diff --git a/examples/foundational/19-openai-realtime-beta.py b/examples/foundational/19-openai-realtime-beta.py
index 47efb5887..3a5af542e 100644
--- a/examples/foundational/19-openai-realtime-beta.py
+++ b/examples/foundational/19-openai-realtime-beta.py
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ from pipecat.processors.aggregators.openai_llm_context import (
 )
 from pipecat.services.openai_realtime_beta import (
     OpenAILLMServiceRealtimeBeta,
-    OpenAITurnDetection,
-    RealtimeSessionProperties,
+    TurnDetection,
+    SessionProperties,
 )
 from pipecat.transports.services.daily import DailyParams, DailyTransport
 from pipecat.vad.silero import SileroVADAnalyzer
@@ -83,8 +83,8 @@ async def main():
             ),
         )
 
-        session_properties = RealtimeSessionProperties(
-            turn_detection=OpenAITurnDetection(silence_duration_ms=1000),
+        session_properties = SessionProperties(
+            turn_detection=TurnDetection(silence_duration_ms=1000),
             tools=tools,
             instructions="""
 Your knowledge cutoff is 2023-10. You are a helpful and friendly AI.
diff --git a/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta/__init__.py b/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta/__init__.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..1df8c5f44
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta/__init__.py
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+from .llm_and_context import OpenAILLMServiceRealtimeBeta
+from .client_events import SessionProperties, TurnDetection
diff --git a/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta/client_events.py b/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta/client_events.py
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..578e56822
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta/client_events.py
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+from pydantic import BaseModel
+from typing import Dict, List, Optional, Literal
+
+
+class InputAudioTranscription(BaseModel):
+    model: Optional[str] = "whisper-1"
+
+
+class TurnDetection(BaseModel):
+    type: Optional[Literal["server_vad"]] = "server_vad"
+    threshold: Optional[float] = 0.5
+    prefix_padding_ms: Optional[int] = 300
+    silence_duration_ms: Optional[int] = 800
+
+
+class SessionProperties(BaseModel):
+    modalities: Optional[List[Literal["text", "audio"]]] = ["text", "audio"]
+    instructions: Optional[str] = None
+    voice: Optional[str] = "alloy"
+    input_audio_format: Optional[Literal["pcm16", "g711_ulaw", "g711_alaw"]] = "pcm16"
+    output_audio_format: Optional[Literal["pcm16", "g711_ulaw", "g711_alaw"]] = "pcm16"
+    input_audio_transcription: Optional[InputAudioTranscription] = InputAudioTranscription()
+    turn_detection: Optional[TurnDetection] = TurnDetection()
+    tools: Optional[List[Dict]] = []
+    tool_choice: Optional[Literal["auto", "none", "required"]] = "auto"
+    temperature: Optional[float] = 0.8
+    max_response_output_tokens: Optional[int] = 4096
+
+
+class SessionUpdateEvent(BaseModel):
+    event_id: str
+    type: Literal["session.update"]
+    session: SessionProperties
diff --git a/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta.py b/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta/llm_and_context.py
similarity index 94%
rename from src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta.py
rename to src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta/llm_and_context.py
index 819354ac8..5781ca00a 100644
--- a/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta.py
+++ b/src/pipecat/services/openai_realtime_beta/llm_and_context.py
@@ -1,11 +1,11 @@
 import asyncio
 import base64
 import random
+import traceback
 import json
 import websockets
 
 from copy import deepcopy
-from typing import List, Optional
 from pydantic import BaseModel, Field
 
 
@@ -37,6 +37,8 @@ from pipecat.processors.aggregators.openai_llm_context import (
     OpenAILLMContextFrame,
 )
 
+from . import client_events as events
+
 from loguru import logger
 
 # temp: websocket logger
@@ -112,29 +114,13 @@ class OpenAITurnDetection(BaseModel):
     )
 
 
-class RealtimeSessionProperties(BaseModel):
-    modalities: List[str] = Field(default=["text", "audio"])
-    instructions: str = Field(default="")
-    voice: str = Field(default="alloy")
-    input_audio_format: str = Field(default="pcm16")
-    output_audio_format: str = Field(default="pcm16")
-    input_audio_transcription: Optional[OpenAIInputTranscription] = Field(
-        default=OpenAIInputTranscription()
-    )
-    turn_detection: Optional[OpenAITurnDetection] = Field(default=None)
-    tools: List[dict] = Field(default=[])
-    tool_choice: str = Field(default="auto")
-    temperature: float = Field(default=0.8)
-    max_response_output_tokens: int = Field(default=4096)
-
-
 class OpenAILLMServiceRealtimeBeta(LLMService):
     def __init__(
         self,
         *,
         api_key: str,
         base_url="wss://api.openai.com/v1/realtime?model=gpt-4o-realtime-preview-2024-10-01",
-        session_properties: RealtimeSessionProperties = RealtimeSessionProperties(),
+        session_properties: events.SessionProperties = events.SessionProperties(),
         **kwargs,
     ):
         super().__init__(base_url=base_url, **kwargs)
@@ -175,7 +161,7 @@ class OpenAILLMServiceRealtimeBeta(LLMService):
         await self._ws_send(
             {
                 "type": "session.update",
-                "session": self._session_properties.dict(),
+                "session": self._session_properties.dict(exclude_none=True),
             }
         )
 
@@ -223,6 +209,8 @@ class OpenAILLMServiceRealtimeBeta(LLMService):
                 if not msg:
                     continue
                 if msg["type"] == "session.created":
+                    # session.created is received right after connecting. send a message
+                    # to configure the session properties.
                     await self.update_session_properties()
                 elif msg["type"] == "session.updated":
                     self._session_properties = msg["session"]
@@ -326,7 +314,7 @@ class OpenAILLMServiceRealtimeBeta(LLMService):
         except asyncio.CancelledError:
             pass
         except Exception as e:
-            logger.error(f"{self} exception: {e}")
+            logger.error(f"{self} exception: {e}\n\nStack trace:\n{traceback.format_exc()}")
 
     async def _handle_function_call_items(self, items):
         total_items = len(items)