diff --git a/homeassistant/components/assist_satellite/entity.py b/homeassistant/components/assist_satellite/entity.py
index e43abb4539c..8c63525294c 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/assist_satellite/entity.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/assist_satellite/entity.py
@@ -405,7 +405,10 @@ class AssistSatelliteEntity(entity.Entity):
     def _internal_on_pipeline_event(self, event: PipelineEvent) -> None:
         """Set state based on pipeline stage."""
         if event.type is PipelineEventType.WAKE_WORD_START:
-            self._set_state(AssistSatelliteState.IDLE)
+            # Only return to idle if we're not currently responding.
+            # The state will return to idle in tts_response_finished.
+            if self.state != AssistSatelliteState.RESPONDING:
+                self._set_state(AssistSatelliteState.IDLE)
         elif event.type is PipelineEventType.STT_START:
             self._set_state(AssistSatelliteState.LISTENING)
         elif event.type is PipelineEventType.INTENT_START:
diff --git a/tests/components/assist_satellite/test_entity.py b/tests/components/assist_satellite/test_entity.py
index b3437bf5c5d..42b4adf742c 100644
--- a/tests/components/assist_satellite/test_entity.py
+++ b/tests/components/assist_satellite/test_entity.py
@@ -590,3 +590,54 @@ async def test_start_conversation_reject_builtin_agent(
             target={"entity_id": "assist_satellite.test_entity"},
             blocking=True,
         )
+
+
+async def test_wake_word_start_keeps_responding(
+    hass: HomeAssistant, init_components: ConfigEntry, entity: MockAssistSatellite
+) -> None:
+    """Test entity state stays responding on wake word start event."""
+
+    state = hass.states.get(ENTITY_ID)
+    assert state is not None
+    assert state.state == AssistSatelliteState.IDLE
+
+    # Get into responding state
+    audio_stream = object()
+
+    with patch(
+        "homeassistant.components.assist_satellite.entity.async_pipeline_from_audio_stream"
+    ) as mock_start_pipeline:
+        await entity.async_accept_pipeline_from_satellite(
+            audio_stream, start_stage=PipelineStage.TTS
+        )
+
+    assert mock_start_pipeline.called
+    kwargs = mock_start_pipeline.call_args[1]
+    event_callback = kwargs["event_callback"]
+    event_callback(PipelineEvent(PipelineEventType.TTS_START, {}))
+
+    state = hass.states.get(ENTITY_ID)
+    assert state.state == AssistSatelliteState.RESPONDING
+
+    # Verify that starting a new wake word stream keeps the state
+    audio_stream = object()
+
+    with patch(
+        "homeassistant.components.assist_satellite.entity.async_pipeline_from_audio_stream"
+    ) as mock_start_pipeline:
+        await entity.async_accept_pipeline_from_satellite(
+            audio_stream, start_stage=PipelineStage.WAKE_WORD
+        )
+
+    assert mock_start_pipeline.called
+    kwargs = mock_start_pipeline.call_args[1]
+    event_callback = kwargs["event_callback"]
+    event_callback(PipelineEvent(PipelineEventType.WAKE_WORD_START, {}))
+
+    state = hass.states.get(ENTITY_ID)
+    assert state.state == AssistSatelliteState.RESPONDING
+
+    # Only return to idle once TTS is finished
+    entity.tts_response_finished()
+    state = hass.states.get(ENTITY_ID)
+    assert state.state == AssistSatelliteState.IDLE