diff --git a/esphome/components/i2s_audio/speaker/i2s_audio_speaker.cpp b/esphome/components/i2s_audio/speaker/i2s_audio_speaker.cpp
index f6e074cc11..d9daaf65fc 100644
--- a/esphome/components/i2s_audio/speaker/i2s_audio_speaker.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/i2s_audio/speaker/i2s_audio_speaker.cpp
@@ -26,6 +26,7 @@ static const char *const TAG = "i2s_audio.speaker";
 enum SpeakerEventGroupBits : uint32_t {
   COMMAND_START = (1 << 0),                           // Starts the main task purpose
   COMMAND_STOP = (1 << 1),                            // stops the main task
+  COMMAND_STOP_GRACEFULLY = (1 << 2),                 // Stops the task once all data has been written
   MESSAGE_RING_BUFFER_AVAILABLE_TO_WRITE = (1 << 5),  // Locks the ring buffer when not set
   STATE_STARTING = (1 << 10),
   STATE_RUNNING = (1 << 11),
@@ -194,8 +195,6 @@ size_t I2SAudioSpeaker::play(const uint8_t *data, size_t length, TickType_t tick
     ESP_LOGE(TAG, "Cannot play audio, speaker failed to setup");
     return 0;
   }
-  if (this->state_ == speaker::STATE_STOPPING)
-    return 0;
 
   if (this->state_ != speaker::STATE_RUNNING && this->state_ != speaker::STATE_STARTING) {
     this->start();
@@ -229,14 +228,15 @@ bool I2SAudioSpeaker::has_buffered_data() const {
 
 void I2SAudioSpeaker::speaker_task(void *params) {
   I2SAudioSpeaker *this_speaker = (I2SAudioSpeaker *) params;
-  uint32_t event_group_bits = xEventGroupWaitBits(
-      this_speaker->event_group_,
-      SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_START | SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_STOP,  // Bit message to read
-      pdTRUE,                                                                      // Clear the bits on exit
-      pdFALSE,                                                                     // Don't wait for all the bits,
-      portMAX_DELAY);  // Block indefinitely until a bit is set
+  uint32_t event_group_bits =
+      xEventGroupWaitBits(this_speaker->event_group_,
+                          SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_START | SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_STOP |
+                              SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_STOP_GRACEFULLY,  // Bit message to read
+                          pdTRUE,                                              // Clear the bits on exit
+                          pdFALSE,                                             // Don't wait for all the bits,
+                          portMAX_DELAY);                                      // Block indefinitely until a bit is set
 
-  if (event_group_bits & (SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_STOP)) {
+  if (event_group_bits & (SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_STOP | SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_STOP_GRACEFULLY)) {
     // Received a stop signal before the task was requested to start
     this_speaker->delete_task_(0);
   }
@@ -269,6 +269,7 @@ void I2SAudioSpeaker::speaker_task(void *params) {
 
     xEventGroupSetBits(this_speaker->event_group_, SpeakerEventGroupBits::STATE_RUNNING);
 
+    bool stop_gracefully = false;
     uint32_t last_data_received_time = millis();
 
     while ((millis() - last_data_received_time) <= this_speaker->timeout_) {
@@ -278,11 +279,16 @@ void I2SAudioSpeaker::speaker_task(void *params) {
         break;
       }
 
+      if (event_group_bits & SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_STOP_GRACEFULLY) {
+        stop_gracefully = true;
+      }
+
       size_t bytes_to_read = dma_buffers_size;
       size_t bytes_read = this_speaker->audio_ring_buffer_->read((void *) this_speaker->data_buffer_, bytes_to_read,
                                                                  pdMS_TO_TICKS(TASK_DELAY_MS));
 
       if (bytes_read > 0) {
+        last_data_received_time = millis();
         size_t bytes_written = 0;
 
         if ((audio_stream_info.bits_per_sample == 16) && (this_speaker->q15_volume_factor_ < INT16_MAX)) {
@@ -304,6 +310,15 @@ void I2SAudioSpeaker::speaker_task(void *params) {
           xEventGroupSetBits(this_speaker->event_group_, SpeakerEventGroupBits::ERR_ESP_INVALID_SIZE);
           continue;
         }
+
+      } else {
+        // No data received
+
+        if (stop_gracefully) {
+          break;
+        }
+
+        i2s_zero_dma_buffer(this_speaker->parent_->get_port());
         last_data_received_time = millis();
       }
     }
@@ -311,15 +326,12 @@ void I2SAudioSpeaker::speaker_task(void *params) {
     // Couldn't configure the I2S port to be compatible with the incoming audio
     xEventGroupSetBits(this_speaker->event_group_, SpeakerEventGroupBits::ERR_INVALID_FORMAT);
   }
-  uint64_t tmp = 0;
-  size_t bytes_written = 0;
-  i2s_write(this_speaker->parent_->get_port(), &tmp, 8, &bytes_written, portMAX_DELAY);
 
   i2s_zero_dma_buffer(this_speaker->parent_->get_port());
 
   xEventGroupSetBits(this_speaker->event_group_, SpeakerEventGroupBits::STATE_STOPPING);
 
-  // i2s_stop(this_speaker->parent_->get_port());
+  i2s_stop(this_speaker->parent_->get_port());
   i2s_driver_uninstall(this_speaker->parent_->get_port());
 
   this_speaker->parent_->unlock();
@@ -347,8 +359,7 @@ void I2SAudioSpeaker::start() {
 
 void I2SAudioSpeaker::stop() { this->stop_(false); }
 
-void I2SAudioSpeaker::finish() { /*do notting. */
-}
+void I2SAudioSpeaker::finish() { this->stop_(true); }
 
 void I2SAudioSpeaker::stop_(bool wait_on_empty) {
   if (this->is_failed())
@@ -357,7 +368,7 @@ void I2SAudioSpeaker::stop_(bool wait_on_empty) {
     return;
 
   if (wait_on_empty) {
-    this->state_ = speaker::STATE_STOPPING;
+    xEventGroupSetBits(this->event_group_, SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_STOP_GRACEFULLY);
   } else {
     xEventGroupSetBits(this->event_group_, SpeakerEventGroupBits::COMMAND_STOP);
   }