diff --git a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_chat/activity_stats_button.dart b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_chat/activity_stats_button.dart
index 9a9052f16..21d6c99cf 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_chat/activity_stats_button.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_chat/activity_stats_button.dart
@@ -53,7 +53,6 @@ class _ActivityStatsButtonState extends State<ActivityStatsButton> {
           u.state.type == PangeaEventTypes.activityRole,
     )
         .listen((_) {
-      debugPrint("ON ROOM STATE");
       _showStatsMenuDropdownInstructions();
     });
   }
diff --git a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_session_start_page.dart b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_session_start_page.dart
index fdb108aa5..a3783f492 100644
--- a/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_session_start_page.dart
+++ b/lib/pangea/activity_sessions/activity_session_start/activity_session_start_page.dart
@@ -311,6 +311,15 @@ class ActivitySessionStartController extends State<ActivitySessionStartPage>
     }
 
     try {
+      // Since the method that check for assigned roles needs to know each
+      // participant's membership status (to exclude left users), we need
+      // to pre-load the room's participants list.
+      activityRoom!.requestParticipants(
+        [Membership.join, Membership.invite, Membership.knock],
+        false,
+        true,
+      );
+
       await activityRoom!.joinActivity(
         activity!.roles[_selectedRoleId!]!,
       );