diff --git a/src/pipecat/services/google/gemini_live/llm.py b/src/pipecat/services/google/gemini_live/llm.py
index f58972ea4..706c6d475 100644
--- a/src/pipecat/services/google/gemini_live/llm.py
+++ b/src/pipecat/services/google/gemini_live/llm.py
@@ -803,6 +803,7 @@ class GeminiLiveLLMService(LLMService):
 
         self._audio_input_paused = start_audio_paused
         self._video_input_paused = start_video_paused
+        self._ready_for_realtime_input = False
         self._context = None
         self._api_key = api_key
         self._http_options = update_google_client_http_options(http_options)
@@ -996,7 +997,7 @@ class GeminiLiveLLMService(LLMService):
 
     async def _handle_user_started_speaking(self, frame):
         self._user_is_speaking = True
-        if self._vad_disabled and self._session:
+        if self._vad_disabled and self._session and self._ready_for_realtime_input:
             try:
                 await self._session.send_realtime_input(activity_start=ActivityStart())
             except Exception as e:
@@ -1006,7 +1007,7 @@ class GeminiLiveLLMService(LLMService):
         self._user_is_speaking = False
         self._user_audio_buffer = bytearray()
         await self.start_ttfb_metrics()
-        if self._vad_disabled and self._session:
+        if self._vad_disabled and self._session and self._ready_for_realtime_input:
             try:
                 await self._session.send_realtime_input(activity_end=ActivityEnd())
             except Exception as e:
@@ -1489,13 +1490,19 @@ class GeminiLiveLLMService(LLMService):
                 await self._session.close()
                 self._session = None
             self._completed_tool_calls = set()
+            self._ready_for_realtime_input = False
             self._disconnecting = False
         except Exception as e:
             await self.push_error(error_msg=f"Error disconnecting: {e}", exception=e)
 
     async def _send_user_audio(self, frame):
         """Send user audio frame to Gemini Live API."""
-        if self._audio_input_paused or self._disconnecting or not self._session:
+        if (
+            self._audio_input_paused
+            or self._disconnecting
+            or not self._session
+            or not self._ready_for_realtime_input
+        ):
             return
 
         # Send all audio to Gemini
@@ -1530,7 +1537,7 @@ class GeminiLiveLLMService(LLMService):
         Args:
             text: The text to send as user input.
         """
-        if self._disconnecting or not self._session:
+        if self._disconnecting or not self._session or not self._ready_for_realtime_input:
             return
 
         try:
@@ -1540,7 +1547,12 @@ class GeminiLiveLLMService(LLMService):
 
     async def _send_user_video(self, frame):
         """Send user video frame to Gemini Live API."""
-        if self._video_input_paused or self._disconnecting or not self._session:
+        if (
+            self._video_input_paused
+            or self._disconnecting
+            or not self._session
+            or not self._ready_for_realtime_input
+        ):
             return
 
         now = time.time()
@@ -1571,6 +1583,8 @@ class GeminiLiveLLMService(LLMService):
         adapter: GeminiLLMAdapter = self.get_llm_adapter()
         messages = adapter.get_llm_invocation_params(self._context).get("messages", [])
         if not messages:
+            # No messages to seed convo with, so we're ready for realtime input right away
+            self._ready_for_realtime_input = True
             return
 
         logger.debug(f"Creating initial response: {messages}")
@@ -1594,6 +1608,8 @@ class GeminiLiveLLMService(LLMService):
         if not self._inference_on_context_initialization and not self._is_gemini_3:
             self._needs_initial_turn_complete_message = True
 
+        self._ready_for_realtime_input = True
+
     async def _create_single_response(self, messages_list):
         """Create a single response from a list of messages.