diff --git a/playwright/background-effects.spec.ts b/playwright/background-effects.spec.ts
index c77ea5faf..3947466ae 100644
--- a/playwright/background-effects.spec.ts
+++ b/playwright/background-effects.spec.ts
@@ -151,6 +151,69 @@ test.describe("background effects section", () => {
   });
 });
 
+test.describe("the chosen effect", () => {
+  test("chosen effect survives leaving and rejoining", async ({ page }) => {
+    test.setTimeout(120_000);
+    await page.goto("/");
+    await SpaHelpers.createCall(page, "Returning user", "Effect remembered");
+    const { camera, picture } = await chooseAndWear(page, "Background 1");
+    await page.getByTestId("lobby_joinCall").click();
+    await page.getByTestId("incall_leave").click();
+    await expect(page.getByRole("heading")).toContainText(
+      "your call has ended",
+    );
+
+    await page.goto("/");
+    await page.getByTestId("home_callName").fill("Effect remembered again");
+    await page.getByTestId("home_go").click();
+    await expect(page.getByTestId("lobby_joinCall")).toBeVisible();
+    await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Camera", exact: true }).click();
+    const tile = page
+      .getByRole("group", { name: "Background effects" })
+      .getByRole("menuitemradio", { name: "Background 1" });
+    await expect(tile).toHaveAttribute("aria-checked", "true");
+    const preview = page.locator("video").first();
+    await expect
+      .poll(async () => distance(await averageColour(preview), picture), {
+        timeout: 60_000,
+      })
+      .toBeLessThan(distance(camera, picture) / 2);
+  });
+
+  test("second session still shows the existing error", async ({ page }) => {
+    test.setTimeout(120_000);
+    await page.goto("/");
+    await SpaHelpers.createCall(page, "Two tabs", "Effect in two tabs");
+    await chooseAndWear(page, "Background 1");
+
+    const second = await page.context().newPage();
+    await second.goto("/");
+    await expect(
+      page.getByRole("heading", { name: "Opened in another tab" }),
+    ).toBeVisible();
+  });
+});
+
+/** Chooses an effect in the lobby, and waits until the preview wears it. */
+async function chooseAndWear(
+  page: Page,
+  name: string,
+): Promise<{ camera: Colour; picture: Colour }> {
+  const preview = page.locator("video").first();
+  const camera = await cameraColour(preview);
+  await page.getByRole("button", { name: "Camera", exact: true }).click();
+  const tile = page.getByRole("menuitemradio", { name });
+  await tile.click();
+  const picture = await averageColour(tile.locator("img"));
+  await expect
+    .poll(async () => distance(await averageColour(preview), picture), {
+      timeout: 60_000,
+    })
+    .toBeLessThan(distance(camera, picture) / 2);
+  await page.keyboard.press("Escape");
+  return { camera, picture };
+}
+
 test.describe("joining with a background chosen", () => {
   test("publishes no frame of the room", async ({ browser }) => {
     // Two first builds of the pipeline, one of them held back.
diff --git a/src/state/BackgroundEffects.test.ts b/src/state/BackgroundEffects.test.ts
index 74856f82e..375a22384 100644
--- a/src/state/BackgroundEffects.test.ts
+++ b/src/state/BackgroundEffects.test.ts
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ describe("the pipeline's state", () => {
       const effects = createBackgroundEffects(testScope(), {
         supported: true,
         effect$: behavior(effect, { n: "none", b: "blur" }),
+        setEffect: vi.fn(),
         pipeline: fakePipeline().pipeline,
         transformer,
       });
@@ -94,6 +95,7 @@ describe("the pipeline's state", () => {
 
 describe("background effects", () => {
   let effect$: BehaviorSubject<string>;
+  let setEffect: (raw: string) => void;
   let fake: ReturnType<typeof fakePipeline>;
 
   function build(
@@ -102,6 +104,7 @@ describe("background effects", () => {
     return createBackgroundEffects(testScope(), {
       supported: true,
       effect$,
+      setEffect,
       pipeline: fake.pipeline,
       transformer: { onFirstFrame: undefined },
       ...options,
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ describe("background effects", () => {
 
   beforeEach(() => {
     effect$ = new BehaviorSubject("none");
+    setEffect = vi.fn((raw: string) => effect$.next(raw));
     fake = fakePipeline();
   });
 
@@ -169,4 +173,11 @@ describe("background effects", () => {
       { mode: "disabled" },
     ]);
   });
+
+  it("clears a remembered effect when it cannot be honoured", () => {
+    effect$.next(`image:${shippedBackgrounds[0].id}`);
+    const effects = build({ supported: false });
+    expect(effect$.value).toBe("none");
+    expect(effects.state$.value.processor).toBeUndefined();
+  });
 });
diff --git a/src/state/BackgroundEffects.ts b/src/state/BackgroundEffects.ts
index a00cf3432..ecfd8b25a 100644
--- a/src/state/BackgroundEffects.ts
+++ b/src/state/BackgroundEffects.ts
@@ -27,6 +27,7 @@ import { type Behavior } from "./Behavior";
 import { type ObservableScope } from "./ObservableScope";
 import {
   type BackgroundEffect,
+  type EffectId,
   imagePathFor,
   parseEffect,
 } from "../tracks/backgroundEffectCatalog";
@@ -45,6 +46,8 @@ export interface BackgroundEffectsOptions {
   supported: boolean;
   /** The effect chosen, as the setting stores it. */
   effect$: Behavior<string>;
+  /** Stores a choice, to forget one that can't be honoured. */
+  setEffect: (id: EffectId) => void;
   /** The background processor pipeline to be switched between effects. */
   pipeline: BackgroundProcessorWrapper;
   /** Tells, once, that a frame carrying an effect has been drawn. */
@@ -59,7 +62,13 @@ export interface BackgroundEffects {
 /** Switches the pipeline as the choice changes, for as long as the scope lasts. */
 export function createBackgroundEffects(
   scope: ObservableScope,
-  { supported, effect$, pipeline, transformer }: BackgroundEffectsOptions,
+  {
+    supported,
+    effect$,
+    setEffect,
+    pipeline,
+    transformer,
+  }: BackgroundEffectsOptions,
 ): BackgroundEffects {
   // Wrapped once, so the call and the preview see one processor throughout.
   const processor = fromLivekitProcessor(pipeline);
@@ -69,6 +78,11 @@ export function createBackgroundEffects(
     distinctUntilChanged(),
   );
 
+  choice$.pipe(scope.bind()).subscribe((effect) => {
+    if (effect.kind === "none") return;
+    if (!supported) setEffect("none");
+  });
+
   const drewAFrame$ = scope.behavior(
     new Observable<boolean>((subscriber) => {
       subscriber.next(false);
diff --git a/src/tracks/BackgroundEffectsContext.test.ts b/src/tracks/BackgroundEffectsContext.test.ts
index 71d9d7152..449bac4e5 100644
--- a/src/tracks/BackgroundEffectsContext.test.ts
+++ b/src/tracks/BackgroundEffectsContext.test.ts
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ import {
 import { backgroundEffect } from "../settings/settings";
 import { flushPromises, testScope } from "../utils/test";
 
+const sdkSupportMock = vi.hoisted(() => vi.fn(() => true));
 const pipelines = vi.hoisted(() => ({
   built: 0,
   destroyed: 0,
@@ -41,7 +42,7 @@ vi.mock("@livekit/track-processors", () => ({
       return Promise.resolve();
     });
   }),
-  supportsBackgroundProcessors: (): boolean => true,
+  supportsBackgroundProcessors: (): boolean => sdkSupportMock(),
 }));
 const platformMock = vi.hoisted(() => ({ platform: "desktop" }));
 vi.mock("../Platform", () => platformMock);
@@ -77,6 +78,7 @@ describe("BackgroundEffectsProvider", () => {
     pipelines.destroyed = 0;
     pipelines.switches = [];
     platformMock.platform = "desktop";
+    sdkSupportMock.mockReturnValue(true);
     backgroundEffect.setValue("none");
   });
   afterEach(() => backgroundEffect.setValue("none"));
diff --git a/src/tracks/BackgroundEffectsContext.tsx b/src/tracks/BackgroundEffectsContext.tsx
index d582bc0b3..d5a00d3bb 100644
--- a/src/tracks/BackgroundEffectsContext.tsx
+++ b/src/tracks/BackgroundEffectsContext.tsx
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ export function createAppBackgroundEffects(
   return createBackgroundEffects(scope, {
     supported: supportsBackgroundProcessors(),
     effect$: backgroundEffectSetting.value$,
+    setEffect: backgroundEffectSetting.setValue,
     pipeline: new BackgroundProcessorWrapper(transformer, "background-effect"),
     transformer,
   });