Disclosed in some examples are methods, systems, and machine-readable mediums which automatically initiate a connection to a network-based communication session using a second communication application responsive to the communication service detecting that the user is unable to join the network-based communication session using a first communication application. The first and second communication applications may be on a same or different computing device. For example, if a user's desktop device is unavailable or experiencing connection issues, then the communication server may automatically request that a communication application on a mobile phone of the user join the network-based communication session.