diff --git a/rust/connlib/phoenix-channel/src/lib.rs b/rust/connlib/phoenix-channel/src/lib.rs
index 1d1361154..c38d1b793 100644
--- a/rust/connlib/phoenix-channel/src/lib.rs
+++ b/rust/connlib/phoenix-channel/src/lib.rs
@@ -38,6 +38,7 @@ const MAX_BUFFERED_MESSAGES: usize = 32; // Chosen pretty arbitrarily. If we are
 pub struct PhoenixChannel<TInitReq, TInboundMsg, TOutboundRes, TFinish> {
     state: State,
     waker: Option<Waker>,
+    pending_joins: VecDeque<String>,
     pending_messages: VecDeque<String>,
     next_request_id: u64,
     socket_factory: Arc<dyn SocketFactory<TcpSocket>>,
@@ -277,6 +278,7 @@ where
             state: State::Closed,
             socket_factory,
             waker: None,
+            pending_joins: VecDeque::with_capacity(MAX_BUFFERED_MESSAGES),
             pending_messages: VecDeque::with_capacity(MAX_BUFFERED_MESSAGES),
             _phantom: PhantomData,
             heartbeat: tokio::time::interval(Duration::from_secs(30)),
@@ -294,8 +296,8 @@ where
     /// If successful, a [`Event::JoinedRoom`] event will be emitted.
     pub fn join(&mut self, topic: impl Into<String>, payload: impl Serialize) {
         let (request_id, msg) = self.make_message(topic, EgressControlMessage::PhxJoin(payload));
-        self.pending_messages.push_front(msg); // Must send the join message before all others.
 
+        self.pending_joins.push_back(msg);
         self.pending_join_requests.insert(request_id);
     }
 
@@ -463,7 +465,17 @@ where
             // Priority 1: Keep local buffers small and send pending messages.
             match stream.poll_ready_unpin(cx) {
                 Poll::Ready(Ok(())) => {
-                    if let Some(message) = self.pending_messages.pop_front() {
+                    // Process join messages before other messages.
+                    // Only process other messages if no room joins are pending.
+                    let next_message = self.pending_joins.pop_front().or_else(|| {
+                        if self.pending_join_requests.is_empty() {
+                            return None;
+                        }
+
+                        self.pending_messages.pop_front()
+                    });
+
+                    if let Some(message) = next_message {
                         match stream.start_send_unpin(Message::Text(message.clone())) {
                             Ok(()) => {
                                 tracing::trace!(target: "wire::api::send", %message);
@@ -488,6 +500,7 @@ where
                                 self.reconnect_on_transient_error(InternalError::WebSocket(e));
                             }
                         }
+
                         continue;
                     }
                 }