diff --git a/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_base.go b/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_base.go
index 95b855264..ec4cf8068 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_base.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_base.go
@@ -964,8 +964,6 @@ func (b *BufferBase) handleCodecChange(newPT uint8) {
 	b.rtxPayloadType = rtxPt
 	b.mime = mime.NormalizeMimeType(newCodec.MimeType)
 
-	b.restartStreamLocked("codec-change", true)
-
 	if f := b.onCodecChange; f != nil {
 		go f(newCodec)
 	}
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_test.go b/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_test.go
index 9b6e8b026..f0f307690 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_test.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/buffer/buffer_test.go
@@ -331,7 +331,6 @@ func TestCodecChange(t *testing.T) {
 	buff := NewBuffer(123, 1, 1)
 	require.NotNil(t, buff)
 	changedCodec := make(chan webrtc.RTPCodecParameters, 1)
-	restartCleared := make(chan struct{}, 1)
 	buff.OnCodecChange(func(rp webrtc.RTPCodecParameters) {
 		select {
 		case changedCodec <- rp:
@@ -347,8 +346,6 @@ func TestCodecChange(t *testing.T) {
 		extPkt, err := buff.ReadExtended(buf[:])
 		require.NoError(t, err)
 		require.Nil(t, extPkt)
-
-		restartCleared <- struct{}{}
 	})
 
 	h265Pkt := rtp.Packet{
@@ -391,7 +388,6 @@ func TestCodecChange(t *testing.T) {
 	case <-time.After(1 * time.Second):
 		t.Fatalf("expected codec change")
 	}
-	<-restartCleared
 
 	// second codec change - writing VP8 packet after Bind should trigger another codec change
 	vp8Pkt := rtp.Packet{
@@ -416,7 +412,6 @@ func TestCodecChange(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fatalf("expected codec change")
 	}
 	fmt.Printf("done second codec change\n") // REMOVE
-	<-restartCleared
 
 	// out of order pkts can't cause codec change
 	// rewrite the VP8 packet to start the sequence after a stream restart
@@ -463,7 +458,6 @@ func TestCodecChange(t *testing.T) {
 	case <-time.After(1 * time.Second):
 		t.Fatalf("expected codec change")
 	}
-	<-restartCleared
 }
 
 func BenchmarkMemcpu(b *testing.B) {
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/codecmunger/vp8.go b/pkg/sfu/codecmunger/vp8.go
index 8eb300814..71eace018 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/codecmunger/vp8.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/codecmunger/vp8.go
@@ -60,9 +60,14 @@ func NewVP8(logger logger.Logger) *VP8 {
 	}
 }
 
-func NewVP8FromNull(cm CodecMunger, logger logger.Logger) *VP8 {
+func NewVP8FromOther(cm CodecMunger, logger logger.Logger) *VP8 {
 	v := NewVP8(logger)
-	v.SeedState(cm.(*Null).GetSeededState())
+	switch cm := cm.(type) {
+	case *Null:
+		v.SeedState(cm.GetSeededState())
+	case *VP8:
+		v.SeedState(cm.GetState())
+	}
 	return v
 }
 
@@ -79,9 +84,14 @@ func (v *VP8) GetState() any {
 }
 
 func (v *VP8) SeedState(seed any) {
+	var state *livekit.VP8MungerState
 	switch cm := seed.(type) {
 	case *livekit.RTPForwarderState_Vp8Munger:
-		state := cm.Vp8Munger
+		state = cm.Vp8Munger
+	case *livekit.VP8MungerState:
+		state = cm
+	}
+	if state != nil {
 		v.extLastPictureId = state.ExtLastPictureId
 		v.pictureIdUsed = state.PictureIdUsed
 		v.lastTl0PicIdx = uint8(state.LastTl0PicIdx)
diff --git a/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go b/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go
index 497bce1f2..d52bcaa04 100644
--- a/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go
+++ b/pkg/sfu/forwarder.go
@@ -334,7 +334,7 @@ func (f *Forwarder) DetermineCodec(codec webrtc.RTPCodecCapability, extensions [
 
 	switch f.mime {
 	case mime.MimeTypeVP8:
-		f.codecMunger = codecmunger.NewVP8FromNull(f.codecMunger, f.logger)
+		f.codecMunger = codecmunger.NewVP8FromOther(f.codecMunger, f.logger)
 		if f.vls != nil {
 			if vls := videolayerselector.NewSimulcastFromOther(f.vls); vls != nil {
 				f.vls = vls
@@ -347,6 +347,7 @@ func (f *Forwarder) DetermineCodec(codec webrtc.RTPCodecCapability, extensions [
 		f.vls.SetTemporalLayerSelector(temporallayerselector.NewVP8(f.logger))
 
 	case mime.MimeTypeH264, mime.MimeTypeH265:
+		f.codecMunger = codecmunger.NewNull(f.logger)
 		if f.vls != nil {
 			if vls := videolayerselector.NewSimulcastFromOther(f.vls); vls != nil {
 				f.vls = vls
@@ -358,6 +359,7 @@ func (f *Forwarder) DetermineCodec(codec webrtc.RTPCodecCapability, extensions [
 		}
 
 	case mime.MimeTypeVP9:
+		f.codecMunger = codecmunger.NewNull(f.logger)
 		if sfuutils.IsSimulcastMode(videoLayerMode) {
 			if f.vls != nil {
 				f.vls = videolayerselector.NewSimulcastFromOther(f.vls)
@@ -382,6 +384,7 @@ func (f *Forwarder) DetermineCodec(codec webrtc.RTPCodecCapability, extensions [
 		}
 
 	case mime.MimeTypeAV1:
+		f.codecMunger = codecmunger.NewNull(f.logger)
 		if sfuutils.IsSimulcastMode(videoLayerMode) {
 			if f.vls != nil {
 				f.vls = videolayerselector.NewSimulcastFromOther(f.vls)