diff --git a/playwright/widget/federated-call.test.ts b/playwright/widget/federated-call.test.ts
index 51ed1b41..fda58250 100644
--- a/playwright/widget/federated-call.test.ts
+++ b/playwright/widget/federated-call.test.ts
@@ -37,8 +37,14 @@ modePairs.forEach(([rtcMode1, rtcMode2]) => {
 
       await florian.page.pause();
 
-      await TestHelpers.setEmbeddedElementCallRtcMode(florian.page, rtcMode1);
-      await TestHelpers.setEmbeddedElementCallRtcMode(timo.page, rtcMode2);
+      await TestHelpers.openWidgetSetEmbeddedElementCallRtcModeCloseWidget(
+        florian.page,
+        rtcMode1,
+      );
+      await TestHelpers.openWidgetSetEmbeddedElementCallRtcModeCloseWidget(
+        timo.page,
+        rtcMode2,
+      );
 
       await TestHelpers.startCallInCurrentRoom(florian.page, false);
       await TestHelpers.joinCallFromLobby(florian.page);
@@ -59,7 +65,7 @@ modePairs.forEach(([rtcMode1, rtcMode2]) => {
         // No one should be waiting for media
         await expect(frame.getByText("Waiting for media...")).not.toBeVisible();
 
-        // There should be 5 video elements, visible and autoplaying
+        // There should be 2 video elements, visible and autoplaying
         const videoElements = await frame.locator("video").all();
         expect(videoElements.length).toBe(2);
 
diff --git a/playwright/widget/hotswap-legacy-compat.test.ts b/playwright/widget/hotswap-legacy-compat.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..a2edb27d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/playwright/widget/hotswap-legacy-compat.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2026 Element Creations Ltd.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only OR LicenseRef-Element-Commercial
+Please see LICENSE in the repository root for full details.
+*/
+
+import { expect, test } from "@playwright/test";
+
+import { widgetTest } from "../fixtures/widget-user";
+import { HOST1, HOST2, TestHelpers } from "./test-helpers";
+
+// ## Issue
+// This test reproduces an issue with the publisher.
+// When switching local focus, we need to recreate the publisher.
+// This failed because of a dead lock in the old publishers destruction.
+//
+// There are numerus ways to enforece this situation:
+//  - oldest member swap (manually set the oldest member focus and leave with the prev oldest member)
+//    This almost never happens in the real worls since clients will set their preferredFoci list to what the oldest member is.
+//  - switch from oldest member to multi sfu as the NOT the first joiner + the first joiner is on a different sfu than your preferred sfu.
+//
+// This test uses the "switch from oldest member to multi sfu" approach.
+//
+// It is a copy of federated-call.test.ts in the `["legacy", "legacy"]` setup,
+// which once connected will make the second user switch to multi sfu.
+widgetTest(
+  `Test swapping publisher from ${HOST1} to ${HOST2}`,
+  async ({ addUser, browserName }) => {
+    // ALWAYS SKIPT THE TEST SINCE IT IS EXPECTED TO FAIL.
+    // confirmed locally that its failing without: https://github.com/element-hq/element-call/pull/3675
+    test.skip(true);
+    test.skip(
+      browserName === "firefox",
+      "The is test is not working on firefox CI environment. No mic/audio device inputs so cam/mic are disabled",
+    );
+
+    const florian = await addUser("floriant", HOST1);
+    const timo = await addUser("timo", HOST2);
+
+    const roomName = "Call Room";
+
+    await TestHelpers.createRoom(roomName, florian.page, [timo.mxId]);
+
+    await TestHelpers.acceptRoomInvite(roomName, timo.page);
+
+    await florian.page.pause();
+
+    await TestHelpers.openWidgetSetEmbeddedElementCallRtcModeCloseWidget(
+      florian.page,
+      "legacy",
+    );
+    await TestHelpers.openWidgetSetEmbeddedElementCallRtcModeCloseWidget(
+      timo.page,
+      "legacy",
+    );
+
+    await TestHelpers.startCallInCurrentRoom(florian.page, false);
+    await TestHelpers.joinCallFromLobby(florian.page);
+
+    // timo joins
+    await TestHelpers.joinCallInCurrentRoom(timo.page);
+
+    // We should see 2 video tiles everywhere now
+    for (const user of [timo, florian]) {
+      const frame = user.page
+        .locator('iframe[title="Element Call"]')
+        .contentFrame();
+      await expect(frame.getByTestId("videoTile")).toHaveCount(2);
+
+      // There are no other options than to wait for all media to be ready?
+      // Or it is too flaky :/
+      await user.page.waitForTimeout(3000);
+      // No one should be waiting for media
+      await expect(frame.getByText("Waiting for media...")).not.toBeVisible();
+
+      // There should be 2 video elements, visible and autoplaying
+      const videoElements = await frame.locator("video").all();
+      expect(videoElements.length).toBe(2);
+
+      const blockDisplayCount = await frame
+        .locator("video")
+        .evaluateAll(
+          (videos: Element[]) =>
+            videos.filter(
+              (v: Element) => window.getComputedStyle(v).display === "block",
+            ).length,
+        );
+      expect(blockDisplayCount).toBe(2);
+    }
+
+    // now we switch the mode for timo (second joiner on multi-sfu HOST2 but currently HOST1)
+    await TestHelpers.setEmbeddedElementCallRtcMode(timo.page, "compat");
+    await timo.page.waitForTimeout(3000);
+    const blockDisplayCount = await timo.page
+      .locator('iframe[title="Element Call"]')
+      .contentFrame()
+      .locator("video")
+      .evaluateAll(
+        (videos: Element[]) =>
+          videos.filter(
+            (v: Element) => window.getComputedStyle(v).display === "block",
+          ).length,
+      );
+    expect(blockDisplayCount).toBe(2);
+  },
+);
diff --git a/playwright/widget/test-helpers.ts b/playwright/widget/test-helpers.ts
index ff3cb121..6fe4479b 100644
--- a/playwright/widget/test-helpers.ts
+++ b/playwright/widget/test-helpers.ts
@@ -207,14 +207,29 @@ export class TestHelpers {
    * Opens the widget and then goes to the settings to set the RTC mode.
    * then closes the widget lobby.
    *
+   * intended to be used before joining!
+   *
    * WORKS IF A ROOM IS CURRENTLY OPENED IN THE PAGE
    */
-  public static async setEmbeddedElementCallRtcMode(
+  public static async openWidgetSetEmbeddedElementCallRtcModeCloseWidget(
     page: Page,
     mode: RtcMode,
   ): Promise<void> {
     await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Video call" }).click();
     await page.getByRole("menuitem", { name: "Element Call" }).click();
+    await TestHelpers.setEmbeddedElementCallRtcMode(page, mode);
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Close lobby" }).click();
+  }
+  /**
+   * Goes to the settings to set the RTC mode.
+   * then closes the settings modal.
+   *
+   * WORKS IF A ROOM IS CURRENTLY SHOWING THE EC WIDGET
+   */
+  public static async setEmbeddedElementCallRtcMode(
+    page: Page,
+    mode: RtcMode,
+  ): Promise<void> {
     const iframe = page.locator('iframe[title="Element Call"]').contentFrame();
 
     await iframe.getByRole("button", { name: "Settings" }).click();
@@ -234,7 +249,6 @@ export class TestHelpers {
       await iframe.getByText("Compatibility: state events").click();
     }
     await iframe.getByTestId("modal_close").click();
-    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Close lobby" }).click();
   }
 
   /**