diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 58a64ae90..8201001c3 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -38,6 +38,9 @@ and this project adheres to [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0
 
 ### Changed
 
+- `STTMuteFilter` now pushes the `STTMuteFrame` upstream and downstream, to
+  allow for more flexible `STTMuteFilter` placement.
+
 - Play delayed messages from `ElevenLabsTTSService` if they still belong to the
   current context.
 
diff --git a/examples/foundational/24-stt-mute-filter.py b/examples/foundational/24-stt-mute-filter.py
index 2706bebaf..a39314e92 100644
--- a/examples/foundational/24-stt-mute-filter.py
+++ b/examples/foundational/24-stt-mute-filter.py
@@ -111,8 +111,8 @@ async def run_example(transport: BaseTransport, _: argparse.Namespace, handle_si
     pipeline = Pipeline(
         [
             transport.input(),  # Transport user input
-            stt_mute_processor,  # Add the mute processor before STT
             stt,  # STT
+            stt_mute_processor,  # Add the mute processor between STT and context aggregator
             context_aggregator.user(),  # User responses
             llm,  # LLM
             tts,  # TTS
diff --git a/src/pipecat/processors/filters/stt_mute_filter.py b/src/pipecat/processors/filters/stt_mute_filter.py
index 700313d31..5e77b60ee 100644
--- a/src/pipecat/processors/filters/stt_mute_filter.py
+++ b/src/pipecat/processors/filters/stt_mute_filter.py
@@ -133,7 +133,8 @@ class STTMuteFilter(FrameProcessor):
         if should_mute != self.is_muted:
             logger.debug(f"STTMuteFilter {'muting' if should_mute else 'unmuting'}")
             self._is_muted = should_mute
-            await self.push_frame(STTMuteFrame(mute=should_mute))
+            await self.push_frame(STTMuteFrame(mute=should_mute), FrameDirection.UPSTREAM)
+            await self.push_frame(STTMuteFrame(mute=should_mute), FrameDirection.DOWNSTREAM)
 
     async def _should_mute(self) -> bool:
         """Determine if STT should be muted based on current state and strategies."""