Flutter 3.35 Android Release Build Crash – java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'void Z2.j.D(...)' on a null object ref

I recently upgraded my Flutter SDK from 3.32.7 → 3.35.0. Since then, my app works fine in debug mode, but crashes on launch in release mode with the following stacktrace:

FATAL EXCEPTION: main
E/AndroidRuntime(28502): Process: com.hexaview.app, PID: 28502
E/AndroidRuntime(28502): java.lang.RuntimeException: Unable to start activity ComponentInfo{com.hexaview.app/com.hexaview.app.MainActivity}: java.lang.NullPointerException: Attempt to invoke virtual method 'void Z2.j.D(java.lang.String, w7.d)' on a null object reference
E/AndroidRuntime(28502):        at o.k.D(Unknown Source:4)
E/AndroidRuntime(28502):        at w7.q.b(Unknown Source:33)
E/AndroidRuntime(28502):        at o7.a.<init>(SourceFile:18)
E/AndroidRuntime(28502):        at o.k.<init>(SourceFile:7)
E/AndroidRuntime(28502):        at n7.c.<init>(SourceFile:15)
E/AndroidRuntime(28502):        at n7.g.a(Unknown Source:85)
E/AndroidRuntime(28502):        at m7.c.onCreate(Unknown Source:252)

What I’ve tried

Works fine on Flutter 3.32.7 (no crash in release mode).

Happens only after upgrading to 3.35.0.

Debug build works fine.

Updated settings.gradle:

id "com.android.application" version "8.6.0" apply false
id "org.jetbrains.kotlin.android" version "2.0.0" apply false
id "com.google.gms.google-services" version "4.4.2" apply false
id "com.google.firebase.crashlytics" version "3.0.2" apply false

Updated Gradle wrapper:

distributionUrl=https\://services.gradle.org/distributions/gradle-8.9-bin.zip

Ran flutter clean, ./gradlew clean, and rebuilt — still the same crash.

flutter doctor -v                
[✓] Flutter (Channel stable, 3.35.4, on macOS 26.0 25A354 darwin-arm64, locale en-IN) [250ms]
    • Flutter version 3.35.4 on channel stable at /Users/shashankjain/src/flutter
    • Upstream repository https://github.com/flutter/flutter.git
    • Framework revision d693b4b9db (2 weeks ago), 2025-09-16 14:27:41 +0000
    • Engine revision c298091351
    • Dart version 3.9.2
    • DevTools version 2.48.0
    • Feature flags: enable-web, enable-linux-desktop, enable-macos-desktop, enable-windows-desktop, enable-android, enable-ios, cli-animations, enable-lldb-debugging

[✓] Android toolchain - develop for Android devices (Android SDK version 36.0.0) [1,041ms]
    • Android SDK at /Users/shashankjain/Library/Android/sdk
    • Emulator version 36.1.9.0 (build_id 13823996) (CL:N/A)
    • Platform android-36, build-tools 36.0.0
    • Java binary at: /Library/Java/JavaVirtualMachines/jdk-17.jdk/Contents/Home/bin/java
      This JDK is specified in your Flutter configuration.
      To change the current JDK, run: `flutter config --jdk-dir="path/to/jdk"`.
    • Java version Java(TM) SE Runtime Environment (build 17.0.6+9-LTS-190)
    • All Android licenses accepted.

[✓] Xcode - develop for iOS and macOS (Xcode 26.0.1) [767ms]
    • Xcode at /Applications/Xcode.app/Contents/Developer
    • Build 17A400
    • CocoaPods version 1.16.2

[✓] Chrome - develop for the web [7ms]
    • Chrome at /Applications/Google Chrome.app/Contents/MacOS/Google Chrome

[✓] Android Studio (version 2025.1) [7ms]
    • Android Studio at /Applications/Android Studio.app/Contents
    • Flutter plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/9212-flutter
    • Dart plugin can be installed from:
      🔨 https://plugins.jetbrains.com/plugin/6351-dart
    • Java version OpenJDK Runtime Environment (build 21.0.6+-13391695-b895.109)

[✓] VS Code (version 1.104.2) [6ms]
    • VS Code at /Applications/Visual Studio Code.app/Contents
    • Flutter extension version 3.120.0

[✓] Connected device (3 available) [6.1s]
    • Redmi Note 9 Pro (mobile) • 2c48028 • android-arm64  • Android 12 (API 31)
    • macOS (desktop)           • macos   • darwin-arm64   • macOS 26.0 25A354 darwin-arm64
    • Chrome (web)              • chrome  • web-javascript • Google Chrome 140.0.7339.208
    ! Error: Browsing on the local area network for Shashank’s iPhone. Ensure the device is unlocked and attached with a cable or associated with the same local area network as this Mac.
      The device must be opted into Developer Mode to connect wirelessly. (code -27)

[✓] Network resources [1,051ms]
    • All expected network resources are available.