diff --git a/pkg/rtc/participant.go b/pkg/rtc/participant.go
index 690db92be..aaddcd81d 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/participant.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/participant.go
@@ -4278,11 +4278,24 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) SendDataMessage(kind livekit.DataPacket_Kind, data []b
 }
 
 func (p *ParticipantImpl) SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data []byte, useRaw bool, sender livekit.ParticipantIdentity) error {
-	if p.State() != livekit.ParticipantInfo_ACTIVE {
-		return ErrDataChannelUnavailable
+	if useRaw || p.params.UseOneShotSignallingMode {
+		if p.State() != livekit.ParticipantInfo_ACTIVE {
+			return ErrDataChannelUnavailable
+		}
+		return p.TransportManager.SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data)
 	}
 
-	return p.TransportManager.SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data, useRaw, sender)
+	// a UserPacket on the reliable channel, held like any reliable message while that channel opens
+	dpData, err := proto.Marshal(&livekit.DataPacket{
+		ParticipantIdentity: string(sender),
+		Value: &livekit.DataPacket_User{
+			User: &livekit.UserPacket{Payload: data},
+		},
+	})
+	if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return p.SendDataMessage(livekit.DataPacket_RELIABLE, dpData, "", 0)
 }
 
 func (p *ParticipantImpl) onDataSendError(err error) {
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/participant_internal_test.go b/pkg/rtc/participant_internal_test.go
index 4dfe5148c..04f296033 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/participant_internal_test.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/participant_internal_test.go
@@ -1325,6 +1325,18 @@ func TestUnsequencedReliableDataBufferedWhileJoining(t *testing.T) {
 		require.Error(t, p.SendDataMessage(livekit.DataPacket_LOSSY, []byte("one"), "", 0))
 		require.Empty(t, p.reliableDataInfo.joiningUnsequencedMessages)
 	})
+
+	t.Run("unlabeled data is buffered as a user packet", func(t *testing.T) {
+		p := newParticipantForTest("test")
+
+		require.NoError(t, p.SendDataMessageUnlabeled([]byte("one"), false, "alice"))
+
+		require.Len(t, p.reliableDataInfo.joiningUnsequencedMessages, 1)
+		dp := &livekit.DataPacket{}
+		require.NoError(t, proto.Unmarshal(p.reliableDataInfo.joiningUnsequencedMessages[0], dp))
+		require.Equal(t, "alice", dp.ParticipantIdentity)
+		require.Equal(t, []byte("one"), dp.GetUser().GetPayload())
+	})
 }
 
 func TestMigratingInParticipantWaitsForReconnectResponse(t *testing.T) {
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/transport.go b/pkg/rtc/transport.go
index 1632ea508..d72a04ecb 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/transport.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/transport.go
@@ -1537,39 +1537,15 @@ func (t *PCTransport) SendDataMessage(kind livekit.DataPacket_Kind, data []byte)
 	return t.sendDataMessage(dc, data)
 }
 
-func (t *PCTransport) SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data []byte, useRaw bool, sender livekit.ParticipantIdentity) error {
-	convertToUserPacket := false
+func (t *PCTransport) SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data []byte) error {
 	var dc *datachannel.DataChannelWriter[*webrtc.DataChannel]
 	t.lock.RLock()
-	if t.params.UseOneShotSignallingMode || useRaw {
-		if len(t.unlabeledDataChannels) > 0 {
-			// use the first unlabeled to send
-			dc = t.unlabeledDataChannels[0]
-		}
-	} else {
-		if t.reliableDC != nil {
-			dc = t.reliableDC
-		} else if t.lossyDC != nil {
-			dc = t.lossyDC
-		}
-
-		convertToUserPacket = true
+	if len(t.unlabeledDataChannels) > 0 {
+		// use the first unlabeled to send
+		dc = t.unlabeledDataChannels[0]
 	}
 	t.lock.RUnlock()
 
-	if convertToUserPacket {
-		dpData, err := proto.Marshal(&livekit.DataPacket{
-			ParticipantIdentity: string(sender),
-			Value: &livekit.DataPacket_User{
-				User: &livekit.UserPacket{Payload: data},
-			},
-		})
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		return t.sendDataMessage(dc, dpData)
-	}
-
 	return t.sendDataMessage(dc, data)
 }
 
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/transportmanager.go b/pkg/rtc/transportmanager.go
index fad77024f..2aac96fe2 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/transportmanager.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/transportmanager.go
@@ -376,13 +376,9 @@ func (t *TransportManager) SendDataMessage(kind livekit.DataPacket_Kind, data []
 	return t.handleSendDataResult(t.getTransport(true).SendDataMessage(kind, data), kind.String(), len(data))
 }
 
-func (t *TransportManager) SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data []byte, useRaw bool, sender livekit.ParticipantIdentity) error {
+func (t *TransportManager) SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data []byte) error {
 	// downstream data is sent via primary peer connection
-	return t.handleSendDataResult(
-		t.getTransport(true).SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data, useRaw, sender),
-		"unlabeled",
-		len(data),
-	)
+	return t.handleSendDataResult(t.getTransport(true).SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data), "unlabeled", len(data))
 }
 
 func (t *TransportManager) handleSendDataResult(err error, kind string, size int) error {
diff --git a/test/client/client.go b/test/client/client.go
index 66030dc4a..9f1e4a65c 100644
--- a/test/client/client.go
+++ b/test/client/client.go
@@ -1066,7 +1066,7 @@ func (c *RTCClient) PublishDataUnlabeled(data []byte) error {
 		return err
 	}
 
-	return c.publisher.SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data, true, "test")
+	return c.publisher.SendDataMessageUnlabeled(data)
 }
 
 func (c *RTCClient) PublishDataTrack() (writer TrackWriter, err error) {