diff --git a/stream-video-android-core/src/main/kotlin/io/getstream/video/android/core/call/RtcSession.kt b/stream-video-android-core/src/main/kotlin/io/getstream/video/android/core/call/RtcSession.kt
index 6387e6c4ff..210b903166 100644
--- a/stream-video-android-core/src/main/kotlin/io/getstream/video/android/core/call/RtcSession.kt
+++ b/stream-video-android-core/src/main/kotlin/io/getstream/video/android/core/call/RtcSession.kt
@@ -66,6 +66,7 @@ import io.getstream.video.android.core.utils.stringify
 import kotlinx.coroutines.CoroutineScope
 import kotlinx.coroutines.Job
 import kotlinx.coroutines.SupervisorJob
+import kotlinx.coroutines.TimeoutCancellationException
 import kotlinx.coroutines.async
 import kotlinx.coroutines.awaitAll
 import kotlinx.coroutines.cancel
@@ -77,13 +78,15 @@ import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.catch
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.collect
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.collectLatest
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.debounce
-import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.first
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.flow
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.flowOn
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.retry
 import kotlinx.coroutines.flow.retryWhen
 import kotlinx.coroutines.launch
+import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.Mutex
+import kotlinx.coroutines.sync.withLock
 import kotlinx.coroutines.withContext
+import kotlinx.coroutines.withTimeout
 import kotlinx.serialization.encodeToString
 import kotlinx.serialization.json.Json
 import okio.IOException
@@ -221,7 +224,7 @@ public class RtcSession internal constructor(
     /**
      * We can't publish tracks till we've received the join event response
      */
-    private val joinEventResponse: MutableStateFlow<JoinCallResponseEvent?> = MutableStateFlow(null)
+    private val joinEventReceivedMutex = Mutex(locked = true)
 
     // participants by session id -> participant state
     private val trackPrefixToSessionIdMap =
@@ -424,8 +427,16 @@ public class RtcSession internal constructor(
         timer.finish()
 
         // ensure that the join event has been handled before starting RTC
-        joinEventResponse.first { it != null }
-        connectRtc()
+        try {
+            withTimeout(2000L) {
+                joinEventReceivedMutex.withLock { connectRtc() }
+            }
+        } catch (e: TimeoutCancellationException) {
+            throw RtcException(
+                message = "RtcSession.connect() timed out. JoinCallResponseEvent not received in time.",
+                cause = e,
+            )
+        }
     }
 
     private fun initializeVideoTransceiver() {
@@ -1058,9 +1069,9 @@ public class RtcSession internal constructor(
     fun handleEvent(event: VideoEvent) {
         logger.i { "[rtc handleEvent] #sfu; event: $event" }
         if (event is JoinCallResponseEvent) {
-            logger.i { "[rtc handleEvent] joinEventResponse.value: $event" }
+            logger.i { "[rtc handleEvent] unlocking joinEventReceivedMutex" }
 
-            joinEventResponse.value = event
+            joinEventReceivedMutex.unlock()
         }
         if (event is SfuDataEvent) {
             coroutineScope.launch {
@@ -1309,7 +1320,7 @@ public class RtcSession internal constructor(
             }
 
             // the Sfu WS needs to be connected before calling SetPublisherRequest
-            if (joinEventResponse.value == null) {
+            if (joinEventReceivedMutex.isLocked) {
                 logger.e { "[negotiate] #$id; #sfu; #${peerType.stringify()}; SFU WS isn't connected" }
                 return@launch
             }
diff --git a/stream-video-android-core/src/main/kotlin/io/getstream/video/android/core/socket/PersistentSocket.kt b/stream-video-android-core/src/main/kotlin/io/getstream/video/android/core/socket/PersistentSocket.kt
index 1bf541ceee..b53499bdcd 100644
--- a/stream-video-android-core/src/main/kotlin/io/getstream/video/android/core/socket/PersistentSocket.kt
+++ b/stream-video-android-core/src/main/kotlin/io/getstream/video/android/core/socket/PersistentSocket.kt
@@ -75,7 +75,7 @@ public open class PersistentSocket<T>(
     var reconnectTimeout: Long = 500
 
     /** flow with all the events, listen to this */
-    val events = MutableSharedFlow<VideoEvent>()
+    val events = MutableSharedFlow<VideoEvent>(replay = 3)
 
     /** flow with temporary and permanent errors */
     val errors = MutableSharedFlow<Throwable>()