diff --git a/pkg/sfu/connectionquality/connectionstats.go b/pkg/sfu/connectionquality/connectionstats.go
index a9f612a54..42f4f5893 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/connectionquality/connectionstats.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/connectionquality/connectionstats.go
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ type ConnectionStatsParams struct {
 	GetQualityParams    func() *buffer.ConnectionQualityParams
 	GetIsReducedQuality func() bool
 	GetLayerDimension   func(int32) (uint32, uint32)
-	GetMaxExpectedLayer func() livekit.VideoLayer
+	GetMaxExpectedLayer func() *livekit.VideoLayer
 	Logger              logger.Logger
 }
 
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ func (cs *ConnectionStats) updateScore(streams []*livekit.AnalyticsStream, itera
 	} else {
 		// get tracks expected max layer and dimensions
 		expectedLayer := cs.params.GetMaxExpectedLayer()
-		if utils.SpatialLayerForQuality(expectedLayer.Quality) == buffer.InvalidLayerSpatial {
+		if expectedLayer == nil || utils.SpatialLayerForQuality(expectedLayer.Quality) == buffer.InvalidLayerSpatial {
 			return cs.score
 		}
 
@@ -129,9 +129,6 @@ func (cs *ConnectionStats) updateScore(streams []*livekit.AnalyticsStream, itera
 
 		cs.score = VideoConnectionScore(interval, int64(totalBytes), int64(totalFrames), &qualityParam, cs.params.CodecName,
 			int32(expectedLayer.Height), int32(expectedLayer.Width), int32(actualHeight), int32(actualWidth))
-		//logger.Infow("VideoScoreScore", "score", cs.score, "expectedLayer", expectedLayer.Quality, "maxLayer", maxLayer,
-		//	"expectedWidth", expectedLayer.Width, "actualWidth", actualWidth, "expectedHeight", expectedLayer.Height, "actualHeight", actualHeight)
-
 	}
 
 	return cs.score
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go b/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go
index 66d8393b9..b0c3d11be 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go
@@ -234,10 +234,10 @@ func NewDownTrack(
 			}
 			return 0, 0
 		},
-		GetMaxExpectedLayer: func() livekit.VideoLayer {
+		GetMaxExpectedLayer: func() *livekit.VideoLayer {
 			quality := d.forwarder.MaxLayers().Spatial
 			width, height := d.receiver.GetLayerDimension(quality)
-			return livekit.VideoLayer{Quality: livekit.VideoQuality(quality), Width: width, Height: height}
+			return &livekit.VideoLayer{Quality: livekit.VideoQuality(quality), Width: width, Height: height}
 		},
 		Logger:    d.logger,
 		CodecName: getCodecNameFromMime(codecs[0].MimeType),
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/receiver.go b/pkg/sfu/receiver.go
index 601a407e3..67807d5c2 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/receiver.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/receiver.go
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/pion/rtcp"
 	"github.com/pion/webrtc/v3"
 	"go.uber.org/atomic"
+	"google.golang.org/protobuf/proto"
 
 	"github.com/livekit/livekit-server/pkg/utils"
 	"github.com/livekit/protocol/livekit"
@@ -208,9 +209,9 @@ func NewWebRTCReceiver(
 		GetLayerDimension: func(quality int32) (uint32, uint32) {
 			return w.GetLayerDimension(quality)
 		},
-		GetMaxExpectedLayer: func() livekit.VideoLayer {
-			var expectedLayer livekit.VideoLayer
-			var maxPublishedLayer livekit.VideoLayer
+		GetMaxExpectedLayer: func() *livekit.VideoLayer {
+			var expectedLayer *livekit.VideoLayer
+			var maxPublishedLayer *livekit.VideoLayer
 			// find min of <expected, published> layer
 			expectedQuality := w.streamTrackerManager.GetMaxExpectedLayer()
 			maxPublishedQuality := InvalidLayerSpatial
@@ -220,11 +221,11 @@ func NewWebRTCReceiver(
 						continue
 					}
 					if expectedQuality == utils.SpatialLayerForQuality(layer.Quality) {
-						expectedLayer = *layer
+						expectedLayer = proto.Clone(layer).(*livekit.VideoLayer)
 					}
 					if utils.SpatialLayerForQuality(layer.Quality) > maxPublishedQuality {
 						maxPublishedQuality = int32(layer.Quality)
-						maxPublishedLayer = *layer
+						maxPublishedLayer = proto.Clone(layer).(*livekit.VideoLayer)
 					}
 				}
 			}