diff --git a/pkg/rtc/participant.go b/pkg/rtc/participant.go
index 44f68fc69..cbf0e25b8 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/participant.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/participant.go
@@ -909,13 +909,17 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) UpdateSubscribedTrackSettings(trackID livekit.TrackID,
 }
 
 func (p *ParticipantImpl) VerifySubscribeParticipantInfo(pID livekit.ParticipantID, version uint32) {
+	if !p.IsReady() {
+		// we have not sent a JoinResponse yet. metadata would be covered in JoinResponse
+		return
+	}
 	if v, ok := p.updateCache.Get(pID); ok && v >= version {
 		return
 	}
 
 	if f := p.params.GetParticipantInfo; f != nil {
 		if info := f(pID); info != nil {
-			p.SendParticipantUpdate([]*livekit.ParticipantInfo{info})
+			_ = p.SendParticipantUpdate([]*livekit.ParticipantInfo{info})
 		}
 	}
 }
@@ -1187,11 +1191,6 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) updateState(state livekit.ParticipantInfo_State) {
 
 // when the server has an offer for participant
 func (p *ParticipantImpl) onSubscriberOffer(offer webrtc.SessionDescription) error {
-	if p.State() == livekit.ParticipantInfo_DISCONNECTED {
-		// skip when disconnected
-		return nil
-	}
-
 	p.params.Logger.Infow("sending offer", "transport", livekit.SignalTarget_SUBSCRIBER)
 	return p.writeMessage(&livekit.SignalResponse{
 		Message: &livekit.SignalResponse_Offer{
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/participant_internal_test.go b/pkg/rtc/participant_internal_test.go
index 37c661d65..9f3b4ff96 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/participant_internal_test.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/participant_internal_test.go
@@ -58,7 +58,6 @@ func TestIsReady(t *testing.T) {
 func TestTrackPublishing(t *testing.T) {
 	t.Run("should send the correct events", func(t *testing.T) {
 		p := newParticipantForTest("test")
-		p.state.Store(livekit.ParticipantInfo_ACTIVE)
 		track := &typesfakes.FakeMediaTrack{}
 		track.IDReturns("id")
 		published := false
@@ -184,6 +183,7 @@ func TestTrackPublishing(t *testing.T) {
 
 func TestOutOfOrderUpdates(t *testing.T) {
 	p := newParticipantForTest("test")
+	p.updateState(livekit.ParticipantInfo_JOINED)
 	p.SetMetadata("initial metadata")
 	sink := p.getResponseSink().(*routingfakes.FakeMessageSink)
 	pi1 := p.ToProto()
@@ -483,6 +483,7 @@ func newParticipantForTestWithOpts(identity livekit.ParticipantIdentity, opts *p
 		Logger:            LoggerWithParticipant(logger.GetLogger(), identity, sid, false),
 	})
 	p.isPublisher.Store(opts.publisher)
+	p.updateState(livekit.ParticipantInfo_ACTIVE)
 
 	return p
 }
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/participant_signal.go b/pkg/rtc/participant_signal.go
index dc960e45f..37f0587e3 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/participant_signal.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/participant_signal.go
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) SetResponseSink(sink routing.MessageSink) {
 }
 
 func (p *ParticipantImpl) SendJoinResponse(joinResponse *livekit.JoinResponse) error {
+	// update state prior to sending message, or the message would not be sent
 	if p.State() == livekit.ParticipantInfo_JOINING {
 		p.updateState(livekit.ParticipantInfo_JOINED)
 	}
@@ -43,6 +44,10 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) SendJoinResponse(joinResponse *livekit.JoinResponse) e
 }
 
 func (p *ParticipantImpl) SendParticipantUpdate(participantsToUpdate []*livekit.ParticipantInfo) error {
+	if !p.IsReady() {
+		// avoid manipulating cache before it's ready
+		return nil
+	}
 	p.updateLock.Lock()
 	validUpdates := make([]*livekit.ParticipantInfo, 0, len(participantsToUpdate))
 	for _, pi := range participantsToUpdate {
@@ -173,7 +178,7 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) sendTrackUnpublished(trackID livekit.TrackID) {
 }
 
 func (p *ParticipantImpl) writeMessage(msg *livekit.SignalResponse) error {
-	if p.State() == livekit.ParticipantInfo_DISCONNECTED {
+	if !p.IsReady() {
 		return nil
 	}
 
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go b/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go
index 8da91bed4..5cee4ca38 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go
@@ -678,10 +678,10 @@ func (d *DownTrack) Close() {
 
 // Close track, flush used to indicate whether send blank frame to flush
 // decoder of client.
-// 1. When transceiver is reused by other participant's video track,
-//    set flush=true to avoid previous video shows before previous stream is displayed.
-// 2. in case of session migration, participant migrate from other node, video track should
-//    be resumed with same participant, set flush=false since we don't need to flush decoder.
+//  1. When transceiver is reused by other participant's video track,
+//     set flush=true to avoid previous video shows before new stream is displayed.
+//  2. in case of session migration, participant migrate from other node, video track should
+//     be resumed with same participant, set flush=false since we don't need to flush decoder.
 func (d *DownTrack) CloseWithFlush(flush bool) {
 	if d.isClosed.Swap(true) {
 		// already closed
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go b/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go
index 255d189a7..018e25d6f 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go
@@ -15,9 +15,7 @@ import (
 	dd "github.com/livekit/livekit-server/pkg/sfu/dependencydescriptor"
 )
 
-//
 // Forwarder
-//
 const (
 	FlagPauseOnDowngrade  = true
 	FlagFilterRTX         = true
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/prober.go b/pkg/sfu/prober.go
index 8eb50710f..cde3dc49a 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/prober.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/prober.go
@@ -1,4 +1,3 @@
-//
 // Design of Prober
 //
 // Probing is used to check for existence of excess channel capacity.
@@ -61,12 +60,12 @@
 // estimated channel capacity + probing rate when actively probing).
 //
 // But, there a few significant challenges
-//   1. Pacer will require buffering of forwarded packets. That means
-//      more memory, more CPU (have to make copy of packets) and
-//      more latency in the media stream.
-//   2. Scalability concern as SFU may be handling hundreds of
-//      subscriber peer connections and each one processing the pacing
-//      loop at 5ms interval will add up.
+//  1. Pacer will require buffering of forwarded packets. That means
+//     more memory, more CPU (have to make copy of packets) and
+//     more latency in the media stream.
+//  2. Scalability concern as SFU may be handling hundreds of
+//     subscriber peer connections and each one processing the pacing
+//     loop at 5ms interval will add up.
 //
 // So, this module assumes that pacing is inherently provided by the
 // publishers for media streams. That is a reasonable assumption given
@@ -85,25 +84,25 @@
 // For example, probing at 5 Mbps for 1/2 second and sending 1000 byte
 // probe per iteration will wake up every 1.6 ms. That is very high,
 // but should last for 1/2 second or so.
-//     5 Mbps over 1/2 second = 2.5 Mbps
-//     2.5 Mbps = 312500 bytes = 313 probes at 1000 byte probes
-//     313 probes over 1/2 second = 1.6 ms between probes
+//
+//	5 Mbps over 1/2 second = 2.5 Mbps
+//	2.5 Mbps = 312500 bytes = 313 probes at 1000 byte probes
+//	313 probes over 1/2 second = 1.6 ms between probes
 //
 // A few things to note
-// 1. When a probe cluster is added, the expected media rate is provided.
-//    So, the wake-up interval takes that into account. For example,
-//    if probing at 5 Mbps for 1/2 second and if 4 Mbps of it is expected
-//    to be provided by media traffic, the wake-up interval becomes 8 ms.
-// 2. The amount of probing should actually be capped at some value to
-//    avoid too much self-induced congestion. It maybe something like 500 kbps.
-//    That will increase the wake-up interval to 16 ms in the above example.
-// 3. In practice, the probing interval may also be shorter. Typically,
-//    it can be run for 2 - 3 RTTs to get a good measurement. For
-//    the longest hauls, RTT could be 250 ms or so leading to the probing
-//    window being long(ish). But, RTT should be much shorter especially if
-//    the subscriber peer connection of the client is able to connect to
-//    the nearest data center.
-//
+//  1. When a probe cluster is added, the expected media rate is provided.
+//     So, the wake-up interval takes that into account. For example,
+//     if probing at 5 Mbps for 1/2 second and if 4 Mbps of it is expected
+//     to be provided by media traffic, the wake-up interval becomes 8 ms.
+//  2. The amount of probing should actually be capped at some value to
+//     avoid too much self-induced congestion. It maybe something like 500 kbps.
+//     That will increase the wake-up interval to 16 ms in the above example.
+//  3. In practice, the probing interval may also be shorter. Typically,
+//     it can be run for 2 - 3 RTTs to get a good measurement. For
+//     the longest hauls, RTT could be 250 ms or so leading to the probing
+//     window being long(ish). But, RTT should be much shorter especially if
+//     the subscriber peer connection of the client is able to connect to
+//     the nearest data center.
 package sfu
 
 import (