diff --git a/pkg/service/ioservice_ingress.go b/pkg/service/ioservice_ingress.go
index c1fe59555..39e882447 100644
--- a/pkg/service/ioservice_ingress.go
+++ b/pkg/service/ioservice_ingress.go
@@ -73,6 +73,13 @@ func (s *IOInfoService) UpdateIngressState(ctx context.Context, req *rpc.UpdateI
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
 	}
+	if info.State == nil {
+		// LoadIngress reads the ingress info and its state non-atomically: a concurrent
+		// DeleteIngress can remove the state key between the two reads, in which case
+		// LoadIngress returns the info with a nil State and no error. Treat it as an
+		// empty state instead of panicking on the status comparison below.
+		info.State = &livekit.IngressState{}
+	}
 
 	if err = s.is.UpdateIngressState(ctx, req.IngressId, req.State); err != nil {
 		logger.Errorw("could not update ingress", err)
diff --git a/pkg/service/ioservice_ingress_test.go b/pkg/service/ioservice_ingress_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..acd778d68
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pkg/service/ioservice_ingress_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+// Copyright 2026 LiveKit, Inc.
+//
+// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+// You may obtain a copy of the License at
+//
+//     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+//
+// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+// limitations under the License.
+
+package service_test
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"testing"
+
+	"github.com/livekit/protocol/livekit"
+	"github.com/livekit/protocol/rpc"
+	"github.com/stretchr/testify/require"
+
+	"github.com/livekit/livekit-server/pkg/service"
+	"github.com/livekit/livekit-server/pkg/service/servicefakes"
+	"github.com/livekit/livekit-server/pkg/telemetry/telemetryfakes"
+)
+
+// A concurrent DeleteIngress can remove the ingress state key between the two
+// non-atomic reads LoadIngress performs, making it return an IngressInfo with a
+// nil State and no error. UpdateIngressState used to panic dereferencing it,
+// bringing down the whole node.
+func TestUpdateIngressStateWithNilState(t *testing.T) {
+	is := &servicefakes.FakeIngressStore{}
+	is.LoadIngressReturns(&livekit.IngressInfo{IngressId: "IN_test"}, nil)
+
+	io, err := service.NewIOInfoService(nil, nil, is, nil, &telemetryfakes.FakeTelemetryService{})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+
+	_, err = io.UpdateIngressState(context.Background(), &rpc.UpdateIngressStateRequest{
+		IngressId: "IN_test",
+		State:     &livekit.IngressState{Status: livekit.IngressState_ENDPOINT_INACTIVE},
+	})
+	require.NoError(t, err)
+}