diff --git a/locales/en/app.json b/locales/en/app.json
index a47e5bebe..0e71fd4ed 100644
--- a/locales/en/app.json
+++ b/locales/en/app.json
@@ -195,6 +195,7 @@
   "version": "{{productName}} version: {{version}}",
   "video_tile": {
     "always_show": "Always show",
+    "camera_starting": "Video loading...",
     "change_fit_contain": "Fit to frame",
     "collapse": "Collapse",
     "expand": "Expand",
diff --git a/src/Avatar.tsx b/src/Avatar.tsx
index dcdead7a5..a76afbca6 100644
--- a/src/Avatar.tsx
+++ b/src/Avatar.tsx
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ export const sizes = new Map([
   [Size.XL, 90],
 ]);
 
-interface Props {
+export interface Props {
   id: string;
   name: string;
   className?: string;
diff --git a/src/room/VideoPreview.module.css b/src/room/VideoPreview.module.css
index 89422af73..eeb9276b0 100644
--- a/src/room/VideoPreview.module.css
+++ b/src/room/VideoPreview.module.css
@@ -25,6 +25,17 @@ video.mirror {
   transform: scaleX(-1);
 }
 
+.preview .cameraStarting {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: var(--cpd-space-10x);
+  left: 0;
+  right: 0;
+  bottom: 0;
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: center;
+  color: var(--cpd-color-text-secondary);
+}
+
 .avatarContainer {
   position: absolute;
   top: 0;
diff --git a/src/room/VideoPreview.test.tsx b/src/room/VideoPreview.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..068ad0504
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/room/VideoPreview.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,73 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2024 New Vector Ltd.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+Please see LICENSE in the repository root for full details.
+*/
+
+import { expect, describe, it, vi, beforeAll } from "vitest";
+import { render } from "@testing-library/react";
+
+import { type MatrixInfo, VideoPreview } from "./VideoPreview";
+import { type MuteStates } from "./MuteStates";
+import { E2eeType } from "../e2ee/e2eeType";
+
+function mockMuteStates({ audio = true, video = true } = {}): MuteStates {
+  return {
+    audio: { enabled: audio, setEnabled: vi.fn() },
+    video: { enabled: video, setEnabled: vi.fn() },
+  };
+}
+
+describe("VideoPreview", () => {
+  const matrixInfo: MatrixInfo = {
+    userId: "@a:example.org",
+    displayName: "Alice",
+    avatarUrl: "",
+    roomId: "",
+    roomName: "",
+    e2eeSystem: { kind: E2eeType.NONE },
+    roomAlias: null,
+    roomAvatar: null,
+  };
+
+  beforeAll(() => {
+    window.ResizeObserver = class ResizeObserver {
+      public observe(): void {
+        // do nothing
+      }
+      public unobserve(): void {
+        // do nothing
+      }
+      public disconnect(): void {
+        // do nothing
+      }
+    };
+  });
+
+  it("shows avatar with video disabled", () => {
+    const { queryByRole } = render(
+      <VideoPreview
+        matrixInfo={matrixInfo}
+        muteStates={mockMuteStates({ video: false })}
+        videoTrack={null}
+        children={<></>}
+      />,
+    );
+    expect(queryByRole("img", { name: "@a:example.org" })).toBeVisible();
+  });
+
+  it("shows loading status with video enabled but no track", () => {
+    const { queryByRole } = render(
+      <VideoPreview
+        matrixInfo={matrixInfo}
+        muteStates={mockMuteStates({ video: true })}
+        videoTrack={null}
+        children={<></>}
+      />,
+    );
+    expect(queryByRole("status")).toHaveTextContent(
+      "video_tile.camera_starting",
+    );
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/room/VideoPreview.tsx b/src/room/VideoPreview.tsx
index f9609b999..e2d8303fa 100644
--- a/src/room/VideoPreview.tsx
+++ b/src/room/VideoPreview.tsx
@@ -5,12 +5,13 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
 Please see LICENSE in the repository root for full details.
 */
 
-import { useEffect, useRef, type FC, type ReactNode } from "react";
+import { useEffect, useMemo, useRef, type FC, type ReactNode } from "react";
 import useMeasure from "react-use-measure";
 import { facingModeFromLocalTrack, type LocalVideoTrack } from "livekit-client";
 import classNames from "classnames";
+import { useTranslation } from "react-i18next";
 
-import { Avatar } from "../Avatar";
+import { TileAvatar } from "../tile/TileAvatar";
 import styles from "./VideoPreview.module.css";
 import { type MuteStates } from "./MuteStates";
 import { type EncryptionSystem } from "../e2ee/sharedKeyManagement";
@@ -39,6 +40,7 @@ export const VideoPreview: FC<Props> = ({
   videoTrack,
   children,
 }) => {
+  const { t } = useTranslation();
   const [previewRef, previewBounds] = useMeasure();
 
   const videoEl = useRef<HTMLVideoElement | null>(null);
@@ -53,6 +55,11 @@ export const VideoPreview: FC<Props> = ({
     };
   }, [videoTrack]);
 
+  const cameraIsStarting = useMemo(
+    () => muteStates.video.enabled && !videoTrack,
+    [muteStates.video.enabled, videoTrack],
+  );
+
   return (
     <div className={classNames(styles.preview)} ref={previewRef}>
       <video
@@ -69,15 +76,23 @@ export const VideoPreview: FC<Props> = ({
         tabIndex={-1}
         disablePictureInPicture
       />
-      {!muteStates.video.enabled && (
-        <div className={styles.avatarContainer}>
-          <Avatar
-            id={matrixInfo.userId}
-            name={matrixInfo.displayName}
-            size={Math.min(previewBounds.width, previewBounds.height) / 2}
-            src={matrixInfo.avatarUrl}
-          />
-        </div>
+      {(!muteStates.video.enabled || cameraIsStarting) && (
+        <>
+          <div className={styles.avatarContainer}>
+            {cameraIsStarting && (
+              <div className={styles.cameraStarting} role="status">
+                {t("video_tile.camera_starting")}
+              </div>
+            )}
+            <TileAvatar
+              id={matrixInfo.userId}
+              name={matrixInfo.displayName}
+              size={Math.min(previewBounds.width, previewBounds.height) / 2}
+              src={matrixInfo.avatarUrl}
+              loading={cameraIsStarting}
+            />
+          </div>
+        </>
       )}
       <div className={styles.buttonBar}>{children}</div>
     </div>
diff --git a/src/tile/TileAvatar.module.css b/src/tile/TileAvatar.module.css
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..fa05c552b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tile/TileAvatar.module.css
@@ -0,0 +1,20 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2024 New Vector Ltd.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+Please see LICENSE in the repository root for full details.
+*/
+
+.loading {
+  position: absolute;
+  top: 0;
+  left: 0;
+  right: 0;
+  bottom: 0;
+  display: flex;
+  justify-content: center;
+  align-items: center;
+  opacity: 0.5;
+  /* TODO: make this --cpd-color-fg-primary when available. */
+  color: var(--cpd-color-text-primary);
+}
diff --git a/src/tile/TileAvatar.test.tsx b/src/tile/TileAvatar.test.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..ae5ab610b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tile/TileAvatar.test.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2024 New Vector Ltd.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+Please see LICENSE in the repository root for full details.
+*/
+
+import { expect, describe, it } from "vitest";
+import { render } from "@testing-library/react";
+
+import { TileAvatar } from "./TileAvatar";
+
+describe("TileAvatar", () => {
+  it("should show loading spinner when loading", () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <TileAvatar id="@a:example.org" name="Alice" size={96} loading={true} />,
+    );
+    expect(container.querySelector(".loading")).toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+
+  it("should not show loading spinner when not loading", () => {
+    const { container } = render(
+      <TileAvatar id="@a:example.org" name="Alice" size={96} loading={false} />,
+    );
+    expect(container.querySelector(".loading")).not.toBeInTheDocument();
+  });
+});
diff --git a/src/tile/TileAvatar.tsx b/src/tile/TileAvatar.tsx
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..bba826cdd
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/tile/TileAvatar.tsx
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+/*
+Copyright 2024 New Vector Ltd.
+
+SPDX-License-Identifier: AGPL-3.0-only
+Please see LICENSE in the repository root for full details.
+*/
+
+import { type FC } from "react";
+import { InlineSpinner } from "@vector-im/compound-web";
+
+import styles from "./TileAvatar.module.css";
+import { Avatar, type Props as AvatarProps } from "../Avatar";
+
+interface Props extends AvatarProps {
+  size: number;
+  loading?: boolean;
+}
+
+export const TileAvatar: FC<Props> = ({ size, loading, ...props }) => {
+  return (
+    <div>
+      {loading && (
+        <div className={styles.loading}>
+          <InlineSpinner size={size / 3} />
+        </div>
+      )}
+      <Avatar size={size} {...props} />
+    </div>
+  );
+};