diff --git a/src/backend/core/services/lobby.py b/src/backend/core/services/lobby.py
index 36f2fb35..1fe5ddd9 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/services/lobby.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/services/lobby.py
@@ -12,7 +12,12 @@ from django.conf import settings
 from django.core.cache import cache
 
 from asgiref.sync import async_to_sync
-from livekit.api import LiveKitAPI, SendDataRequest, TwirpError  # pylint: disable=E0611
+from livekit.api import (  # pylint: disable=E0611
+    ListRoomsRequest,
+    LiveKitAPI,
+    SendDataRequest,
+    TwirpError,
+)
 
 from core import models, utils
 
@@ -343,7 +348,18 @@ class LobbyService:
         }
 
         lkapi = LiveKitAPI(**settings.LIVEKIT_CONFIGURATION)
+
         try:
+            room_response = await lkapi.room.list_rooms(
+                ListRoomsRequest(
+                    names=[str(room_id)],
+                )
+            )
+
+            # Check if the room exists
+            if not room_response.rooms:
+                return
+
             await lkapi.room.send_data(
                 SendDataRequest(
                     room=str(room_id),
diff --git a/src/backend/core/tests/services/test_lobby.py b/src/backend/core/tests/services/test_lobby.py
index 1382aa05..9f78d89d 100644
--- a/src/backend/core/tests/services/test_lobby.py
+++ b/src/backend/core/tests/services/test_lobby.py
@@ -776,6 +776,43 @@ def test_update_participant_status_success(mock_cache, lobby_service, participan
     lobby_service._get_cache_key.assert_called_once_with(room.id, participant_id)
 
 
+@mock.patch("core.services.lobby.LiveKitAPI")
+def test_notify_participants_success_no_room(mock_livekit_api, lobby_service):
+    """Test the notify_participants method when the LiveKit room doesn't exist yet."""
+    room = RoomFactory(access_level=RoomAccessLevel.RESTRICTED)
+
+    # Set up the mock LiveKitAPI and its behavior
+    mock_api_instance = mock.Mock()
+    mock_api_instance.room = mock.Mock()
+    mock_api_instance.room.send_data = mock.AsyncMock()
+
+    # Create a proper response object with an empty rooms list
+    class MockResponse:
+        """LiveKit API response mock with empty rooms list."""
+
+        rooms = []
+
+    mock_api_instance.room.list_rooms = mock.AsyncMock(return_value=MockResponse())
+    mock_api_instance.aclose = mock.AsyncMock()
+    mock_livekit_api.return_value = mock_api_instance
+
+    # Act
+    lobby_service.notify_participants(room.id)
+
+    # Assert
+    # Verify the API was initialized with correct configuration
+    mock_livekit_api.assert_called_once_with(**settings.LIVEKIT_CONFIGURATION)
+
+    # Verify that the service checked for existing rooms
+    mock_api_instance.room.list_rooms.assert_called_once()
+
+    # Verify the send_data method was not called since no room exists
+    mock_api_instance.room.send_data.assert_not_called()
+
+    # Verify the connection was properly closed
+    mock_api_instance.aclose.assert_called_once()
+
+
 @mock.patch("core.services.lobby.LiveKitAPI")
 def test_notify_participants_success(mock_livekit_api, lobby_service):
     """Test successful participant notification."""
@@ -784,6 +821,14 @@ def test_notify_participants_success(mock_livekit_api, lobby_service):
     mock_api_instance = mock.Mock()
     mock_api_instance.room = mock.Mock()
     mock_api_instance.room.send_data = mock.AsyncMock()
+
+    class MockResponse:
+        """LiveKit API response mock with non-empty rooms list."""
+
+        rooms = ["room-1"]
+
+    mock_api_instance.room.list_rooms = mock.AsyncMock(return_value=MockResponse())
+
     mock_api_instance.aclose = mock.AsyncMock()
     mock_livekit_api.return_value = mock_api_instance
 
@@ -793,6 +838,9 @@ def test_notify_participants_success(mock_livekit_api, lobby_service):
     # Verify the API was called correctly
     mock_livekit_api.assert_called_once_with(**settings.LIVEKIT_CONFIGURATION)
 
+    # Verify that the service checked for existing rooms
+    mock_api_instance.room.list_rooms.assert_called_once()
+
     # Verify the send_data method was called
     mock_api_instance.room.send_data.assert_called_once()
     send_data_request = mock_api_instance.room.send_data.call_args[0][0]
@@ -817,6 +865,14 @@ def test_notify_participants_error(mock_livekit_api, lobby_service):
     mock_api_instance.room.send_data = mock.AsyncMock(
         side_effect=TwirpError(msg="test error", code=123)
     )
+
+    class MockResponse:
+        """LiveKit API response mock with non-empty rooms list."""
+
+        rooms = ["room-1"]
+
+    mock_api_instance.room.list_rooms = mock.AsyncMock(return_value=MockResponse())
+
     mock_api_instance.aclose = mock.AsyncMock()
     mock_livekit_api.return_value = mock_api_instance
 
@@ -829,6 +885,9 @@ def test_notify_participants_error(mock_livekit_api, lobby_service):
     # Verify the API was called correctly
     mock_livekit_api.assert_called_once_with(**settings.LIVEKIT_CONFIGURATION)
 
+    # Verify that the service checked for existing rooms
+    mock_api_instance.room.list_rooms.assert_called_once()
+
     # Verify send_data was called
     mock_api_instance.room.send_data.assert_called_once()