diff --git a/apps/x/apps/main/src/ipc.ts b/apps/x/apps/main/src/ipc.ts
index 52d314f5..364442be 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/main/src/ipc.ts
+++ b/apps/x/apps/main/src/ipc.ts
@@ -944,6 +944,24 @@ export function setupIpcHandlers() {
     'voice:synthesize': async (_event, args) => {
       return voice.synthesizeSpeech(args.text);
     },
+    'voice:ensureMicAccess': async () => {
+      if (process.platform !== 'darwin') return { granted: true };
+      const status = systemPreferences.getMediaAccessStatus('microphone');
+      console.log('[voice] Microphone permission status:', status);
+      if (status === 'granted') return { granted: true };
+      // 'not-determined' shows the native TCC prompt and resolves once the
+      // user responds; 'denied'/'restricted' resolve false without prompting.
+      // Awaiting this here means the triggering mic click proceeds to
+      // getUserMedia only after permission is settled — fixing the first
+      // click silently failing while the prompt was still up.
+      try {
+        const granted = await systemPreferences.askForMediaAccess('microphone');
+        console.log('[voice] Microphone permission after prompt:', granted);
+        return { granted };
+      } catch {
+        return { granted: false };
+      }
+    },
     // Live-note handlers
     'live-note:run': async (_event, args) => {
       const result = await runLiveNoteAgent(args.filePath, 'manual', args.context);
diff --git a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts
index b5e1187d..fd13c758 100644
--- a/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts
+++ b/apps/x/apps/renderer/src/hooks/useVoiceMode.ts
@@ -151,6 +151,20 @@ export function useVoiceMode() {
         analytics.voiceInputStarted();
         posthog.people.set_once({ has_used_voice: true });
 
+        // Settle the OS-level microphone permission before capturing. On the
+        // first-ever use (macOS) the permission is 'not-determined'; calling
+        // getUserMedia directly would reject while the native prompt is up,
+        // making the first mic click silently do nothing. Resolving it here
+        // lets this same click proceed once the user grants access.
+        const mic = await window.ipc
+            .invoke('voice:ensureMicAccess', null)
+            .catch(() => ({ granted: true }));
+        if (!mic.granted) {
+            console.error('Microphone access denied');
+            stopAudioCapture();
+            return;
+        }
+
         // Kick off mic + WebSocket in parallel, don't await WebSocket
         const [stream] = await Promise.all([
             navigator.mediaDevices.getUserMedia({ audio: true }).catch((err) => {
@@ -161,7 +175,10 @@ export function useVoiceMode() {
         ]);
 
         if (!stream) {
-            setState('idle');
+            // connectWs() may have already opened a socket — tear everything
+            // down (close WS, reset buffers, state) rather than only resetting
+            // state, which would leak the socket into the next attempt.
+            stopAudioCapture();
             return;
         }
 
@@ -192,7 +209,7 @@ export function useVoiceMode() {
 
         source.connect(processor);
         processor.connect(audioCtx.destination);
-    }, [state, connectWs]);
+    }, [state, connectWs, stopAudioCapture]);
 
     /** Stop recording and return the full transcript (finalized + any current interim) */
     const submit = useCallback((): string => {
diff --git a/apps/x/packages/shared/src/ipc.ts b/apps/x/packages/shared/src/ipc.ts
index e694be2f..c2e5e8e7 100644
--- a/apps/x/packages/shared/src/ipc.ts
+++ b/apps/x/packages/shared/src/ipc.ts
@@ -702,6 +702,16 @@ const ipcSchemas = {
       mimeType: z.string(),
     }),
   },
+  // Ensures the OS-level microphone permission is settled before capturing.
+  // On first-ever use (macOS) the permission is 'not-determined'; resolving
+  // the native prompt up front prevents the in-flight getUserMedia from
+  // rejecting on the first mic click.
+  'voice:ensureMicAccess': {
+    req: z.null(),
+    res: z.object({
+      granted: z.boolean(),
+    }),
+  },
   'meeting:checkScreenPermission': {
     req: z.null(),
     res: z.object({