diff --git a/extensions/openai/realtime-quicksilver-bridge.test.ts b/extensions/openai/realtime-quicksilver-bridge.test.ts
index 91ceca298e94..6bcb03df22a6 100644
--- a/extensions/openai/realtime-quicksilver-bridge.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/openai/realtime-quicksilver-bridge.test.ts
@@ -209,6 +209,28 @@ describe("OpenAIQuicksilverVoiceBridge", () => {
     harness.bridge.close();
   });
 
+  it("discards audio closed before the first connection and reconnects fresh", async () => {
+    const harness = createHarness();
+
+    harness.bridge.sendAudio(Buffer.from("queued-before-connect"));
+    harness.bridge.close();
+    harness.bridge.close();
+    harness.bridge.sendAudio(Buffer.from("sent-after-close"));
+
+    expect(harness.connections).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(harness.onClose).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    await harness.bridge.connect();
+
+    expect(
+      sentEvents(harness.socket).filter((event) => event.type === "input_audio.append"),
+    ).toHaveLength(0);
+
+    harness.bridge.close();
+    expect(harness.onClose).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(harness.onClose).toHaveBeenCalledWith("completed");
+  });
+
   it("does not carry queued audio across terminal close and explicit reconnect", async () => {
     const sockets: FakeSocket[] = [];
     const bridge = new OpenAIQuicksilverVoiceBridge({
diff --git a/extensions/openai/realtime-quicksilver-bridge.ts b/extensions/openai/realtime-quicksilver-bridge.ts
index e0dd6583d4c0..de8583cfcca1 100644
--- a/extensions/openai/realtime-quicksilver-bridge.ts
+++ b/extensions/openai/realtime-quicksilver-bridge.ts
@@ -361,10 +361,13 @@ export class OpenAIQuicksilverVoiceBridge implements RealtimeVoiceBridge {
 
   close(): void {
     const connection = this.connection;
-    if (!connection || !this.lifecycle.cancel()) {
+    if (!this.lifecycle.cancel()) {
       return;
     }
     this.resetTerminalState();
+    if (!connection) {
+      return;
+    }
     if (this.socket?.readyState === WEBSOCKET_OPEN) {
       this.sendEvent({ type: "session.close" });
     }
diff --git a/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-lifecycle.test.ts b/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-lifecycle.test.ts
index 85b044e94f2a..181077ee0ec9 100644
--- a/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-lifecycle.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-lifecycle.test.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,20 @@ import { describe, expect, it } from "vitest";
 import { OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycle } from "./realtime-voice-lifecycle.js";
 
 describe("OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycle", () => {
+  it("terminalizes preconnect cancellation until an explicit fresh connection", () => {
+    const lifecycle = new OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycle();
+
+    expect(lifecycle.phase()).toBe("idle");
+    expect(lifecycle.cancel()).toBe(true);
+    expect(lifecycle.phase()).toBe("terminal");
+    expect(lifecycle.cancel()).toBe(false);
+
+    const connection = lifecycle.connect();
+    expect(lifecycle.phase()).toBe("connecting");
+    expect(lifecycle.ready(connection)).toBe(true);
+    expect(lifecycle.phase()).toBe("ready");
+  });
+
   it("moves a connection from connecting to ready", () => {
     const lifecycle = new OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycle();
     const connection = lifecycle.connect();
diff --git a/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-lifecycle.ts b/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-lifecycle.ts
index a436a5ac92af..1bfe25ef5556 100644
--- a/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-lifecycle.ts
+++ b/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-lifecycle.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
-type OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecyclePhase = "connecting" | "ready" | "retry-wait" | "terminal";
+type OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecyclePhase =
+  | "idle"
+  | "connecting"
+  | "ready"
+  | "retry-wait"
+  | "terminal";
 
 type OpenAIRealtimeVoiceTerminalOutcome = "completed" | "error";
 
@@ -7,20 +12,29 @@ export type OpenAIRealtimeVoiceConnection = Readonly<{
   signal: AbortSignal;
 }>;
 
-type OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycleState = {
+type OpenAIRealtimeVoiceIdleState = {
+  phase: "idle" | "terminal";
+  terminalOutcome?: "completed";
+};
+
+type OpenAIRealtimeVoiceConnectionState = {
   connection: OpenAIRealtimeVoiceConnection;
   controller: AbortController;
-  phase: OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecyclePhase;
+  phase: Exclude<OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecyclePhase, "idle">;
   retryAttempts: number;
   terminalOutcome?: OpenAIRealtimeVoiceTerminalOutcome;
   terminalNotified: boolean;
 };
 
 export class OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycle {
-  private state: OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycleState | undefined;
+  private state: OpenAIRealtimeVoiceIdleState | OpenAIRealtimeVoiceConnectionState = {
+    phase: "idle",
+  };
 
   connect(): OpenAIRealtimeVoiceConnection {
-    this.state?.controller.abort(new Error("OpenAI realtime voice connection replaced"));
+    if ("controller" in this.state) {
+      this.state.controller.abort(new Error("OpenAI realtime voice connection replaced"));
+    }
     const controller = new AbortController();
     const connection = this.createConnection(controller);
     this.state = {
@@ -72,9 +86,16 @@ export class OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycle {
 
   cancel(): boolean {
     const state = this.state;
-    if (!state || state.terminalOutcome) {
+    if (state.phase === "terminal") {
       return false;
     }
+    if (!("controller" in state)) {
+      this.state = {
+        phase: "terminal",
+        terminalOutcome: "completed",
+      };
+      return true;
+    }
     state.phase = "terminal";
     state.terminalOutcome = "completed";
     state.controller.abort(new Error("OpenAI realtime voice session canceled"));
@@ -125,8 +146,8 @@ export class OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycle {
     return this.state?.phase === "ready";
   }
 
-  phase(): OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecyclePhase | undefined {
-    return this.state?.phase;
+  phase(): OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecyclePhase {
+    return this.state.phase;
   }
 
   terminalOutcome(
@@ -141,7 +162,9 @@ export class OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycle {
 
   private currentState(
     connection: OpenAIRealtimeVoiceConnection,
-  ): OpenAIRealtimeVoiceLifecycleState | undefined {
-    return this.state?.connection.id === connection.id ? this.state : undefined;
+  ): OpenAIRealtimeVoiceConnectionState | undefined {
+    return "connection" in this.state && this.state.connection.id === connection.id
+      ? this.state
+      : undefined;
   }
 }
diff --git a/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-provider.test.ts b/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-provider.test.ts
index 7b8eca6101b7..e57091cab983 100644
--- a/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-provider.test.ts
+++ b/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-provider.test.ts
@@ -1551,6 +1551,43 @@ describe("buildOpenAIRealtimeVoiceProvider", () => {
     bridge.close();
   });
 
+  it("discards audio closed before the first connection and reconnects fresh", async () => {
+    const provider = buildOpenAIRealtimeVoiceProvider();
+    const onClose = vi.fn();
+    const bridge = provider.createBridge({
+      providerConfig: { apiKey: "sk-test" }, // pragma: allowlist secret
+      onAudio: vi.fn(),
+      onClearAudio: vi.fn(),
+      onClose,
+    });
+
+    bridge.sendAudio(Buffer.from("queued-before-connect"));
+    bridge.close();
+    bridge.close();
+    bridge.sendAudio(Buffer.from("sent-after-close"));
+
+    expect(FakeWebSocket.instances).toHaveLength(0);
+    expect(onClose).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
+
+    const connecting = bridge.connect();
+    const socket = FakeWebSocket.instances[0];
+    if (!socket) {
+      throw new Error("expected bridge to connect");
+    }
+    socket.readyState = FakeWebSocket.OPEN;
+    socket.emit("open");
+    socket.emit("message", Buffer.from(JSON.stringify({ type: "session.updated" })));
+    await connecting;
+
+    expect(
+      parseSent(socket).filter((event) => event.type === "input_audio_buffer.append"),
+    ).toHaveLength(0);
+
+    bridge.close();
+    expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalledOnce();
+    expect(onClose).toHaveBeenCalledWith("completed");
+  });
+
   it("does not carry queued audio across terminal close and explicit reconnect", async () => {
     const provider = buildOpenAIRealtimeVoiceProvider();
     const bridge = provider.createBridge({
diff --git a/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-provider.ts b/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-provider.ts
index 5c1f45305394..678ea0aac0c9 100644
--- a/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-provider.ts
+++ b/extensions/openai/realtime-voice-provider.ts
@@ -758,10 +758,13 @@ class OpenAIRealtimeVoiceBridge implements RealtimeVoiceBridge {
 
   close(): void {
     const connection = this.connection;
-    if (!connection || !this.lifecycle.cancel()) {
+    if (!this.lifecycle.cancel()) {
       return;
     }
     this.resetTerminalState();
+    if (!connection) {
+      return;
+    }
     const ws = this.ws;
     this.ws = null;
     ws?.close(1000, "Bridge closed");