diff --git a/src/embedded.ts b/src/embedded.ts
index 047cd0279c3..48a0b8dd448 100644
--- a/src/embedded.ts
+++ b/src/embedded.ts
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ export class RoomWidgetClient extends MatrixClient {
                 });
             }) ?? [],
         );
-        this.setSyncState(SyncState.Prepared);
+        this.setSyncState(SyncState.Syncing);
         logger.info("Finished backfilling events");
 
         // Watch for TURN servers, if requested
@@ -146,6 +146,11 @@ export class RoomWidgetClient extends MatrixClient {
         this.lifecycle.abort(); // Signal to other async tasks that the client has stopped
     }
 
+    public async joinRoom(roomIdOrAlias: string): Promise<Room> {
+        if (roomIdOrAlias === this.roomId) return this.room;
+        throw new Error(`Unknown room: ${roomIdOrAlias}`);
+    }
+
     public async sendStateEvent(
         roomId: string,
         eventType: string,
diff --git a/src/webrtc/groupCall.ts b/src/webrtc/groupCall.ts
index 3cb24c9bed0..104eacae0c4 100644
--- a/src/webrtc/groupCall.ts
+++ b/src/webrtc/groupCall.ts
@@ -183,6 +183,8 @@ export class GroupCall extends TypedEventEmitter<
     private transmitTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null;
     private memberStateExpirationTimers: Map<string, ReturnType<typeof setTimeout>> = new Map();
     private resendMemberStateTimer: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
+    private initWithAudioMuted = false;
+    private initWithVideoMuted = false;
 
     constructor(
         private client: MatrixClient,
@@ -261,12 +263,7 @@ export class GroupCall extends TypedEventEmitter<
             throw error;
         }
 
-        // start muted on ptt calls
-        if (this.isPtt) {
-            setTracksEnabled(stream.getAudioTracks(), false);
-        }
-
-        const userId = this.client.getUserId();
+        const userId = this.client.getUserId()!;
 
         const callFeed = new CallFeed({
             client: this.client,
@@ -274,10 +271,13 @@ export class GroupCall extends TypedEventEmitter<
             userId,
             stream,
             purpose: SDPStreamMetadataPurpose.Usermedia,
-            audioMuted: stream.getAudioTracks().length === 0 || this.isPtt,
-            videoMuted: stream.getVideoTracks().length === 0,
+            audioMuted: this.initWithAudioMuted || stream.getAudioTracks().length === 0 || this.isPtt,
+            videoMuted: this.initWithVideoMuted || stream.getVideoTracks().length === 0,
         });
 
+        setTracksEnabled(stream.getAudioTracks(), !callFeed.isAudioMuted());
+        setTracksEnabled(stream.getVideoTracks(), !callFeed.isVideoMuted());
+
         this.localCallFeed = callFeed;
         this.addUserMediaFeed(callFeed);
 
@@ -496,6 +496,9 @@ export class GroupCall extends TypedEventEmitter<
             // given to any of the actual calls, so these tracks don't actually go
             // anywhere. Let's do it anyway to avoid confusion.
             setTracksEnabled(this.localCallFeed.stream.getAudioTracks(), !muted);
+        } else {
+            logger.log(`groupCall ${this.groupCallId} setMicrophoneMuted no stream muted ${muted}`);
+            this.initWithAudioMuted = muted;
         }
 
         for (const call of this.calls) {
@@ -532,6 +535,9 @@ export class GroupCall extends TypedEventEmitter<
                 this.localCallFeed.stream.id} muted ${muted}`);
             this.localCallFeed.setAudioVideoMuted(null, muted);
             setTracksEnabled(this.localCallFeed.stream.getVideoTracks(), !muted);
+        } else {
+            logger.log(`groupCall ${this.groupCallId} setLocalVideoMuted no stream muted ${muted}`);
+            this.initWithVideoMuted = muted;
         }
 
         for (const call of this.calls) {