diff --git a/src/state/MediaViewModel.test.ts b/src/state/MediaViewModel.test.ts
index 2ca14d19..92868216 100644
--- a/src/state/MediaViewModel.test.ts
+++ b/src/state/MediaViewModel.test.ts
@@ -226,3 +226,13 @@ test("remote media is not in waiting state when participant is connected with no
   );
   expect(vm.waitingForMedia$.value).toBe(false);
 });
+
+test("remote media is not in waiting state when user does not intend to publish anywhere", () => {
+  const vm = createRemoteMedia(
+    rtcMembership,
+    {},
+    mockRemoteParticipant({}),
+    undefined, // No room (no advertised transport)
+  );
+  expect(vm.waitingForMedia$.value).toBe(false);
+});
diff --git a/src/state/MediaViewModel.ts b/src/state/MediaViewModel.ts
index 3d0ff75b..86119caa 100644
--- a/src/state/MediaViewModel.ts
+++ b/src/state/MediaViewModel.ts
@@ -601,7 +601,14 @@ export class RemoteUserMediaViewModel extends BaseUserMediaViewModel {
    * could be because either we or the remote party are still connecting.
    */
   public readonly waitingForMedia$ = this.scope.behavior<boolean>(
-    this.participant$.pipe(map((participant) => participant === null)),
+    combineLatest(
+      [this.livekitRoom$, this.participant$],
+      (livekitRoom, participant) =>
+        // If livekitRoom is undefined, the user is not attempting to publish on
+        // any transport and so we shouldn't expect a participant. (They might
+        // be a subscribe-only bot for example.)
+        livekitRoom !== undefined && participant === null,
+    ),
   );
 
   // This private field is used to override the value from the superclass
diff --git a/src/utils/test.ts b/src/utils/test.ts
index c69a2269..b900d801 100644
--- a/src/utils/test.ts
+++ b/src/utils/test.ts
@@ -362,6 +362,12 @@ export function createRemoteMedia(
   rtcMember: CallMembership,
   roomMember: Partial<RoomMember>,
   participant: RemoteParticipant | null,
+  livekitRoom: LivekitRoom | undefined = mockLivekitRoom(
+    {},
+    {
+      remoteParticipants$: of(participant ? [participant] : []),
+    },
+  ),
 ): RemoteUserMediaViewModel {
   const member = mockMatrixRoomMember(rtcMember, roomMember);
   return new RemoteUserMediaViewModel(
@@ -372,14 +378,7 @@ export function createRemoteMedia(
     {
       kind: E2eeType.PER_PARTICIPANT,
     },
-    constant(
-      mockLivekitRoom(
-        {},
-        {
-          remoteParticipants$: of(participant ? [participant] : []),
-        },
-      ),
-    ),
+    constant(livekitRoom),
     constant("https://rtc-example.org"),
     constant(false),
     constant(member.rawDisplayName ?? "nodisplayname"),