diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index c223136fe..82a4aad42 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ require (
 	go.uber.org/atomic v1.11.0
 	go.uber.org/multierr v1.11.0
 	go.uber.org/zap v1.27.1
-	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20260312153236-7ab1446f8b90
 	golang.org/x/mod v0.34.0
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.20.0
 	google.golang.org/protobuf v1.36.11
@@ -84,6 +83,7 @@ require (
 	go.opentelemetry.io/otel/trace v1.42.0 // indirect
 	go.opentelemetry.io/proto/otlp v1.9.0 // indirect
 	go.yaml.in/yaml/v2 v2.4.2 // indirect
+	golang.org/x/exp v0.0.0-20260312153236-7ab1446f8b90 // indirect
 	golang.org/x/time v0.15.0 // indirect
 )
 
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/room.go b/pkg/rtc/room.go
index 94e66fac0..186edf578 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/room.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/room.go
@@ -2021,8 +2021,11 @@ func (l participantTelemetryListener) OnTrackUnsubscribed(pID livekit.Participan
 	l.room.telemetry.TrackUnsubscribed(context.Background(), l.room.ID(), l.room.Name(), pID, ti, shouldSendEvent)
 }
 
-func (l participantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeFailed(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti livekit.TrackID, err error, isUserError bool) {
-	l.room.telemetry.TrackSubscribeFailed(context.Background(), l.room.ID(), l.room.Name(), pID, ti, err, isUserError)
+func (l participantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeFailed(pID livekit.ParticipantID, trackID livekit.TrackID, err error, isUserError bool) {
+	l.room.telemetry.TrackSubscribeFailed(context.Background(), l.room.ID(), l.room.Name(), pID, trackID, err, isUserError)
+}
+
+func (l participantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeStreamStarted(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo) {
 }
 
 func (l participantTelemetryListener) OnTrackMuted(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo) {
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/subscribedtrack.go b/pkg/rtc/subscribedtrack.go
index 9f6c6ebe1..feea229ff 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/subscribedtrack.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/subscribedtrack.go
@@ -480,3 +480,7 @@ func (t *SubscribedTrack) OnDownTrackClose(isExpectedToResume bool) {
 	}
 	t.Close(isExpectedToResume)
 }
+
+func (t *SubscribedTrack) OnStreamStarted() {
+	t.params.TelemetryListener.OnTrackSubscribeStreamStarted(t.params.Subscriber.ID(), t.params.MediaTrack.ToProto())
+}
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/types/interfaces.go b/pkg/rtc/types/interfaces.go
index cbb25346f..7da652eef 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/types/interfaces.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/types/interfaces.go
@@ -650,7 +650,8 @@ type ParticipantTelemetryListener interface {
 	OnTrackSubscribeRequested(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo)
 	OnTrackSubscribed(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo, publisherInfo *livekit.ParticipantInfo, shouldSendEvent bool)
 	OnTrackUnsubscribed(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo, shouldSendEvent bool)
-	OnTrackSubscribeFailed(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti livekit.TrackID, err error, isUserError bool)
+	OnTrackSubscribeFailed(pID livekit.ParticipantID, trackID livekit.TrackID, err error, isUserError bool)
+	OnTrackSubscribeStreamStarted(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo)
 	OnTrackMuted(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo)
 	OnTrackUnmuted(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo)
 	OnTrackPublishedUpdate(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo)
@@ -677,7 +678,9 @@ func (NullParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribed(pID livekit.Participan
 }
 func (NullParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackUnsubscribed(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo, shouldSendEvent bool) {
 }
-func (NullParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeFailed(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti livekit.TrackID, err error, isUserError bool) {
+func (NullParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeFailed(pID livekit.ParticipantID, trackID livekit.TrackID, err error, isUserError bool) {
+}
+func (NullParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeStreamStarted(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo) {
 }
 func (NullParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackMuted(pID livekit.ParticipantID, ti *livekit.TrackInfo) {
 }
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/types/typesfakes/fake_participant_telemetry_listener.go b/pkg/rtc/types/typesfakes/fake_participant_telemetry_listener.go
index dd00c817a..df4414eae 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/types/typesfakes/fake_participant_telemetry_listener.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/types/typesfakes/fake_participant_telemetry_listener.go
@@ -83,6 +83,12 @@ type FakeParticipantTelemetryListener struct {
 		arg1 livekit.ParticipantID
 		arg2 *livekit.TrackInfo
 	}
+	OnTrackSubscribeStreamStartedStub        func(livekit.ParticipantID, *livekit.TrackInfo)
+	onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedMutex       sync.RWMutex
+	onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedArgsForCall []struct {
+		arg1 livekit.ParticipantID
+		arg2 *livekit.TrackInfo
+	}
 	OnTrackSubscribedStub        func(livekit.ParticipantID, *livekit.TrackInfo, *livekit.ParticipantInfo, bool)
 	onTrackSubscribedMutex       sync.RWMutex
 	onTrackSubscribedArgsForCall []struct {
@@ -458,6 +464,39 @@ func (fake *FakeParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeRequestedArgsForCa
 	return argsForCall.arg1, argsForCall.arg2
 }
 
+func (fake *FakeParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeStreamStarted(arg1 livekit.ParticipantID, arg2 *livekit.TrackInfo) {
+	fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedMutex.Lock()
+	fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedArgsForCall = append(fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedArgsForCall, struct {
+		arg1 livekit.ParticipantID
+		arg2 *livekit.TrackInfo
+	}{arg1, arg2})
+	stub := fake.OnTrackSubscribeStreamStartedStub
+	fake.recordInvocation("OnTrackSubscribeStreamStarted", []interface{}{arg1, arg2})
+	fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedMutex.Unlock()
+	if stub != nil {
+		fake.OnTrackSubscribeStreamStartedStub(arg1, arg2)
+	}
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeStreamStartedCallCount() int {
+	fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedMutex.RLock()
+	defer fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedMutex.RUnlock()
+	return len(fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedArgsForCall)
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeStreamStartedCalls(stub func(livekit.ParticipantID, *livekit.TrackInfo)) {
+	fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedMutex.Lock()
+	defer fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedMutex.Unlock()
+	fake.OnTrackSubscribeStreamStartedStub = stub
+}
+
+func (fake *FakeParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribeStreamStartedArgsForCall(i int) (livekit.ParticipantID, *livekit.TrackInfo) {
+	fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedMutex.RLock()
+	defer fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedMutex.RUnlock()
+	argsForCall := fake.onTrackSubscribeStreamStartedArgsForCall[i]
+	return argsForCall.arg1, argsForCall.arg2
+}
+
 func (fake *FakeParticipantTelemetryListener) OnTrackSubscribed(arg1 livekit.ParticipantID, arg2 *livekit.TrackInfo, arg3 *livekit.ParticipantInfo, arg4 bool) {
 	fake.onTrackSubscribedMutex.Lock()
 	fake.onTrackSubscribedArgsForCall = append(fake.onTrackSubscribedArgsForCall, struct {
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go b/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go
index a238b8d11..e45ac0b88 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/downtrack.go
@@ -262,6 +262,7 @@ type DownTrackListener interface {
 	OnRttUpdate(rtt uint32)
 	OnCodecNegotiated(webrtc.RTPCodecCapability)
 	OnDownTrackClose(isExpectedToResume bool)
+	OnStreamStarted()
 }
 
 // -------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1212,6 +1213,10 @@ func (d *DownTrack) WriteRTP(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32) int32 {
 			sal.OnResume(d)
 		}
 	}
+
+	if tp.isStarting {
+		d.params.Listener.OnStreamStarted()
+	}
 	return 1
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go b/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go
index 5779945ad..927b9075d 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go
@@ -185,6 +185,7 @@ func (v *VideoTransition) MarshalLogObject(e zapcore.ObjectEncoder) error {
 
 type TranslationParams struct {
 	shouldDrop         bool
+	isStarting         bool
 	isResuming         bool
 	isSwitching        bool
 	rtp                TranslationParamsRTP
@@ -1741,10 +1742,11 @@ func (f *Forwarder) getRefLayerRTPTimestamp(ts uint32, refLayer, targetLayer int
 	return ts + offset, nil
 }
 
-func (f *Forwarder) processSourceSwitch(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32) error {
+func (f *Forwarder) processSourceSwitch(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32) (bool, error) {
+	starting := false
 	if !f.started {
 		if extPkt.IsOutOfOrder {
-			return errSkipStartOnOutOfOrderPacket
+			return starting, errSkipStartOnOutOfOrderPacket
 		}
 
 		f.started = true
@@ -1760,10 +1762,11 @@ func (f *Forwarder) processSourceSwitch(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32) e
 			"layer", layer,
 			"referenceLayerSpatial", f.referenceLayerSpatial,
 		)
-		return nil
+		starting = true
+		return starting, nil
 	} else if f.referenceLayerSpatial == buffer.InvalidLayerSpatial {
 		if extPkt.IsOutOfOrder {
-			return errSkipStartOnOutOfOrderPacket
+			return starting, errSkipStartOnOutOfOrderPacket
 		}
 
 		f.referenceLayerSpatial = layer
@@ -1777,6 +1780,8 @@ func (f *Forwarder) processSourceSwitch(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32) e
 			"layer", layer,
 			"referenceLayerSpatial", f.referenceLayerSpatial,
 		)
+
+		starting = true
 	}
 
 	logTransition := func(message string, extExpectedTS, extRefTS, extLastTS uint64, diffSeconds float64) {
@@ -1827,7 +1832,7 @@ func (f *Forwarder) processSourceSwitch(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32) e
 				"layer", layer,
 				"error", err,
 			)
-			return err
+			return starting, err
 		}
 	}
 
@@ -1925,7 +1930,7 @@ func (f *Forwarder) processSourceSwitch(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32) e
 				// (like "have waited for too long for layer switch, nothing available, switch to whatever is available" kind of condition).
 				logTransition("layer switch, reference too far behind", extExpectedTS, extRefTS, extLastTS, diffSeconds)
 
-				return errSwitchPointTooFarBehind
+				return starting, errSwitchPointTooFarBehind
 			}
 
 			// use a nominal increase to ensure that timestamp is always moving forward
@@ -1966,13 +1971,17 @@ func (f *Forwarder) processSourceSwitch(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32) e
 
 	f.rtpMunger.UpdateSnTsOffsets(extPkt, 1, extNextTS-extLastTS)
 	f.codecMunger.UpdateOffsets(extPkt)
-	return nil
+	return starting, nil
 }
 
 // should be called with lock held
-func (f *Forwarder) getTranslationParamsCommon(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32, tp *TranslationParams) error {
+func (f *Forwarder) getTranslationParamsCommon(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32, tp *TranslationParams) (bool, error) {
+	var (
+		starting bool
+		err      error
+	)
 	if f.lastSSRC != extPkt.Packet.SSRC {
-		if err := f.processSourceSwitch(extPkt, layer); err != nil {
+		if starting, err = f.processSourceSwitch(extPkt, layer); err != nil {
 			f.logger.Debugw(
 				"could not switch feed",
 				"error", err,
@@ -1986,7 +1995,7 @@ func (f *Forwarder) getTranslationParamsCommon(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer i
 			)
 			tp.shouldDrop = true
 			f.vls.Rollback()
-			return nil
+			return starting, nil
 		}
 		f.logger.Debugw(
 			"switching feed",
@@ -2010,28 +2019,29 @@ func (f *Forwarder) getTranslationParamsCommon(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer i
 	if err != nil {
 		tp.shouldDrop = true
 		if err == errPaddingOnlyPacket || err == errDuplicatePacket || err == errOutOfOrderSequenceNumberCacheMiss {
-			return nil
+			return starting, nil
 		}
-		return err
+		return starting, err
 	}
 
 	tp.rtp = tpRTP
 
 	if len(extPkt.Packet.Payload) > 0 {
-		return f.translateCodecHeader(extPkt, tp)
+		return starting, f.translateCodecHeader(extPkt, tp)
 	}
 
-	return nil
+	return starting, nil
 }
 
 // should be called with lock held
 func (f *Forwarder) getTranslationParamsAudio(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer int32) (TranslationParams, error) {
 	tp := TranslationParams{}
-	if err := f.getTranslationParamsCommon(extPkt, layer, &tp); err != nil {
+	starting, err := f.getTranslationParamsCommon(extPkt, layer, &tp)
+	tp.isStarting = starting
+	if err != nil {
 		tp.shouldDrop = true
-		return tp, err
 	}
-	return tp, nil
+	return tp, err
 }
 
 // should be called with lock held
@@ -2079,7 +2089,8 @@ func (f *Forwarder) getTranslationParamsVideo(extPkt *buffer.ExtPacket, layer in
 	tp.ddBytes = result.DependencyDescriptorExtension
 	tp.marker = result.RTPMarker
 
-	err := f.getTranslationParamsCommon(extPkt, layer, &tp)
+	starting, err := f.getTranslationParamsCommon(extPkt, layer, &tp)
+	tp.isStarting = starting
 	if tp.shouldDrop {
 		return tp, err
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/forwarder_test.go b/pkg/sfu/forwarder_test.go
index 5c110f642..7f080c646 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/forwarder_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/forwarder_test.go
@@ -1316,6 +1316,7 @@ func TestForwarderGetTranslationParamsAudio(t *testing.T) {
 
 	// should lock onto the first in-order packet
 	expectedTP = TranslationParams{
+		isStarting: true,
 		rtp: TranslationParamsRTP{
 			snOrdering:        SequenceNumberOrderingContiguous,
 			extSequenceNumber: 23333,
@@ -1583,6 +1584,7 @@ func TestForwarderGetTranslationParamsVideo(t *testing.T) {
 	}
 	marshalledVP8, _ := expectedVP8.Marshal()
 	expectedTP = TranslationParams{
+		isStarting:  true,
 		isSwitching: true,
 		isResuming:  true,
 		rtp: TranslationParamsRTP{