diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index f586118a..5f570efe 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -8,10 +8,6 @@ and this project adheres to
 
 ## [Unreleased]
 
-## Fixed
-
-- 🐛(transcription) fix silent bug in speaker assignment
-
 ### Changed
 
 - ⬆️(frontend) upgrade @mediapipe/tasks-vision from 0.10.14 to 0.10.35
@@ -20,6 +16,11 @@ and this project adheres to
 - ⬆️(frontend) upgrade @tanstack/react-query from 5.101.0 to 5.101.1
 - ⬆️(frontend) upgrade livekit-client from 2.19.2 to 2.20.0
 
+## Fixed
+
+- 🐛(transcription) fix silent bug in speaker assignment
+- 🐛(backend) fix bug linked to recording state inconsistency
+
 ## [1.24.0] - 2026-07-21
 
 ### Added
diff --git a/src/backend/core/recording/services/recording_events.py b/src/backend/core/recording/services/recording_events.py
index 3bebac0d..3b11315f 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/recording/services/recording_events.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/recording/services/recording_events.py
@@ -9,6 +9,11 @@ from livekit import api
 from core import models, utils
 from core.models import Recording
 from core.recording.event.notification import notification_service
+from core.services.room_management import (
+    RoomManagement,
+    RoomManagementException,
+    RoomNotFoundException,
+)
 
 logger = getLogger(__name__)
 
@@ -39,10 +44,15 @@ class RecordingEventsService:
         recording_status = status_mapping.get(egress_status)
         if recording_status:
             try:
-                utils.update_room_metadata(
+                RoomManagement().update_metadata(
                     room_name, {"recording_status": recording_status}
                 )
-            except utils.MetadataUpdateException as e:
+            except RoomNotFoundException:
+                logger.info(
+                    "LiveKit room %s no longer exists, skipping metadata update",
+                    room_name,
+                )
+            except RoomManagementException as e:
                 logger.exception("Failed to update room's metadata: %s", e)
 
     @staticmethod
diff --git a/src/backend/core/recording/worker/mediator.py b/src/backend/core/recording/worker/mediator.py
index c73a96fe..2de8be05 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/recording/worker/mediator.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/recording/worker/mediator.py
@@ -2,8 +2,12 @@
 
 import logging
 
-from core import utils
 from core.models import Recording, RecordingStatusChoices
+from core.services.room_management import (
+    RoomManagement,
+    RoomManagementException,
+    RoomNotFoundException,
+)
 
 from .exceptions import (
     RecordingStartError,
@@ -64,10 +68,15 @@ class WorkerServiceMediator:
         mode = recording.options.get("original_mode", None) or recording.mode
 
         try:
-            utils.update_room_metadata(
+            RoomManagement().update_metadata(
                 room_name, {"recording_mode": mode, "recording_status": "starting"}
             )
-        except utils.MetadataUpdateException as e:
+        except RoomNotFoundException:
+            logger.info(
+                "LiveKit room %s no longer exists, skipping metadata update",
+                room_name,
+            )
+        except RoomManagementException as e:
             logger.exception("Failed to update room's metadata: %s", e)
 
         logger.info(
diff --git a/src/backend/core/services/livekit_events.py b/src/backend/core/services/livekit_events.py
index 5852f6d4..8bdf1fd0 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/services/livekit_events.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/services/livekit_events.py
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from django.conf import settings
 
 from livekit import api
 
-from core import models, utils
+from core import models
 from core.recording.services.metadata_collector import (
     MetadataCollectorException,
     MetadataCollectorService,
@@ -23,6 +23,11 @@ from core.recording.services.recording_events import (
 )
 
 from .lobby import LobbyService
+from .room_management import (
+    RoomManagement,
+    RoomManagementException,
+    RoomNotFoundException,
+)
 from .telephony import TelephonyException, TelephonyService
 
 logger = getLogger(__name__)
@@ -177,10 +182,15 @@ class LiveKitEventsService:
 
         try:
             room_name = str(recording.room.id)
-            utils.update_room_metadata(
-                room_name, {}, ["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
+            RoomManagement().update_metadata(
+                room_name, remove_keys=["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
             )
-        except utils.MetadataUpdateException as e:
+        except RoomNotFoundException:
+            logger.info(
+                "LiveKit room %s no longer exists, skipping metadata update",
+                room_name,
+            )
+        except RoomManagementException as e:
             logger.exception("Failed to update room's metadata: %s", e)
 
         if recording.options.get("metadata_collector_dispatch_id", None) is not None:
diff --git a/src/backend/core/services/room_management.py b/src/backend/core/services/room_management.py
index 5934f285..109d7f9d 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/services/room_management.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/services/room_management.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@ from typing import Dict, Optional
 
 from asgiref.sync import async_to_sync
 from livekit.api import (
+    ListRoomsRequest,
     TwirpError,
     UpdateRoomMetadataRequest,
 )
@@ -29,20 +30,45 @@ class RoomManagement:
     """Service for managing LiveKit rooms."""
 
     @async_to_sync
-    async def update_metadata(self, room_name: str, metadata: Optional[Dict] = None):
-        """Update a LiveKit room's metadata.
+    async def update_metadata(
+        self,
+        room_name: str,
+        metadata: Optional[Dict] = None,
+        remove_keys: Optional[list[str]] = None,
+    ):
+        """Merge values into a LiveKit room's metadata.
 
         The `room_name` corresponds to the LiveKit room identifier
         (i.e. the Room model's UUID as a string).
+
+        Raises:
+            RoomNotFoundException: the room does not exist in LiveKit.
+            RoomManagementException: the metadata update otherwise fails.
         """
 
         lkapi = utils.create_livekit_client()
 
         try:
+            response = await lkapi.room.list_rooms(ListRoomsRequest(names=[room_name]))
+
+            if not response.rooms:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Room %s not found in LiveKit, skipping metadata update",
+                    room_name,
+                )
+                raise RoomNotFoundException("Room does not exist")
+
+            existing_metadata = json.loads(response.rooms[0].metadata or "{}")
+
+            for key in remove_keys or []:
+                existing_metadata.pop(key, None)
+
+            updated_metadata = {**existing_metadata, **(metadata or {})}
+
             await lkapi.room.update_room_metadata(
                 UpdateRoomMetadataRequest(
                     room=room_name,
-                    metadata=json.dumps(metadata) if metadata is not None else "",
+                    metadata=json.dumps(updated_metadata),
                 )
             )
 
diff --git a/src/backend/core/tests/recording/worker/test_mediator.py b/src/backend/core/tests/recording/worker/test_mediator.py
index 0b3fd4c3..d4c0fa1e 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/tests/recording/worker/test_mediator.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/tests/recording/worker/test_mediator.py
@@ -34,10 +34,8 @@ def mediator(mock_worker_service):
     return WorkerServiceMediator(mock_worker_service)
 
 
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
-def test_start_recording_success(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mediator, mock_worker_service
-):
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
+def test_start_recording_success(mock_update_metadata, mediator, mock_worker_service):
     """Test successful recording start"""
     # Setup
     worker_id = "test-worker-123"
@@ -60,7 +58,7 @@ def test_start_recording_success(
     assert mock_recording.worker_id == worker_id
     assert mock_recording.status == RecordingStatusChoices.ACTIVE
 
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
         str(mock_recording.room.id),
         {"recording_mode": mock_recording.mode, "recording_status": "starting"},
     )
@@ -69,9 +67,9 @@ def test_start_recording_success(
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "error_class", [WorkerRequestError, WorkerConnectionError, WorkerResponseError]
 )
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_mediator_start_recording_worker_errors(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mediator, mock_worker_service, error_class
+    mock_update_metadata, mediator, mock_worker_service, error_class
 ):
     """Test handling of various worker errors during start"""
     # Setup
@@ -89,7 +87,7 @@ def test_mediator_start_recording_worker_errors(
     assert mock_recording.status == RecordingStatusChoices.FAILED_TO_START
     assert mock_recording.worker_id is None
 
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_not_called()
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_not_called()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -103,9 +101,9 @@ def test_mediator_start_recording_worker_errors(
         RecordingStatusChoices.ABORTED,
     ],
 )
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_mediator_start_recording_from_forbidden_status(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mediator, mock_worker_service, status
+    mock_update_metadata, mediator, mock_worker_service, status
 ):
     """Test handling of various worker errors during start"""
     # Setup
@@ -119,7 +117,7 @@ def test_mediator_start_recording_from_forbidden_status(
     mock_recording.refresh_from_db()
     assert mock_recording.status == status
 
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_not_called()
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_not_called()
 
 
 def test_mediator_stop_recording_success(mediator, mock_worker_service):
diff --git a/src/backend/core/tests/services/test_livekit_events.py b/src/backend/core/tests/services/test_livekit_events.py
index 56d0e0e5..16adb661 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/tests/services/test_livekit_events.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/tests/services/test_livekit_events.py
@@ -20,8 +20,9 @@ from core.services.livekit_events import (
     api,
 )
 from core.services.lobby import LobbyService
+from core.services.room_management import RoomManagementException
 from core.services.telephony import TelephonyException, TelephonyService
-from core.utils import MetadataUpdateException, NotificationError
+from core.utils import NotificationError
 
 pytestmark = pytest.mark.django_db
 
@@ -70,9 +71,9 @@ def test_initialization(
     ),
 )
 @mock.patch("core.utils.notify_participants")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_success(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mock_notify, mode, notification_type, service
+    mock_update_metadata, mock_notify, mode, notification_type, service
 ):
     """Should successfully stop recording and notifies all participant."""
 
@@ -86,8 +87,8 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_success(
     mock_notify.assert_called_once_with(
         room_name=str(recording.room.id), notification_data={"type": notification_type}
     )
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
-        str(recording.room.id), {}, ["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
+        str(recording.room.id), remove_keys=["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
     )
 
     recording.refresh_from_db()
@@ -104,9 +105,9 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_success(
         (EgressStatus.EGRESS_ABORTED, "aborted"),
     ),
 )
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_updated_success(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, egress_status, status, service
+    mock_update_metadata, egress_status, status, service
 ):
     """Should successfully update room's metadata."""
 
@@ -117,7 +118,7 @@ def test_handle_egress_updated_success(
 
     service._handle_egress_updated(mock_data)
 
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
         str(recording.room.id), {"recording_status": status}
     )
 
@@ -129,9 +130,9 @@ def test_handle_egress_updated_success(
         EgressStatus.EGRESS_LIMIT_REACHED,
     ),
 )
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_updated_non_handled(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, egress_status, service
+    mock_update_metadata, egress_status, service
 ):
     """Should ignore certain egress status and don't trigger metadata updates."""
 
@@ -142,7 +143,7 @@ def test_handle_egress_updated_non_handled(
 
     service._handle_egress_updated(mock_data)
 
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_not_called()
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_not_called()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
@@ -153,9 +154,9 @@ def test_handle_egress_updated_non_handled(
     ),
 )
 @mock.patch("core.utils.notify_participants")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_metadata_update_fails(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mock_notify, mode, notification_type, service
+    mock_update_metadata, mock_notify, mode, notification_type, service
 ):
     """Should successfully stop and save recording when metadata's update fails."""
 
@@ -164,7 +165,7 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_metadata_update_fails(
     mock_data.egress_info.egress_id = recording.worker_id
     mock_data.egress_info.status = EgressStatus.EGRESS_LIMIT_REACHED
 
-    mock_update_room_metadata.side_effect = MetadataUpdateException("Error notifying")
+    mock_update_metadata.side_effect = RoomManagementException("Error notifying")
 
     service._handle_egress_ended(mock_data)
 
@@ -178,9 +179,9 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_metadata_update_fails(
 
 
 @mock.patch("core.utils.notify_participants")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_notification_fails(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mock_notify, service
+    mock_update_metadata, mock_notify, service
 ):
     """Should raise ActionFailedError when notification fails but still stop recording."""
 
@@ -200,15 +201,15 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_notification_fails(
     recording.refresh_from_db()
     assert recording.status == "stopped"
 
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
-        str(recording.room.id), {}, ["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
+        str(recording.room.id), remove_keys=["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
     )
 
 
 @mock.patch("core.utils.notify_participants")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_recording_not_found(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mock_notify, service
+    mock_update_metadata, mock_notify, service
 ):
     """Should raise ActionFailedError when recording doesn't exist."""
 
@@ -223,16 +224,16 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_recording_not_found(
         service._handle_egress_ended(mock_data)
 
     mock_notify.assert_not_called()
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_not_called()
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_not_called()
 
     recording.refresh_from_db()
     assert recording.status == "active"
 
 
 @mock.patch("core.utils.notify_participants")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_recording_not_active(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mock_notify, service
+    mock_update_metadata, mock_notify, service
 ):
     """Should ignore non-active recordings."""
 
@@ -244,8 +245,8 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_recording_not_active(
     service._handle_egress_ended(mock_data)
 
     mock_notify.assert_not_called()
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
-        str(recording.room.id), {}, ["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
+        str(recording.room.id), remove_keys=["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
     )
 
     recording.refresh_from_db()
@@ -253,9 +254,9 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_recording_not_active(
 
 
 @mock.patch("core.utils.notify_participants")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_recording_not_limit_reached(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mock_notify, service
+    mock_update_metadata, mock_notify, service
 ):
     """Should ignore egress non-limit-reached statuses."""
 
@@ -267,16 +268,16 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_recording_not_limit_reached(
     service._handle_egress_ended(mock_data)
 
     mock_notify.assert_not_called()
-    mock_update_room_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
-        str(recording.room.id), {}, ["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
+    mock_update_metadata.assert_called_once_with(
+        str(recording.room.id), remove_keys=["recording_mode", "recording_status"]
     )
     assert recording.status == "stopped"
 
 
 @mock.patch("core.services.livekit_events.MetadataCollectorService")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_calls_metadata_collector_stop_when_conditions_are_met(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, mock_collector_class, service, settings
+    mock_update_metadata, mock_collector_class, service, settings
 ):
     """Should call MetadataCollectorService.stop when it exists."""
     settings.METADATA_COLLECTOR_ENABLED = True
@@ -306,7 +307,7 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_calls_metadata_collector_stop_when_conditions_are_m
     ],
 )
 @mock.patch("core.services.livekit_events.MetadataCollectorService")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_does_not_call_metadata_collector_stop_when_conditions_not_met(
     _, mock_collector_class, metadata_enabled, options, service, settings
 ):  # pylint: disable=too-many-arguments,too-many-positional-arguments
@@ -335,7 +336,7 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_does_not_call_metadata_collector_stop_when_conditio
     "notify_external_services"
 )
 @mock.patch("core.utils.notify_participants")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "egress_status",
     [EgressStatus.EGRESS_COMPLETE, EgressStatus.EGRESS_LIMIT_REACHED],
@@ -345,7 +346,7 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_does_not_call_metadata_collector_stop_when_conditio
     [(True, "notification_succeeded"), (False, "saved")],
 )
 def test_handle_egress_ended_finalizes_recording(  # noqa: PLR0913
-    mock_update_room_metadata,
+    mock_update_metadata,
     mock_notify,
     mock_notify_external_services,
     notify_return_value,
@@ -378,7 +379,7 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_finalizes_recording(  # noqa: PLR0913
     "notify_external_services"
 )
 @mock.patch("core.utils.notify_participants")
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "egress_status, expected_status",
     [
@@ -387,7 +388,7 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_finalizes_recording(  # noqa: PLR0913
     ],
 )
 def test_handle_egress_ended_does_not_finalize_when_webhooks_enabled(  # noqa: PLR0913
-    mock_update_room_metadata,
+    mock_update_metadata,
     mock_notify,
     mock_notify_external_services,
     egress_status,
@@ -424,9 +425,9 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_does_not_finalize_when_webhooks_enabled(  # noqa: P
         EgressStatus.EGRESS_ABORTED,
     ],
 )
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_does_not_save_on_wrong_status(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, egress_status, service, settings
+    mock_update_metadata, egress_status, service, settings
 ):
     """Shouldn't save on invalid status."""
     settings.RECORDING_STORAGE_EVENT_ENABLE = False
@@ -445,9 +446,9 @@ def test_handle_egress_ended_does_not_save_on_wrong_status(
 @pytest.mark.parametrize(
     "status", ["failed_to_start", "aborted", "failed_to_stop", "saved", "initiated"]
 )
-@mock.patch("core.utils.update_room_metadata")
+@mock.patch("core.services.room_management.RoomManagement.update_metadata")
 def test_handle_egress_ended_ignores_non_savable_recording(
-    mock_update_room_metadata, status, service, settings
+    mock_update_metadata, status, service, settings
 ):
     """Should handle non-savable recordings idempotently without raising.
 
diff --git a/src/backend/core/utils.py b/src/backend/core/utils.py
index 6d843e17..a9a7525c 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/utils.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/utils.py
@@ -31,7 +31,6 @@ from livekit.api import (  # pylint: disable=E0611
     LiveKitAPI,
     SendDataRequest,
     TwirpError,
-    UpdateRoomMetadataRequest,
     VideoGrants,
 )
 
@@ -258,57 +257,6 @@ async def notify_participants(room_name: str, notification_data: dict):
         await lkapi.aclose()
 
 
-class MetadataUpdateException(Exception):
-    """Room's metadata update fails."""
-
-
-@async_to_sync
-async def update_room_metadata(
-    room_name: str, metadata: dict, remove_keys: Optional[list[str]] = None
-):
-    """Update LiveKit room metadata by merging new values with existing metadata.
-
-    Args:
-        room_name: Name of the room to update
-        metadata: Dictionary of metadata key-values to add/update
-        remove_keys: Optional list of keys to remove from existing metadata.
-    """
-
-    lkapi = create_livekit_client()
-
-    try:
-        response = await lkapi.room.list_rooms(
-            ListRoomsRequest(
-                names=[room_name],
-            )
-        )
-
-        if not response.rooms:
-            return
-
-        room = response.rooms[0]
-
-        existing_metadata = json.loads(room.metadata) if room.metadata else {}
-
-        if remove_keys:
-            for key in remove_keys:
-                existing_metadata.pop(key, None)
-
-        updated_metadata = {**existing_metadata, **metadata}
-
-        await lkapi.room.update_room_metadata(
-            UpdateRoomMetadataRequest(
-                room=room_name, metadata=json.dumps(updated_metadata).encode("utf-8")
-            )
-        )
-    except TwirpError as e:
-        raise MetadataUpdateException(
-            f"Failed to update metadata for room {room_name}: {e}"
-        ) from e
-    finally:
-        await lkapi.aclose()
-
-
 ALPHANUMERIC_CHARSET = string.ascii_letters + string.digits
 
 
diff --git a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/useSyncLiveKitMetadata.ts b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/useSyncLiveKitMetadata.ts
index 5e92acb2..b75afb2f 100644
--- a/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/useSyncLiveKitMetadata.ts
+++ b/src/frontend/src/features/rooms/livekit/hooks/useSyncLiveKitMetadata.ts
@@ -13,8 +13,7 @@ import { useRoomContext } from '@livekit/components-react'
 import { useRoomData } from './useRoomData'
 
 /**
- * Shape of the LiveKit room metadata blob pushed by the backend.
- * Matches RoomManagement.update_metadata → {"configuration": room.configuration}
+ * The subset of LiveKit's room metadata this hook actually uses.
  */
 type RoomLiveKitMetadata = {
   configuration?: RoomConfiguration