diff --git a/pkg/rtc/participant.go b/pkg/rtc/participant.go
index 507d82f57..aab706a78 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/participant.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/participant.go
@@ -1661,7 +1661,7 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) onDataMessage(kind livekit.DataPacket_Kind, data []byt
 	// only forward on user payloads
 	switch payload := dp.Value.(type) {
 	case *livekit.DataPacket_User:
-		if payload == nil || payload.User == nil {
+		if payload.User == nil {
 			return
 		}
 		u := payload.User
@@ -1678,18 +1678,18 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) onDataMessage(kind livekit.DataPacket_Kind, data []byt
 			dp.DestinationIdentities = u.DestinationIdentities
 		}
 	case *livekit.DataPacket_SipDtmf:
-		if payload == nil || payload.SipDtmf == nil {
+		if payload.SipDtmf == nil {
 			return
 		}
 	case *livekit.DataPacket_Transcription:
-		if payload == nil || payload.Transcription == nil {
+		if payload.Transcription == nil {
 			return
 		}
 		if !p.IsAgent() {
 			shouldForwardData = false
 		}
 	case *livekit.DataPacket_ChatMessage:
-		if payload == nil || payload.ChatMessage == nil {
+		if payload.ChatMessage == nil {
 			return
 		}
 		if p.IsAgent() && dp.ParticipantIdentity != "" && string(p.params.Identity) != dp.ParticipantIdentity {
@@ -1698,7 +1698,7 @@ func (p *ParticipantImpl) onDataMessage(kind livekit.DataPacket_Kind, data []byt
 		}
 		shouldForwardData = true
 	case *livekit.DataPacket_Metrics:
-		if payload == nil || payload.Metrics == nil {
+		if payload.Metrics == nil {
 			return
 		}
 		shouldForwardData = false
diff --git a/pkg/rtc/room.go b/pkg/rtc/room.go
index 99038451a..818b10434 100644
--- a/pkg/rtc/room.go
+++ b/pkg/rtc/room.go
@@ -1795,7 +1795,7 @@ func BroadcastDataPacketForRoom(r types.Room, source types.LocalParticipant, kin
 	})
 }
 
-func BroadcastMetricsForRoom(r types.Room, source types.LocalParticipant, dp *livekit.DataPacket, logger logger.Logger) {
+func BroadcastMetricsForRoom(r types.Room, source types.Participant, dp *livekit.DataPacket, logger logger.Logger) {
 	switch payload := dp.Value.(type) {
 	case *livekit.DataPacket_Metrics:
 		utils.ParallelExec(r.GetLocalParticipants(), dataForwardLoadBalanceThreshold, 1, func(op types.LocalParticipant) {