diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 73220225..38882144 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -557,7 +557,8 @@ live:
 
 | Option | Default | Overridable | Description |
 | - | - | - | - |
-| `disconnect_seconds` | `60` | :white_check_mark: | The number of seconds after which to disconnect the microphone from the stream. `0` implies never. |
+| `always_connected` | `false` | :white_check_mark: | Whether or not to keep the microphone stream continually connected while the card is running, or only when microphone is used (default). In the latter case there'll be a connection reset when the microphone is first used -- using this option can avoid that reset.|
+| `disconnect_seconds` | `60` | :white_check_mark: | The number of seconds after microphone usage to disconnect the microphone from the stream. `0` implies never. Not relevant if `always_connected` is `true`.|
 
 See [Using 2-way audio](#using-2-way-audio) for more information about the very particular requirements that must be followed for 2-way audio to work.
 
@@ -1098,7 +1099,7 @@ menu:
 Usage:
    * The camera will always load without the microphone connected.
    * To speak, hold-down the microphone menu button.
-      * On first press, this will reset the `webrtc` connection to include 2-way audio.
+      * On first press, this will reset the `webrtc` connection to include 2-way audio (unless the `always_connected` microphone option is set to `true`).
       * Thereafter hold the microphone button down to unmute/speak, let go to mute.
    * The video will automatically reset to remove the microphone after the number of seconds specified by `disconnect_seconds` in the `microphone` configuration have elapsed since the last mute/unmute press.
 
@@ -1877,6 +1878,7 @@ live:
       x: 50
       y: 50
   microphone:
+    always_connected: false
     disconnect_seconds: 60
   actions:
     entity: light.office_main_lights
diff --git a/src/card.ts b/src/card.ts
index 4f90fc23..81a1b1da 100644
--- a/src/card.ts
+++ b/src/card.ts
@@ -152,6 +152,7 @@ enum InitializationAspect {
   SIDE_LOAD_ELEMENTS = 'side-load-elements',
   MEDIA_PLAYERS = 'media-players',
   CAMERAS = 'cameras',
+  MICROPHONE = 'microphone',
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1009,8 +1010,6 @@ class FrigateCard extends LitElement {
       setPerformanceCSSStyles(this, this._cardWideConfig?.performance);
     }
 
-    this._initializeBackground();
-
     if (changedProps.has('_view')) {
       this._setPropertiesForExpandedMode();
     }
@@ -1025,10 +1024,16 @@ class FrigateCard extends LitElement {
       oldConfig?.live.microphone.disconnect_seconds !==
         newConfig.live.microphone.disconnect_seconds
     ) {
+      const config = this._getConfig();
       this._microphoneController = new MicrophoneController(
-        this._getConfig().live.microphone.disconnect_seconds,
+        config.live.microphone.always_connected
+          ? undefined
+          : config.live.microphone.disconnect_seconds,
       );
     }
+
+    // Must be called after the microphoneController is created.
+    this._initializeBackground();
   }
 
   protected _setPropertiesForMinMaxHeight(): void {
@@ -1204,6 +1209,10 @@ class FrigateCard extends LitElement {
     }
   }
 
+  protected async _initializeMicrophone(): Promise<void> {
+    await this._microphoneController?.connect();
+  }
+
   protected async _initializeMediaPlayers(hass: HomeAssistant): Promise<void> {
     const isValidMediaPlayer = (entityID: string): boolean => {
       if (entityID.startsWith('media_player.')) {
@@ -1299,19 +1308,33 @@ class FrigateCard extends LitElement {
   protected _initializeBackground(): void {
     const hass = this._hass;
     const config = this._getConfig();
-    const needMediaPlayers = config.menu.buttons.media_player.enabled;
-    if (!hass || !config || !needMediaPlayers) {
+    if (!hass || !config) {
       return;
     }
 
-    if (this._initializer.isInitialized(InitializationAspect.MEDIA_PLAYERS)) {
+    if (
+      this._initializer.isInitializedMultiple([
+        ...(config.menu.buttons.media_player.enabled
+          ? [InitializationAspect.MEDIA_PLAYERS]
+          : []),
+        ...(config.live.microphone.always_connected
+          ? [InitializationAspect.MICROPHONE]
+          : []),
+      ])
+    ) {
       return;
     }
 
     this._initializer
       .initializeMultipleIfNecessary({
-        [InitializationAspect.MEDIA_PLAYERS]: async () =>
-          await this._initializeMediaPlayers(hass),
+        ...(config.menu.buttons.media_player.enabled && {
+          [InitializationAspect.MEDIA_PLAYERS]: async () =>
+            await this._initializeMediaPlayers(hass),
+        }),
+        ...(config.live.microphone.always_connected && {
+          [InitializationAspect.MICROPHONE]: async () =>
+            await this._initializeMicrophone(),
+        }),
       })
       .then((initialized) => {
         if (initialized) {
@@ -1601,7 +1624,7 @@ class FrigateCard extends LitElement {
 
           // Must requestUpdate to show the correct microphone state in the
           // menu.
-          this._microphoneController?.connect().then(() => this.requestUpdate());
+          this._initializeMicrophone().then(() => this.requestUpdate());
         } else if (this._microphoneController?.isConnected()) {
           this._microphoneController.unmute();
           this.requestUpdate();
diff --git a/src/components/live/live-go2rtc.ts b/src/components/live/live-go2rtc.ts
index 478f460e..e050824d 100644
--- a/src/components/live/live-go2rtc.ts
+++ b/src/components/live/live-go2rtc.ts
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class FrigateCardGo2RTCPlayer extends VideoRTC {
   constructor(microphoneStream?: MediaStream) {
     super();
     if (microphoneStream) {
-      this._microphoneStream = this._microphoneStream;
+      this._microphoneStream = microphoneStream;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/const.ts b/src/const.ts
index d83bff3b..e635fdab 100644
--- a/src/const.ts
+++ b/src/const.ts
@@ -194,6 +194,8 @@ export const CONF_LIVE_SHOW_IMAGE_DURING_LOAD =
   `${CONF_LIVE}.show_image_during_load` as const;
 export const CONF_LIVE_MICROPHONE_DISCONNECT_SECONDS =
   `${CONF_LIVE}.microphone.disconnect_seconds` as const;
+export const CONF_LIVE_MICROPHONE_ALWAYS_CONNECTED =
+  `${CONF_LIVE}.microphone.always_connected` as const;
 export const CONF_LIVE_ZOOMABLE = `${CONF_LIVE}.zoomable` as const;
 
 const CONF_IMAGE = 'image' as const;
diff --git a/src/editor.ts b/src/editor.ts
index 21aa0b02..6093770c 100644
--- a/src/editor.ts
+++ b/src/editor.ts
@@ -156,6 +156,7 @@ import {
   CONF_VIEW_UPDATE_FORCE,
   CONF_VIEW_UPDATE_SECONDS,
   MEDIA_CHUNK_SIZE_MAX,
+  CONF_LIVE_MICROPHONE_ALWAYS_CONNECTED,
 } from './const.js';
 import { localize } from './localize/localize.js';
 import { setLowPerformanceProfile } from './performance.js';
@@ -1878,6 +1879,10 @@ export class FrigateCardEditor extends LitElement implements LovelaceCardEditor
                   { name: 'mdi:microphone' },
                   html`
                     ${this._renderNumberInput(CONF_LIVE_MICROPHONE_DISCONNECT_SECONDS)}
+                    ${this._renderSwitch(
+                      CONF_LIVE_MICROPHONE_ALWAYS_CONNECTED,
+                      this._defaults.live.microphone.always_connected,
+                    )}
                   `,
                 )}
               </div>
diff --git a/src/localize/languages/en.json b/src/localize/languages/en.json
index cfbaeb7e..5d193951 100644
--- a/src/localize/languages/en.json
+++ b/src/localize/languages/en.json
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@
       "lazy_load": "Live cameras are lazily loaded",
       "lazy_unload": "Live cameras are lazily unloaded",
       "microphone": {
+        "always_connected": "Always keep the microphone connected",
         "disconnect_seconds": "Seconds after which to disconnect microphone (0=never)",
         "editor_label": "Microphone",
         "enabled": "Microphone enabled"
diff --git a/src/localize/languages/it.json b/src/localize/languages/it.json
index cfa9df35..f48f9668 100644
--- a/src/localize/languages/it.json
+++ b/src/localize/languages/it.json
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@
       "lazy_load": "Le telecamere dal vivo sono pigramente cariche",
       "lazy_unload": "Le telecamere dal vivo sono pigramente non caricate",
       "microphone": {
+        "always_connected": "",
         "disconnect_seconds": "",
         "editor_label": "",
         "enabled": ""
diff --git a/src/localize/languages/pt-BR.json b/src/localize/languages/pt-BR.json
index 55a31aa8..e5bf41fe 100644
--- a/src/localize/languages/pt-BR.json
+++ b/src/localize/languages/pt-BR.json
@@ -220,6 +220,7 @@
       "lazy_load": "As câmeras ao vivo são carregadas lentamente",
       "lazy_unload": "As câmeras ao vivo são descarregadas preguiçosamente",
       "microphone": {
+        "always_connected": "",
         "disconnect_seconds": "",
         "editor_label": "",
         "enabled": ""
diff --git a/src/localize/languages/pt-PT.json b/src/localize/languages/pt-PT.json
index 3ea3ad98..f063e62b 100644
--- a/src/localize/languages/pt-PT.json
+++ b/src/localize/languages/pt-PT.json
@@ -212,6 +212,12 @@
       "layout": "layout",
       "lazy_load": "As câmeras ao vivo são carregadas lentamente",
       "lazy_unload": "As câmeras ao vivo são descarregadas preguiçosamente",
+      "microphone": {
+        "always_connected": "",
+        "disconnect_seconds": "",
+        "editor_label": "",
+        "enabled": ""
+      },
       "preload": "Pré-carregar a visualização ao vivo em segundo plano",
       "show_image_during_load": "Mostar imagem durante o carregamento",
       "transition_effect": "Efeito de transição de câmera ao vivo",
diff --git a/src/types.ts b/src/types.ts
index 41f15280..c32672f6 100644
--- a/src/types.ts
+++ b/src/types.ts
@@ -414,11 +414,13 @@ const imageBaseConfigSchema = z.object({
  */
 
 const microphoneConfigDefault = {
+  always_connected: false,
   disconnect_seconds: 60,
 };
 
 const microphoneConfigSchema = z
   .object({
+    always_connected: z.boolean().default(microphoneConfigDefault.always_connected),
     disconnect_seconds: z
       .number()
       .min(0)
diff --git a/tests/utils/debug.test.ts b/tests/utils/debug.test.ts
index 7a3b8f2e..52f678a3 100644
--- a/tests/utils/debug.test.ts
+++ b/tests/utils/debug.test.ts
@@ -1,14 +1,16 @@
-import { describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
+import { afterAll, describe, expect, it, vi } from 'vitest';
 import { log } from '../../src/utils/debug.js';
 
 describe('log', () => {
+  const spy = vi.spyOn(global.console, 'debug').mockReturnValue(undefined);
+  afterAll(() => {
+    vi.resetAllMocks();
+  });
   it('should do nothing without debug logging set', () => {
-    const spy = vi.spyOn(global.console, 'debug');
     log({}, 'foo');
     expect(spy).not.toBeCalled();
   });
   it('should log debug when appropriately configured', () => {
-    const spy = vi.spyOn(global.console, 'debug');
     log({ debug: { logging: true } }, 'foo');
     expect(spy).toBeCalledWith('foo');
   });
diff --git a/tests/utils/microphone.test.ts b/tests/utils/microphone.test.ts
index 0a3c0aca..36b5197e 100644
--- a/tests/utils/microphone.test.ts
+++ b/tests/utils/microphone.test.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ describe('MicrophoneController', () => {
   });
 
   afterEach(() => {
+    vi.resetAllMocks();
     vi.unstubAllGlobals;
   });
 
@@ -48,6 +49,8 @@ describe('MicrophoneController', () => {
   });
 
   it('should be forbidden when permission denied', async () => {
+    // Don't actually log messages to the console during the test.
+    vi.spyOn(global.console, 'warn').mockReturnValue(undefined);
     const controller = new MicrophoneController();
     navigatorMock.mediaDevices.getUserMedia.mockRejectedValue(new Error());
     await controller.connect();