diff --git a/src/controls.ts b/src/controls.ts
index b5209ab0..4592445c 100644
--- a/src/controls.ts
+++ b/src/controls.ts
@@ -44,10 +44,14 @@ export interface OutputDevice {
 export const setPipEnabled$ = new Subject<boolean>();
 // BehaviorSubject since the client might set this before we have subscribed (GroupCallView still in "loading" state)
 // We want the devices that have been set during loading to be available immediately once loaded.
-export const availableOutputDevices$ = new BehaviorSubject<OutputDevice[]>([]);
+export const controlledAvailableOutputDevices$ = new BehaviorSubject<
+  OutputDevice[]
+>([]);
 // BehaviorSubject since the client might set this before we have subscribed (GroupCallView still in "loading" state)
 // We want the device that has been set during loading to be available immediately once loaded.
-export const outputDevice$ = new BehaviorSubject<string | undefined>(undefined);
+export const controlledAudioDevice$ = new BehaviorSubject<string | undefined>(
+  undefined,
+);
 /**
  * This allows the os to mute the call if the user
  * presses the volume down button when it is at the minimum volume.
@@ -75,10 +79,10 @@ window.controls = {
     setPipEnabled$.next(false);
   },
   setAvailableAudioDevices(devices: OutputDevice[]): void {
-    availableOutputDevices$.next(devices);
+    controlledAvailableOutputDevices$.next(devices);
   },
   setAudioDevice(id: string): void {
-    outputDevice$.next(id);
+    controlledAudioDevice$.next(id);
   },
   setAudioEnabled(enabled: boolean): void {
     if (!setAudioEnabled$.observed)
diff --git a/src/livekit/MediaDevicesContext.tsx b/src/livekit/MediaDevicesContext.tsx
index 04526f4f..3f2ca196 100644
--- a/src/livekit/MediaDevicesContext.tsx
+++ b/src/livekit/MediaDevicesContext.tsx
@@ -34,7 +34,10 @@ import {
   alwaysShowIphoneEarpiece as alwaysShowIphoneEarpieceSetting,
   type Setting,
 } from "../settings/settings";
-import { outputDevice$, availableOutputDevices$ } from "../controls";
+import {
+  controlledAudioDevice$,
+  controlledAvailableOutputDevices$,
+} from "../controls";
 import { useUrlParams } from "../UrlParams";
 
 // This hardcoded id is used in EX ios! It can only be changed in coordination with
@@ -331,9 +334,9 @@ export const MediaDevicesProvider: FC<Props> = ({ children }) => {
 function useControlledOutput(): MediaDeviceHandle {
   const { available } = useObservableEagerState(
     useObservable(() => {
-      const outputDeviceData$ = availableOutputDevices$.pipe(
+      const outputDeviceData$ = controlledAvailableOutputDevices$.pipe(
         map((devices) => {
-          const deviceForEarpiece = devices.find((d) => d.forEarpiece);
+          const hasDeviceForEarpiece = devices.find((d) => d.forEarpiece);
           const deviceMapTuple: [string, DeviceLabel][] = devices.map(
             ({ id, name, isEarpiece, isSpeaker /*,isExternalHeadset*/ }) => {
               let deviceLabel: DeviceLabel = { type: "name", name };
@@ -345,22 +348,22 @@ function useControlledOutput(): MediaDeviceHandle {
           );
           return {
             devicesMap: new Map<string, DeviceLabel>(deviceMapTuple),
-            deviceForEarpiece,
+            hasDeviceForEarpiece,
           };
         }),
       );
 
       return combineLatest(
         [outputDeviceData$, iosDeviceMenu$],
-        ({ devicesMap, deviceForEarpiece }, iosShowEarpiece) => {
+        ({ devicesMap, hasDeviceForEarpiece }, iosShowEarpiece) => {
           let available = devicesMap;
-          if (iosShowEarpiece && !!deviceForEarpiece) {
+          if (iosShowEarpiece && !!hasDeviceForEarpiece) {
             available = new Map([
               ...devicesMap.entries(),
               [EARPIECE_CONFIG_ID, { type: "earpiece" }],
             ]);
           }
-          return { available, deviceForEarpiece };
+          return { available, deviceForEarpiece: hasDeviceForEarpiece };
         },
       );
     }),
@@ -368,11 +371,11 @@ function useControlledOutput(): MediaDeviceHandle {
 
   const [preferredId, setPreferredId] = useSetting(audioOutputSetting);
 
-  useSubscription(outputDevice$, (id) => {
+  useSubscription(controlledAudioDevice$, (id) => {
     if (id) setPreferredId(id);
   });
 
-  const selectedId = useSelectedId(available, preferredId);
+  // const selectedId = useSelectedId(available, preferredId);
 
   const [asEarpiece, setAsEarpiece] = useState(false);
 
@@ -381,23 +384,23 @@ function useControlledOutput(): MediaDeviceHandle {
     // This information is probably only of interest if the earpiece mode has been
     // selected - for example, Element X iOS listens to this to determine whether it
     // should enable the proximity sensor.
-    if (selectedId) {
-      window.controls.onAudioDeviceSelect?.(selectedId);
+    if (preferredId) {
+      window.controls.onAudioDeviceSelect?.(preferredId);
       // Call deprecated method for backwards compatibility.
-      window.controls.onOutputDeviceSelect?.(selectedId);
+      window.controls.onOutputDeviceSelect?.(preferredId);
     }
-    setAsEarpiece(selectedId === EARPIECE_CONFIG_ID);
-  }, [selectedId]);
+    setAsEarpiece(preferredId === EARPIECE_CONFIG_ID);
+  }, [preferredId]);
 
   return useMemo(
     () => ({
       available: available,
-      selectedId,
+      selectedId: preferredId,
       selectedGroupId: undefined,
       select: setPreferredId,
       useAsEarpiece: asEarpiece,
     }),
-    [available, selectedId, setPreferredId, asEarpiece],
+    [available, preferredId, setPreferredId, asEarpiece],
   );
 }
 
diff --git a/src/livekit/useLivekit.ts b/src/livekit/useLivekit.ts
index 4589063e..aebcf61b 100644
--- a/src/livekit/useLivekit.ts
+++ b/src/livekit/useLivekit.ts
@@ -99,10 +99,14 @@ export function useLivekit(
       },
       audioCaptureDefaults: {
         ...defaultLiveKitOptions.audioCaptureDefaults,
-        deviceId: initialDevices.audioInput.selectedId,
+        deviceId: controlledAudioDevices
+          ? undefined
+          : initialDevices.audioInput.selectedId,
       },
       audioOutput: {
-        deviceId: initialDevices.audioOutput.selectedId,
+        deviceId: controlledAudioDevices
+          ? undefined
+          : initialDevices.audioOutput.selectedId,
       },
       e2ee,
     };
@@ -157,7 +161,7 @@ export function useLivekit(
   );
 
   const connectionState = useECConnectionState(
-    initialDevices.audioInput.selectedId,
+    controlledAudioDevices ? undefined : initialDevices.audioInput.selectedId,
     initialMuteStates.audio.enabled,
     room,
     sfuConfig,
diff --git a/src/room/LobbyView.tsx b/src/room/LobbyView.tsx
index f5b47cdd..7b5214e3 100644
--- a/src/room/LobbyView.tsx
+++ b/src/room/LobbyView.tsx
@@ -54,6 +54,7 @@ import {
 } from "../livekit/TrackProcessorContext";
 import { usePageTitle } from "../usePageTitle";
 import { useLatest } from "../useLatest";
+import { useUrlParams } from "../UrlParams";
 
 interface Props {
   client: MatrixClient;
@@ -99,6 +100,7 @@ export const LobbyView: FC<Props> = ({
     [muteStates],
   );
 
+  const { controlledAudioDevices } = useUrlParams();
   const [settingsModalOpen, setSettingsModalOpen] = useState(false);
   const [settingsTab, setSettingsTab] = useState(defaultSettingsTab);
 
@@ -132,7 +134,11 @@ export const LobbyView: FC<Props> = ({
   // re-open the devices when they change (see below).
   const initialAudioOptions = useInitial(
     () =>
-      muteStates.audio.enabled && { deviceId: devices.audioInput.selectedId },
+      muteStates.audio.enabled && {
+        deviceId: controlledAudioDevices
+          ? undefined
+          : devices.audioInput.selectedId,
+      },
   );
 
   const { processor } = useTrackProcessor();
@@ -148,13 +154,16 @@ export const LobbyView: FC<Props> = ({
       // which would cause the devices to be re-opened on the next render.
       audio: Object.assign({}, initialAudioOptions),
       video: muteStates.video.enabled && {
-        deviceId: devices.videoInput.selectedId,
+        deviceId: controlledAudioDevices
+          ? undefined
+          : devices.videoInput.selectedId,
         processor: initialProcessor,
       },
     }),
     [
       initialAudioOptions,
       muteStates.video.enabled,
+      controlledAudioDevices,
       devices.videoInput.selectedId,
       initialProcessor,
     ],