diff --git a/packages/call/src/components/modals/base.tsx b/packages/call/src/components/modals/base.tsx
index 6b9593b..cf91d34 100644
--- a/packages/call/src/components/modals/base.tsx
+++ b/packages/call/src/components/modals/base.tsx
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import {
 } from "@tensamin/ui";
 import {
   focusParticipant,
-  getParsedParticipantMetadata,
+  getRoomMetadata,
   setCallView,
   useCall,
 } from "../../store";
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ import { Track, type Participant } from "livekit-client";
 import { useEffect, useState } from "react";
 import { useUser, type User } from "@tensamin/user/context";
 import VideoViewer from "../videoViewer";
-import { Loader2, MicOff, Monitor, Shield } from "lucide-react";
+import { HeadphoneOff, Loader2, MicOff, Monitor, Shield } from "lucide-react";
 
 function TransparentButton({ children }: { children: React.ReactNode }) {
   return (
@@ -33,9 +33,8 @@ function Overlay({
   user: User;
   participant: Participant;
 }) {
-  const { isAdmin } = getParsedParticipantMetadata(user.user_id) || {
-    isAdmin: false,
-  };
+  const isAdmin = getRoomMetadata()?.admin === user.user_id;
+  const isDeafened = participant.attributes["deafened"] === "true";
 
   return (
     <div className="w-full h-auto flex items-center gap-1">
@@ -46,6 +45,11 @@ function Overlay({
               <MicOff className="size-3.5" />
             </TransparentButton>
           )}
+          {isDeafened && (
+            <TransparentButton>
+              <HeadphoneOff className="size-3.5" />
+            </TransparentButton>
+          )}
           {isAdmin && (
             <TransparentButton>
               <Shield className="size-3.5" />
diff --git a/packages/call/src/store.tsx b/packages/call/src/store.tsx
index 0a5db55..d0173fc 100644
--- a/packages/call/src/store.tsx
+++ b/packages/call/src/store.tsx
@@ -70,10 +70,6 @@ type Runtime = {
   getUser: GetUserFn;
 };
 
-type ParticipantMetadata = {
-  isAdmin: boolean;
-};
-
 type CallStore = {
   state: CallState;
   view: CallView;
@@ -90,7 +86,6 @@ type CallStore = {
   watchedStreamParticipantIds: number[];
   pendingWatchedParticipantIds: number[];
   activeScreenShareParticipantIds: number[];
-  parsedParticipantMetadataById: Record<number, ParticipantMetadata>;
   isEncrypted: boolean;
   room: Room;
   keyProvider: ExternalE2EEKeyProvider;
@@ -186,51 +181,6 @@ function hasParticipant(participantId: number) {
   );
 }
 
-function parseParticipantMetadata(
-  metadata: string | undefined,
-): ParticipantMetadata | undefined {
-  if (!metadata) {
-    return undefined;
-  }
-
-  try {
-    return JSON.parse(metadata);
-  } catch {
-    return undefined;
-  }
-}
-
-function getParsedParticipantMetadataById(): Record<
-  number,
-  ParticipantMetadata
-> {
-  return Object.fromEntries(
-    getAllParticipants()
-      .map((participant) => {
-        const participantId = getParticipantId(participant.identity);
-
-        if (participantId == null) {
-          return null;
-        }
-
-        return [
-          participantId,
-          parseParticipantMetadata(participant.metadata),
-        ] as const;
-      })
-      .filter(
-        (entry): entry is readonly [number, ParticipantMetadata] =>
-          entry != null,
-      ),
-  );
-}
-
-function syncParsedParticipantMetadata() {
-  useCall.setState({
-    parsedParticipantMetadataById: getParsedParticipantMetadataById(),
-  });
-}
-
 function syncScreenShareParticipants() {
   const activeScreenShareParticipantIds = getActiveScreenShareParticipantIds();
   const state = useCall.getState();
@@ -268,6 +218,13 @@ function requireRuntime(runtime: Runtime | null): Runtime {
   return runtime;
 }
 
+export function getRoomMetadata() {
+  const roomMetadata = room.metadata;
+  return JSON.parse(roomMetadata || '{"admin": 0}').catch(() => ({
+    admin: 0,
+  })) as { admin: number };
+}
+
 // Sync local participant flags and screen-share derived state for the active call UI.
 export function syncParticipantState() {
   const { room, screenShareSession } = useCall.getState();
@@ -281,13 +238,6 @@ export function syncParticipantState() {
   });
 
   syncScreenShareParticipants();
-  syncParsedParticipantMetadata();
-}
-
-export function getParsedParticipantMetadata(
-  participantId: number,
-): ParticipantMetadata | undefined {
-  return useCall.getState().parsedParticipantMetadataById[participantId];
 }
 
 // set state functions
@@ -525,7 +475,6 @@ export async function disconnect() {
     watchedStreamParticipantIds: [],
     pendingWatchedParticipantIds: [],
     activeScreenShareParticipantIds: [],
-    parsedParticipantMetadataById: {},
   });
 
   room.remoteParticipants.forEach((participant) => {
@@ -604,7 +553,7 @@ export async function joinCall(
 }
 
 // Mute or restore incoming call audio for every remote participant.
-export function toggleDeaf() {
+export async function toggleDeaf() {
   const nextDeaf = !useCall.getState().deaf;
 
   room.remoteParticipants.forEach((participant) => {
@@ -612,9 +561,13 @@ export function toggleDeaf() {
   });
 
   if (nextDeaf && room.localParticipant.isMicrophoneEnabled) {
-    toggleMute();
+    await toggleMute();
   }
 
+  await room.localParticipant.setAttributes({
+    deafened: nextDeaf ? "true" : "false",
+  });
+
   useCall.setState({ deaf: nextDeaf });
 }
 
@@ -623,7 +576,7 @@ export async function toggleMute() {
   const micEnabled = useCall.getState().micEnabled;
 
   if (!micEnabled && useCall.getState().deaf) {
-    toggleDeaf();
+    await toggleDeaf();
   }
 
   await room.localParticipant.setMicrophoneEnabled(!micEnabled);
@@ -669,7 +622,6 @@ export function resetCallState() {
     watchedStreamParticipantIds: [],
     pendingWatchedParticipantIds: [],
     activeScreenShareParticipantIds: [],
-    parsedParticipantMetadataById: {},
   });
 
   syncParticipantState();
@@ -711,7 +663,6 @@ export const useCall = create<CallStore>(() => ({
   watchedStreamParticipantIds: [],
   pendingWatchedParticipantIds: [],
   activeScreenShareParticipantIds: [],
-  parsedParticipantMetadataById: {},
   isEncrypted:
     room.localParticipant.isE2EEEnabled && room.localParticipant.isEncrypted,
   room,