diff --git a/src/livekit/useLiveKit.ts b/src/livekit/useLiveKit.ts
index dac6a052..adb5c72c 100644
--- a/src/livekit/useLiveKit.ts
+++ b/src/livekit/useLiveKit.ts
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ export type UserChoices = {
 };
 
 export type DeviceChoices = {
-  selectedId: string;
+  selectedId?: string;
   enabled: boolean;
 };
 
diff --git a/src/room/GroupCallView.tsx b/src/room/GroupCallView.tsx
index 29d14b82..89a72002 100644
--- a/src/room/GroupCallView.tsx
+++ b/src/room/GroupCallView.tsx
@@ -279,6 +279,7 @@ export function GroupCallView({
           setUserChoices(choices);
           enter();
         }}
+        muteAudio={participants.size > 8}
         isEmbedded={isEmbedded}
         hideHeader={hideHeader}
       />
diff --git a/src/room/LobbyView.tsx b/src/room/LobbyView.tsx
index 0f07ae7d..6b51542a 100644
--- a/src/room/LobbyView.tsx
+++ b/src/room/LobbyView.tsx
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ interface Props {
   onEnter: (userChoices: UserChoices) => void;
   isEmbedded: boolean;
   hideHeader: boolean;
+  muteAudio: boolean;
 }
 
 export function LobbyView(props: Props) {
@@ -66,6 +67,7 @@ export function LobbyView(props: Props) {
         <div className={styles.joinRoomContent}>
           <VideoPreview
             matrixInfo={props.matrixInfo}
+            muteAudio={props.muteAudio}
             onUserChoicesChanged={setUserChoices}
           />
           <Trans>
diff --git a/src/room/VideoPreview.tsx b/src/room/VideoPreview.tsx
index 5fac133e..d39aeb17 100644
--- a/src/room/VideoPreview.tsx
+++ b/src/room/VideoPreview.tsx
@@ -40,10 +40,15 @@ export type MatrixInfo = {
 
 interface Props {
   matrixInfo: MatrixInfo;
+  muteAudio: boolean;
   onUserChoicesChanged: (choices: UserChoices) => void;
 }
 
-export function VideoPreview({ matrixInfo, onUserChoicesChanged }: Props) {
+export function VideoPreview({
+  matrixInfo,
+  muteAudio,
+  onUserChoicesChanged,
+}: Props) {
   const { client } = useClient();
   const [previewRef, previewBounds] = useMeasure({ polyfill: ResizeObserver });
 
@@ -64,7 +69,13 @@ export function VideoPreview({ matrixInfo, onUserChoicesChanged }: Props) {
 
   // Create local media tracks.
   const [videoEnabled, setVideoEnabled] = useState<boolean>(true);
-  const [audioEnabled, setAudioEnabled] = useState<boolean>(true);
+  const [audioEnabled, setAudioEnabled] = useState<boolean>(!muteAudio);
+
+  useEffect(() => {
+    if (muteAudio) {
+      setAudioEnabled(false);
+    }
+  }, [muteAudio]);
 
   // The settings are updated as soon as the device changes. We wrap the settings value in a ref to store their initial value.
   // Not changing the device options prohibits the usePreviewTracks hook to recreate the tracks.