diff --git a/esphome/components/voice_assistant/voice_assistant.cpp b/esphome/components/voice_assistant/voice_assistant.cpp
index 802ae508ff..f699b0138d 100644
--- a/esphome/components/voice_assistant/voice_assistant.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/voice_assistant/voice_assistant.cpp
@@ -188,6 +188,7 @@ void VoiceAssistant::loop() {
           } else {
             ESP_LOGD(TAG, "VAD detected speech");
             this->set_state_(State::START_PIPELINE, State::STREAMING_MICROPHONE);
+            this->vad_counter_ = 0;
           }
         } else {
           if (this->vad_counter_ > 0) {