diff --git a/src/agents/voice/models/openai_stt.py b/src/agents/voice/models/openai_stt.py
index 939af0be62..f14db755c7 100644
--- a/src/agents/voice/models/openai_stt.py
+++ b/src/agents/voice/models/openai_stt.py
@@ -40,6 +40,10 @@ class WebsocketDoneSentinel:
     pass
 
 
+class _ListenerError(Exception):
+    pass
+
+
 def _audio_to_base64(audio_data: list[npt.NDArray[np.int16 | np.float32]]) -> str:
     return _audio_buffer_to_base64(np.concatenate(audio_data))
 
@@ -55,7 +59,9 @@ def _audio_buffer_to_base64(buffer: npt.NDArray[np.int16 | np.float32]) -> str:
 
 
 async def _wait_for_event(
-    event_queue: asyncio.Queue[dict[str, Any]], expected_types: list[str], timeout: float
+    event_queue: asyncio.Queue[dict[str, Any] | ErrorSentinel],
+    expected_types: list[str],
+    timeout: float,
 ):
     """
     Wait for an event from event_queue whose type is in expected_types within the specified timeout.
@@ -66,6 +72,8 @@ async def _wait_for_event(
         if remaining <= 0:
             raise TimeoutError(f"Timeout waiting for event(s): {expected_types}")
         evt = await asyncio.wait_for(event_queue.get(), timeout=remaining)
+        if isinstance(evt, ErrorSentinel):
+            raise _ListenerError("Websocket listener failed") from evt.error
         evt_type = evt.get("type", "")
         if evt_type in expected_types:
             return evt
@@ -98,8 +106,10 @@ def __init__(
             asyncio.Queue()
         )
         self._websocket: websockets.ClientConnection | None = None
-        self._event_queue: asyncio.Queue[dict[str, Any] | WebsocketDoneSentinel] = asyncio.Queue()
-        self._state_queue: asyncio.Queue[dict[str, Any]] = asyncio.Queue()
+        self._event_queue: asyncio.Queue[dict[str, Any] | ErrorSentinel | WebsocketDoneSentinel] = (
+            asyncio.Queue()
+        )
+        self._state_queue: asyncio.Queue[dict[str, Any] | ErrorSentinel] = asyncio.Queue()
         self._turn_audio_buffer: list[npt.NDArray[np.int16 | np.float32]] = []
         self._tracing_span: Span[TranscriptionSpanData] | None = None
 
@@ -140,8 +150,8 @@ def _end_turn(self, _transcript: str) -> None:
     async def _event_listener(self) -> None:
         assert self._websocket is not None, "Websocket not initialized"
 
-        async for message in self._websocket:
-            try:
+        try:
+            async for message in self._websocket:
                 event = json.loads(message)
 
                 if event.get("type") == "error":
@@ -156,10 +166,12 @@ async def _event_listener(self) -> None:
                     await self._state_queue.put(event)
 
                 await self._event_queue.put(event)
-            except Exception as e:
-                await self._output_queue.put(ErrorSentinel(e))
-                raise STTWebsocketConnectionError("Error parsing events") from e
-        await self._event_queue.put(WebsocketDoneSentinel())
+        except Exception as e:
+            error = ErrorSentinel(e)
+            await self._event_queue.put(error)
+            await self._state_queue.put(error)
+        finally:
+            await self._event_queue.put(WebsocketDoneSentinel())
 
     async def _configure_session(self) -> None:
         assert self._websocket is not None, "Websocket not initialized"
@@ -191,6 +203,8 @@ async def _setup_connection(self, ws: websockets.ClientConnection) -> None:
                 ["session.created", "transcription_session.created"],
                 SESSION_CREATION_TIMEOUT,
             )
+        except _ListenerError:
+            raise
         except TimeoutError as e:
             wrapped_err = STTWebsocketConnectionError(
                 "Timeout waiting for transcription_session.created event"
@@ -213,6 +227,8 @@ async def _setup_connection(self, ws: websockets.ClientConnection) -> None:
                 logger.debug("Session updated")
             else:
                 logger.debug("Session updated: %s", event)
+        except _ListenerError:
+            raise
         except TimeoutError as e:
             wrapped_err = STTWebsocketConnectionError(
                 "Timeout waiting for transcription_session.updated event"
@@ -232,6 +248,8 @@ async def _handle_events(self) -> None:
                 if isinstance(event, WebsocketDoneSentinel):
                     # processed all events and websocket is done
                     break
+                if isinstance(event, ErrorSentinel):
+                    raise STTWebsocketConnectionError("Error parsing events") from event.error
 
                 event_type = event.get("type", "unknown")
                 if event_type in [
@@ -298,6 +316,11 @@ async def _process_websocket_connection(self) -> None:
                 else:
                     logger.error("Listener task not initialized")
                     raise AgentsException("Listener task not initialized")
+        except _ListenerError as e:
+            if self._process_events_task is None:
+                self._process_events_task = asyncio.create_task(self._handle_events())
+            await self._process_events_task
+            raise STTWebsocketConnectionError("Error parsing events") from e.__cause__
         except Exception as e:
             await self._output_queue.put(ErrorSentinel(e))
             raise
diff --git a/tests/voice/test_openai_stt.py b/tests/voice/test_openai_stt.py
index 1514676bbe..e75e27c37a 100644
--- a/tests/voice/test_openai_stt.py
+++ b/tests/voice/test_openai_stt.py
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
     from agents.voice.models.openai_stt import (
         EVENT_INACTIVITY_TIMEOUT,
         ErrorSentinel,
+        WebsocketDoneSentinel,
         _audio_buffer_to_base64,
     )
 
@@ -612,19 +613,29 @@ def fake_time_func():
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio
-async def test_session_error_event():
+async def test_session_error_event(monkeypatch: pytest.MonkeyPatch):
     """
-    If the session receives an event with "type": "error", it should propagate an exception
-    and put an ErrorSentinel in the output queue.
+    If the session receives an event with "type": "error", it should emit preceding transcripts,
+    drain the event processor, and then propagate an exception.
     """
     mock_ws = create_mock_websocket(
         [
             json.dumps({"type": "transcription_session.created"}),
             json.dumps({"type": "transcription_session.updated"}),
+            json.dumps(
+                {
+                    "type": "conversation.item.input_audio_transcription.completed",
+                    "transcript": "Transcript before error",
+                }
+            ),
             # Then an error from the server
             json.dumps({"type": "error", "error": "Simulated server error!"}),
         ]
     )
+    monkeypatch.setattr(
+        "agents.voice.models.openai_stt.EVENT_INACTIVITY_TIMEOUT",
+        0.1,
+    )
 
     with patch("websockets.connect", return_value=mock_ws):
         audio_input = await FakeStreamedAudioInput.get(count=2)
@@ -638,13 +649,95 @@ async def test_session_error_event():
             trace_include_sensitive_data=False,
             trace_include_sensitive_audio_data=False,
         )
+        event_queue_put = AsyncMock(wraps=session._event_queue.put)
+        monkeypatch.setattr(session._event_queue, "put", event_queue_put)
 
+        collected_turns: list[str] = []
         with pytest.raises(STTWebsocketConnectionError):
             turns = session.transcribe_turns()
-            async for _ in turns:
-                pass
+            async for turn in turns:
+                collected_turns.append(turn)
 
+        assert collected_turns == ["Transcript before error"]
+        assert any(
+            isinstance(call.args[0], WebsocketDoneSentinel)
+            for call in event_queue_put.await_args_list
+        )
         await session.close()
+        assert session._process_events_task is not None
+        assert session._process_events_task.done()
+        assert not session._process_events_task.cancelled()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_session_error_event_before_session_created():
+    mock_ws = create_mock_websocket(
+        [json.dumps({"type": "error", "error": "Simulated setup error!"})]
+    )
+
+    with patch("websockets.connect", return_value=mock_ws):
+        audio_input = await FakeStreamedAudioInput.get(count=2)
+        session = OpenAISTTTranscriptionSession(
+            input=audio_input,
+            client=AsyncMock(api_key="FAKE_KEY"),
+            model="whisper-1",
+            settings=STTModelSettings(),
+            trace_include_sensitive_data=False,
+            trace_include_sensitive_audio_data=False,
+        )
+
+        async def consume_turns() -> None:
+            async for _ in session.transcribe_turns():
+                pass
+
+        with pytest.raises(STTWebsocketConnectionError):
+            await asyncio.wait_for(consume_turns(), timeout=1)
+
+        assert session._process_events_task is not None
+        assert session._process_events_task.done()
+        assert not session._process_events_task.cancelled()
+
+
+@pytest.mark.asyncio
+async def test_listener_timeout_drains_buffered_transcript_before_setup():
+    messages = [
+        json.dumps(
+            {
+                "type": "conversation.item.input_audio_transcription.completed",
+                "transcript": "Transcript before listener timeout",
+            }
+        )
+    ]
+
+    async def messages_then_timeout() -> AsyncGenerator[str, None]:
+        for message in messages:
+            yield message
+        raise TimeoutError("Simulated listener timeout")
+
+    mock_ws = AsyncMock()
+    mock_ws.__aenter__.return_value = mock_ws
+    mock_ws.__aiter__.side_effect = messages_then_timeout
+
+    with patch("websockets.connect", return_value=mock_ws):
+        audio_input = await FakeStreamedAudioInput.get(count=2)
+        session = OpenAISTTTranscriptionSession(
+            input=audio_input,
+            client=AsyncMock(api_key="FAKE_KEY"),
+            model="whisper-1",
+            settings=STTModelSettings(),
+            trace_include_sensitive_data=False,
+            trace_include_sensitive_audio_data=False,
+        )
+
+        collected_turns: list[str] = []
+        with pytest.raises(STTWebsocketConnectionError):
+            async for turn in session.transcribe_turns():
+                collected_turns.append(turn)
+
+        assert collected_turns == ["Transcript before listener timeout"]
+        assert session._process_events_task is not None
+        assert session._process_events_task.done()
+        assert not session._process_events_task.cancelled()
 
 
 @pytest.mark.asyncio