diff --git a/packages/ses/scripts/hermesTransforms.js b/packages/ses/scripts/hermesTransforms.js
index 033dce50e6..80849b5fef 100644
--- a/packages/ses/scripts/hermesTransforms.js
+++ b/packages/ses/scripts/hermesTransforms.js
@@ -17,6 +17,18 @@ const asyncArrowEliminator = {
     if (path.node.async) {
       let body = path.node.body;
 
+      const startLine = path.node.loc.start.line;
+      const endLine = path.node.loc.end.line;
+
+      path.traverse({
+        ThisExpression(innerPath) {
+          // throw path.buildCodeFrameError("..."); // https://github.com/babel/babel/issues/8617
+          throw Error(
+            `${startLine}:${endLine} Hermes makeBundle transform doesn't support 'this' keyword in async arrow functions`,
+          );
+        },
+      });
+
       // In case it's a ()=>expression style arrow function
       if (!t.isBlockStatement(body)) {
         body = t.blockStatement([t.returnStatement(body)]);