diff --git a/local-cli/runIOS/runIOS.js b/local-cli/runIOS/runIOS.js
index 8927be98d80226..1cbcc4108db727 100644
--- a/local-cli/runIOS/runIOS.js
+++ b/local-cli/runIOS/runIOS.js
@@ -115,15 +115,12 @@ function runOnSimulator(xcodeProject, args, scheme) {
 
     if (!selectedSimulator.booted) {
       const simulatorFullName = formattedDeviceName(selectedSimulator);
-      console.log(`Booting ${simulatorFullName}...`);
+      console.log(`Launching ${simulatorFullName}...`);
       try {
-        child_process.execFileSync('xcrun', ['simctl', 'boot', selectedSimulator.udid]);
+        child_process.spawnSync('xcrun', ['instruments', '-w', selectedSimulator.udid]);
       } catch (e) {
-        throw new Error(
-`Could not boot ${args.simulator} simulator. Is there already a simulator running?
-Running multiple simulators is only supported from Xcode 9 and up.
-Try closing the simulator or run the command again without specifying a simulator.`
-        );
+        // instruments always fail with 255 because it expects more arguments,
+        // but we want it to only launch the simulator
       }
     }