diff --git a/src/state/CallViewModel/CallViewModel.ts b/src/state/CallViewModel/CallViewModel.ts
index ef4be238..dd1190b7 100644
--- a/src/state/CallViewModel/CallViewModel.ts
+++ b/src/state/CallViewModel/CallViewModel.ts
@@ -373,6 +373,7 @@ export class CallViewModel {
    * List of MediaItems that we want to have tiles for.
    */
   // TODO KEEP THIS!! and adapt it to what our membershipManger returns
+  // TODO this also needs the local participant to be added.
   private readonly mediaItems$ = this.scope.behavior<MediaItem[]>(
     generateKeyed$<
       [typeof this.matrixLivekitMembers$.value, number],
diff --git a/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/LocalMembership.ts b/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/LocalMembership.ts
index 8f7d8b54..1773eca1 100644
--- a/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/LocalMembership.ts
+++ b/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/LocalMembership.ts
@@ -98,7 +98,7 @@ interface Props {
   connectionManager: IConnectionManager;
   matrixRTCSession: MatrixRTCSession;
   matrixRoom: MatrixRoom;
-  localTransport$: Behavior<LivekitTransport | undefined>;
+  localTransport$: Behavior<LivekitTransport | null>;
   e2eeLivekitOptions: E2EEOptions | undefined;
   trackProcessorState$: Behavior<ProcessorState>;
   widget: WidgetHelpers | null;
@@ -162,7 +162,11 @@ export const createLocalMembership$ = ({
 
   // This should be used in a combineLatest with publisher$ to connect.
   // to make it possible to call startTracks before the preferredTransport$ has resolved.
-  const shouldStartTracks$ = new BehaviorSubject(false);
+  const trackStartRequested$ = new BehaviorSubject(false);
+
+  // This should be used in a combineLatest with publisher$ to connect.
+  // to make it possible to call startTracks before the preferredTransport$ has resolved.
+  const connectRequested$ = new BehaviorSubject(false);
 
   // This should be used in a combineLatest with publisher$ to connect.
   const tracks$ = new BehaviorSubject<LocalTrack[]>([]);
@@ -230,26 +234,24 @@ export const createLocalMembership$ = ({
     ),
   );
 
-  const publisher$ = scope.behavior(
-    connection$.pipe(
-      map((connection) =>
-        connection
-          ? new Publisher(
-              scope,
-              connection,
-              mediaDevices,
-              muteStates,
-              e2eeLivekitOptions,
-              trackProcessorState$,
-            )
-          : null,
-      ),
-    ),
-  );
+  const publisher$ = new BehaviorSubject<Publisher | null>(null);
+  connection$.subscribe((connection) => {
+    if (connection !== null && publisher$.value === null) {
+      publisher$.next(
+        new Publisher(
+          scope,
+          connection,
+          mediaDevices,
+          muteStates,
+          e2eeLivekitOptions,
+          trackProcessorState$,
+        ),
+      );
+    }
+  });
 
-  combineLatest(
-    [publisher$, shouldStartTracks$],
-    (publisher, shouldStartTracks) => {
+  combineLatest([publisher$, trackStartRequested$]).subscribe(
+    ([publisher, shouldStartTracks]) => {
       if (publisher && shouldStartTracks) {
         publisher
           .createAndSetupTracks()
@@ -286,41 +288,51 @@ export const createLocalMembership$ = ({
   );
 
   const startTracks = (): Behavior<LocalTrack[]> => {
-    shouldStartTracks$.next(true);
+    trackStartRequested$.next(true);
     return tracks$;
   };
 
-  const requestConnect = (): LocalMemberConnectionState => {
-    if (state.livekit$.value.state === LivekitState.Uninitialized) {
-      startTracks();
-      state.livekit$.next({ state: LivekitState.Connecting });
-      combineLatest([publisher$, tracks$], (publisher, tracks) => {
-        publisher
-          ?.startPublishing()
-          .then(() => {
-            state.livekit$.next({ state: LivekitState.Connected });
-          })
-          .catch((error) => {
-            state.livekit$.next({ state: LivekitState.Error, error });
-          });
+  combineLatest([publisher$, tracks$]).subscribe(([publisher, tracks]) => {
+    if (
+      tracks.length === 0 ||
+      // change this to !== Publishing
+      state.livekit$.value.state !== LivekitState.Uninitialized
+    ) {
+      return;
+    }
+    state.livekit$.next({ state: LivekitState.Connecting });
+    publisher
+      ?.startPublishing()
+      .then(() => {
+        state.livekit$.next({ state: LivekitState.Connected });
+      })
+      .catch((error) => {
+        state.livekit$.next({ state: LivekitState.Error, error });
       });
-    }
-    if (state.matrix$.value.state === MatrixState.Disconnected) {
+  });
+  combineLatest([localTransport$, connectRequested$]).subscribe(
+    ([transport, connectRequested]) => {
+      if (
+        transport === null ||
+        !connectRequested ||
+        state.matrix$.value.state !== MatrixState.Disconnected
+      ) {
+        logger.info("Waiting for transport to enter rtc session");
+        return;
+      }
       state.matrix$.next({ state: MatrixState.Connecting });
-      localTransport$.pipe(
-        tap((transport) => {
-          if (transport !== undefined) {
-            enterRTCSession(matrixRTCSession, transport, options.value).catch(
-              (error) => {
-                logger.error(error);
-              },
-            );
-          } else {
-            logger.info("Waiting for transport to enter rtc session");
-          }
-        }),
+      enterRTCSession(matrixRTCSession, transport, options.value).catch(
+        (error) => {
+          logger.error(error);
+        },
       );
-    }
+    },
+  );
+
+  const requestConnect = (): LocalMemberConnectionState => {
+    trackStartRequested$.next(true);
+    connectRequested$.next(true);
+
     return state;
   };
 
@@ -453,8 +465,7 @@ export const createLocalMembership$ = ({
             .pipe(
               // I dont see why we need this. isnt the check later on superseeding it?
               takeWhile(
-                (c) =>
-                  c !== undefined && c.state$.value.state !== "FailedToStart",
+                (c) => c !== null && c.state$.value.state !== "FailedToStart",
               ),
               switchMap((c) =>
                 c?.state$.value.state === "ConnectedToLkRoom" ? of(c) : NEVER,
diff --git a/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/LocalTransport.ts b/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/LocalTransport.ts
index a96962c9..b1fd71e9 100644
--- a/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/LocalTransport.ts
+++ b/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/LocalTransport.ts
@@ -13,20 +13,21 @@ import {
   isLivekitTransportConfig,
 } from "matrix-js-sdk/lib/matrixrtc";
 import { type MatrixClient } from "matrix-js-sdk";
-import { combineLatest, distinctUntilChanged, first, from } from "rxjs";
+import { combineLatest, distinctUntilChanged, first, from, map } from "rxjs";
 import { logger } from "matrix-js-sdk/lib/logger";
 import { AutoDiscovery } from "matrix-js-sdk/lib/autodiscovery";
 import { deepCompare } from "matrix-js-sdk/lib/utils";
 
 import { type Behavior } from "../../Behavior.ts";
 import {
-  type Epoch,
+  Epoch,
   mapEpoch,
   type ObservableScope,
 } from "../../ObservableScope.ts";
 import { Config } from "../../../config/Config.ts";
 import { MatrixRTCTransportMissingError } from "../../../utils/errors.ts";
 import { getSFUConfigWithOpenID } from "../../../livekit/openIDSFU.ts";
+import { areLivekitTransportsEqual } from "../remoteMembers/MatrixLivekitMembers.ts";
 
 /*
  * - get well known
@@ -60,15 +61,16 @@ export const createLocalTransport$ = ({
   client,
   roomId,
   useOldestMember$,
-}: Props): Behavior<LivekitTransport | undefined> => {
+}: Props): Behavior<LivekitTransport | null> => {
   /**
    * The transport over which we should be actively publishing our media.
    * undefined when not joined.
    */
   const oldestMemberTransport$ = scope.behavior(
     memberships$.pipe(
-      mapEpoch(
-        (memberships) => memberships[0]?.getTransport(memberships[0]) ?? null,
+      map(
+        (memberships) =>
+          memberships.value[0]?.getTransport(memberships.value[0]) ?? null,
       ),
       first((t) => t != null && isLivekitTransport(t)),
     ),
@@ -88,13 +90,18 @@ export const createLocalTransport$ = ({
    * The transport we should advertise in our MatrixRTC membership.
    */
   const advertisedTransport$ = scope.behavior(
-    combineLatest(
-      [useOldestMember$, oldestMemberTransport$, preferredTransport$],
-      (useOldestMember, oldestMemberTransport, preferredTransport) =>
+    combineLatest([
+      useOldestMember$,
+      oldestMemberTransport$,
+      preferredTransport$,
+    ]).pipe(
+      map(([useOldestMember, oldestMemberTransport, preferredTransport]) =>
         useOldestMember
           ? (oldestMemberTransport ?? preferredTransport)
           : preferredTransport,
-    ).pipe<LivekitTransport>(distinctUntilChanged(deepCompare)),
+      ),
+      distinctUntilChanged(areLivekitTransportsEqual),
+    ),
   );
   return advertisedTransport$;
 };
diff --git a/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/Publisher.ts b/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/Publisher.ts
index ffdd2487..c10201bf 100644
--- a/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/Publisher.ts
+++ b/src/state/CallViewModel/localMember/Publisher.ts
@@ -99,31 +99,36 @@ export class Publisher {
     // instead? This optimization would only be safe for a publish connection,
     // because we don't want to leak the user's intent to perhaps join a call to
     // remote servers before they actually commit to it.
-    const { promise, resolve, reject } = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
-    const sub = this.connection.state$.subscribe((s) => {
-      if (s.state !== "FailedToStart") {
-        reject(new Error("Disconnected from LiveKit server"));
-      } else {
-        resolve();
-      }
-    });
-    try {
-      await promise;
-    } catch (e) {
-      throw e;
-    } finally {
-      sub.unsubscribe();
-    }
+    // const { promise, resolve, reject } = Promise.withResolvers<void>();
+    // const sub = this.connection.state$.subscribe((s) => {
+    //   if (s.state === "FailedToStart") {
+    //     reject(new Error("Disconnected from LiveKit server"));
+    //   } else if (s.state === "ConnectedToLkRoom") {
+    //     resolve();
+    //   }
+    // });
+    // try {
+    //   await promise;
+    // } catch (e) {
+    //   throw e;
+    // } finally {
+    //   sub.unsubscribe();
+    // }
     // TODO-MULTI-SFU: Prepublish a microphone track
     const audio = this.muteStates.audio.enabled$.value;
     const video = this.muteStates.video.enabled$.value;
     // createTracks throws if called with audio=false and video=false
     if (audio || video) {
       // TODO this can still throw errors? It will also prompt for permissions if not already granted
-      this.tracks = await lkRoom.localParticipant.createTracks({
-        audio,
-        video,
-      });
+      this.tracks =
+        (await lkRoom.localParticipant
+          .createTracks({
+            audio,
+            video,
+          })
+          .catch((error) => {
+            this.logger?.error("Failed to create tracks", error);
+          })) ?? [];
     }
     return this.tracks;
   }
@@ -153,7 +158,9 @@ export class Publisher {
     for (const track of this.tracks) {
       // TODO: handle errors? Needs the signaling connection to be up, but it has some retries internally
       // with a timeout.
-      await lkRoom.localParticipant.publishTrack(track);
+      await lkRoom.localParticipant.publishTrack(track).catch((error) => {
+        this.logger?.error("Failed to publish track", error);
+      });
 
       // TODO: check if the connection is still active? and break the loop if not?
     }
diff --git a/src/state/CallViewModel/remoteMembers/MatrixLivekitMembers.ts b/src/state/CallViewModel/remoteMembers/MatrixLivekitMembers.ts
index 05ffb4f9..729ed547 100644
--- a/src/state/CallViewModel/remoteMembers/MatrixLivekitMembers.ts
+++ b/src/state/CallViewModel/remoteMembers/MatrixLivekitMembers.ts
@@ -145,8 +145,8 @@ export function createMatrixLivekitMembers$({
 
 // TODO add this to the JS-SDK
 export function areLivekitTransportsEqual(
-  t1?: LivekitTransport,
-  t2?: LivekitTransport,
+  t1: LivekitTransport | null,
+  t2: LivekitTransport | null,
 ): boolean {
   if (t1 && t2) return t1.livekit_service_url === t2.livekit_service_url;
   // In case we have different lk rooms in the same SFU (depends on the livekit authorization service)
diff --git a/src/state/MediaViewModel.ts b/src/state/MediaViewModel.ts
index 0b79183e..b35f6112 100644
--- a/src/state/MediaViewModel.ts
+++ b/src/state/MediaViewModel.ts
@@ -220,7 +220,7 @@ abstract class BaseMediaViewModel {
   /**
    * The LiveKit video track for this media.
    */
-  public readonly video$: Behavior<TrackReferenceOrPlaceholder | undefined>;
+  public readonly video$: Behavior<TrackReferenceOrPlaceholder | null>;
   /**
    * Whether there should be a warning that this media is unencrypted.
    */
@@ -235,12 +235,10 @@ abstract class BaseMediaViewModel {
 
   private observeTrackReference$(
     source: Track.Source,
-  ): Behavior<TrackReferenceOrPlaceholder | undefined> {
+  ): Behavior<TrackReferenceOrPlaceholder | null> {
     return this.scope.behavior(
       this.participant$.pipe(
-        switchMap((p) =>
-          p === undefined ? of(undefined) : observeTrackReference$(p, source),
-        ),
+        switchMap((p) => (!p ? of(null) : observeTrackReference$(p, source))),
       ),
     );
   }
@@ -260,7 +258,7 @@ abstract class BaseMediaViewModel {
     // We don't necessarily have a participant if a user connects via MatrixRTC but not (yet) through
     // livekit.
     protected readonly participant$: Observable<
-      LocalParticipant | RemoteParticipant | undefined
+      LocalParticipant | RemoteParticipant | null
     >,
 
     encryptionSystem: EncryptionSystem,
@@ -405,7 +403,7 @@ abstract class BaseUserMediaViewModel extends BaseMediaViewModel {
     scope: ObservableScope,
     id: string,
     member: RoomMember,
-    participant$: Observable<LocalParticipant | RemoteParticipant | undefined>,
+    participant$: Observable<LocalParticipant | RemoteParticipant | null>,
     encryptionSystem: EncryptionSystem,
     livekitRoom: LivekitRoom,
     focusUrl: string,
@@ -541,7 +539,7 @@ export class LocalUserMediaViewModel extends BaseUserMediaViewModel {
     scope: ObservableScope,
     id: string,
     member: RoomMember,
-    participant$: Behavior<LocalParticipant | undefined>,
+    participant$: Behavior<LocalParticipant | null>,
     encryptionSystem: EncryptionSystem,
     livekitRoom: LivekitRoom,
     focusURL: string,
@@ -651,7 +649,7 @@ export class RemoteUserMediaViewModel extends BaseUserMediaViewModel {
     scope: ObservableScope,
     id: string,
     member: RoomMember,
-    participant$: Observable<RemoteParticipant | undefined>,
+    participant$: Observable<RemoteParticipant | null>,
     encryptionSystem: EncryptionSystem,
     livekitRoom: LivekitRoom,
     focusUrl: string,
diff --git a/src/state/UserMedia.ts b/src/state/UserMedia.ts
index 55de2061..9eec3967 100644
--- a/src/state/UserMedia.ts
+++ b/src/state/UserMedia.ts
@@ -82,7 +82,7 @@ export class UserMedia {
         this.scope,
         this.id,
         this.member,
-        this.participant$ as Behavior<LocalParticipant>,
+        this.participant$ as Behavior<LocalParticipant | null>,
         this.encryptionSystem,
         this.livekitRoom,
         this.focusURL,
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ export class UserMedia {
         this.scope,
         this.id,
         this.member,
-        this.participant$ as Observable<RemoteParticipant | undefined>,
+        this.participant$ as Behavior<RemoteParticipant | null>,
         this.encryptionSystem,
         this.livekitRoom,
         this.focusURL,
diff --git a/src/tile/GridTile.tsx b/src/tile/GridTile.tsx
index 421cefda..1925eff6 100644
--- a/src/tile/GridTile.tsx
+++ b/src/tile/GridTile.tsx
@@ -144,7 +144,7 @@ const UserMediaTile: FC<UserMediaTileProps> = ({
   const tile = (
     <MediaView
       ref={ref}
-      video={video}
+      video={video ?? undefined}
       member={vm.member}
       unencryptedWarning={unencryptedWarning}
       encryptionStatus={encryptionStatus}
diff --git a/tsconfig.json b/tsconfig.json
index 41ca7f8b..e864ecfc 100644
--- a/tsconfig.json
+++ b/tsconfig.json
@@ -50,5 +50,6 @@
 
     "plugins": [{ "name": "typescript-eslint-language-service" }]
   },
-  "include": ["./src/**/*.ts", "./src/**/*.tsx", "./playwright/**/*.ts"]
+  "include": ["./src/**/*.ts", "./src/**/*.tsx", "./playwright/**/*.ts"],
+  "exclude": ["**.test.ts"]
 }