A critical notification is reliably delivered to at least one participant in a real-time communication session. A candidate delivery channel is selected, and a set of one or more communication state variables associated with the candidate delivery channel are identified. Current values associated with the communication state variables and determined, and a determination is made as to whether the current values associated with the communication state variables indicate that the notification can currently be reliably delivered using the candidate delivery channel. If the notification cannot currently be reliably delivered using the candidate delivery channel, an alternative delivery option is selected that may include using an alternative delivery channel and/or delaying delivery of the notification.