diff --git a/crates/harness-tests/src/main.rs b/crates/harness-tests/src/main.rs
index 2874dcad3..1200ad882 100644
--- a/crates/harness-tests/src/main.rs
+++ b/crates/harness-tests/src/main.rs
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ use test_context::test_context;
 
 mod connection;
 mod routing;
+mod state;
 
 #[test_context(TestRunner)]
 #[tokio::test]
diff --git a/crates/harness-tests/src/state.rs b/crates/harness-tests/src/state.rs
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..7577865e9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/crates/harness-tests/src/state.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+//! Tests for how the balancer handles room state in the context of managing rooms on monoliths.
+
+use std::time::Duration;
+
+use harness::{Client, Monolith, TestRunner};
+use ott_balancer_protocol::monolith::{B2MUnload, MsgB2M};
+use test_context::test_context;
+
+#[test_context(TestRunner)]
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn should_unload_duplicate_rooms(ctx: &TestRunner) {
+    let mut m1 = Monolith::new(ctx).await.unwrap();
+    let mut m2 = Monolith::new(ctx).await.unwrap();
+
+    m1.show().await;
+    m2.show().await;
+
+    m1.load_room("foo").await;
+    m2.load_room("foo").await;
+
+    m2.wait_recv().await;
+
+    let recv = m2.collect_recv();
+    assert_eq!(recv.len(), 1);
+    assert!(matches!(recv[0], MsgB2M::Unload(B2MUnload { .. })));
+}
+
+#[test_context(TestRunner)]
+#[tokio::test]
+async fn should_unload_duplicate_rooms_and_route_correctly(ctx: &TestRunner) {
+    let mut m1 = Monolith::new(ctx).await.unwrap();
+    let mut m2 = Monolith::new(ctx).await.unwrap();
+
+    m1.show().await;
+    m2.show().await;
+
+    m1.load_room("foo").await;
+    m2.load_room("foo").await;
+
+    tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_millis(100), m2.wait_recv())
+        .await
+        .expect("timed out waiting for unload");
+
+    let mut c = Client::new(ctx).unwrap();
+    c.join("foo").await;
+
+    tokio::time::timeout(Duration::from_millis(100), m1.wait_recv())
+        .await
+        .expect("timed out waiting for client join");
+}
diff --git a/crates/ott-balancer-bin/src/balancer.rs b/crates/ott-balancer-bin/src/balancer.rs
index 78db3ea20..e27dd4649 100644
--- a/crates/ott-balancer-bin/src/balancer.rs
+++ b/crates/ott-balancer-bin/src/balancer.rs
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 use std::{collections::HashMap, sync::Arc};
 
-use ott_balancer_protocol::monolith::{B2MClientMsg, B2MJoin, B2MLeave, MsgM2B, RoomMetadata};
+use ott_balancer_protocol::monolith::{
+    B2MClientMsg, B2MJoin, B2MLeave, B2MUnload, MsgM2B, RoomMetadata,
+};
 use ott_balancer_protocol::*;
 use rand::seq::IteratorRandom;
 use serde_json::value::RawValue;
@@ -343,12 +345,15 @@ impl BalancerContext {
             match locator.load_epoch().cmp(&load_epoch) {
                 std::cmp::Ordering::Less => {
                     // we already have an older version of this room
+                    self.unload_room(monolith_id, metadata.name.clone()).await?;
                     return Err(anyhow::anyhow!("room already loaded"));
                 }
                 std::cmp::Ordering::Greater => {
                     // we have an newer version of this room, remove it
-                    self.remove_room(&metadata.name, locator.monolith_id())
+                    self.unload_room(locator.monolith_id(), metadata.name.clone())
                         .await?;
+                    // self.remove_room(&metadata.name, locator.monolith_id())
+                    //     .await?;
                 }
                 _ => {}
             }
@@ -414,6 +419,12 @@ impl BalancerContext {
             .ok_or(anyhow::anyhow!("no monoliths available"))?;
         Ok(selected)
     }
+
+    pub async fn unload_room(&self, monolith: MonolithId, room: RoomName) -> anyhow::Result<()> {
+        let monolith = self.monoliths.get(&monolith).unwrap();
+        monolith.send(B2MUnload { room }).await?;
+        Ok(())
+    }
 }
 
 pub async fn join_client(
diff --git a/crates/ott-balancer-protocol/src/monolith.rs b/crates/ott-balancer-protocol/src/monolith.rs
index 7c6f3b6ed..03036812a 100644
--- a/crates/ott-balancer-protocol/src/monolith.rs
+++ b/crates/ott-balancer-protocol/src/monolith.rs
@@ -58,6 +58,12 @@ impl From<B2MLoad> for MsgB2M {
     }
 }
 
+impl From<B2MUnload> for MsgB2M {
+    fn from(val: B2MUnload) -> Self {
+        Self::Unload(val)
+    }
+}
+
 impl From<B2MJoin> for MsgB2M {
     fn from(val: B2MJoin) -> Self {
         Self::Join(val)