diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 3a44d17a0..362116d5d 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -10,7 +10,25 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Added
 
-- Added `MCPClient`; a way to connect to MCP servers and use the MCP servers' tools.
+- Added `TransportParams.audio_in_passthrough`. If set (the default), incoming
+  audio will be pushed downstream.
+
+- Added `MCPClient`; a way to connect to MCP servers and use the MCP servers'
+  tools.
+
+### Changed
+
+- Input transports now always push audio downstream unless disabled with
+  `TransportParams.audio_in_passthrough`. After many Pipecat releases, we
+  realized this is the common use case. There are use cases where the input
+  transport already provides STT and you also don't want recordings, in which
+  case there's no need to push audio to the rest of the pipeline, but this is
+  not a very common case.
+
+### Deprecated
+
+- `TransportParams.vad_audio_passthrough` parameter is now deprecated, use
+  `TransportParams.audio_in_passthrough` instead.
 
 ### Fixed
 
diff --git a/src/pipecat/transports/base_input.py b/src/pipecat/transports/base_input.py
index 3e3760be1..0f206f08e 100644
--- a/src/pipecat/transports/base_input.py
+++ b/src/pipecat/transports/base_input.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 import asyncio
 from concurrent.futures import ThreadPoolExecutor
-from typing import Mapping, Optional
+from typing import Optional
 
 from loguru import logger
 
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ from pipecat.frames.frames import (
     UserStoppedSpeakingFrame,
     VADParamsUpdateFrame,
 )
-from pipecat.metrics.metrics import MetricsData, SmartTurnMetricsData
+from pipecat.metrics.metrics import MetricsData
 from pipecat.processors.frame_processor import FrameDirection, FrameProcessor
 from pipecat.transports.base_transport import TransportParams
 
@@ -55,6 +55,17 @@ class BaseInputTransport(FrameProcessor):
         # if passthrough is enabled.
         self._audio_task = None
 
+        if self._params.vad_audio_passthrough:
+            import warnings
+
+            with warnings.catch_warnings():
+                warnings.simplefilter("always")
+                warnings.warn(
+                    "Parameter 'vad_audio_passthrough' is deprecated, audio passthrough is now always enabled. Use 'audio_in_passthrough' to disable.",
+                    DeprecationWarning,
+                )
+            self._params.audio_in_passthrough = True
+
     def enable_audio_in_stream_on_start(self, enabled: bool) -> None:
         logger.debug(f"Enabling audio on start. {enabled}")
         self._params.audio_in_stream_on_start = enabled
@@ -247,8 +258,6 @@ class BaseInputTransport(FrameProcessor):
         while True:
             frame: InputAudioRawFrame = await self._audio_in_queue.get()
 
-            audio_passthrough = True
-
             # If an audio filter is available, run it before VAD.
             if self._params.audio_in_filter:
                 frame.audio = await self._params.audio_in_filter.filter(frame.audio)
@@ -258,13 +267,12 @@ class BaseInputTransport(FrameProcessor):
             previous_vad_state = vad_state
             if self._params.vad_enabled:
                 vad_state = await self._handle_vad(frame, vad_state)
-                audio_passthrough = self._params.vad_audio_passthrough
 
             if self._params.turn_analyzer:
                 await self._run_turn_analyzer(frame, vad_state, previous_vad_state)
 
-            # Push audio downstream if passthrough.
-            if audio_passthrough:
+            # Push audio downstream if passthrough is set.
+            if self._params.audio_in_passthrough:
                 await self.push_frame(frame)
 
             self._audio_in_queue.task_done()
diff --git a/src/pipecat/transports/base_transport.py b/src/pipecat/transports/base_transport.py
index 9ef573f7c..28bbfe055 100644
--- a/src/pipecat/transports/base_transport.py
+++ b/src/pipecat/transports/base_transport.py
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ class TransportParams(BaseModel):
     audio_in_channels: int = 1
     audio_in_filter: Optional[BaseAudioFilter] = None
     audio_in_stream_on_start: bool = True
+    audio_in_passthrough: bool = True
     vad_enabled: bool = False
     vad_audio_passthrough: bool = False
     vad_analyzer: Optional[VADAnalyzer] = None