(mockTransportSend.mock.calls[0][firstArg][envelopeItems][0][envelopeItemPayload].sdk).toEqual(
+        expect.objectContaining({
+          settings: {
+            infer_ip: 'never',
+          },
+        }),
+      );
     });
 
     test('does not add ip_address {{auto}} to session if sendDefaultPii is false', () => {