diff --git a/homeassistant/components/esphome/voice_assistant.py b/homeassistant/components/esphome/voice_assistant.py
index 94ba957e6f7..15b580a0601 100644
--- a/homeassistant/components/esphome/voice_assistant.py
+++ b/homeassistant/components/esphome/voice_assistant.py
@@ -160,10 +160,10 @@ class VoiceAssistantUDPServer(asyncio.DatagramProtocol):
 
     async def _iterate_packets(self) -> AsyncIterable[bytes]:
         """Iterate over incoming packets."""
-        if not self.is_running:
-            raise RuntimeError("Not running")
-
         while data := await self.queue.get():
+            if not self.is_running:
+                break
+
             yield data
 
     def _event_callback(self, event: PipelineEvent) -> None:
diff --git a/tests/components/esphome/test_voice_assistant.py b/tests/components/esphome/test_voice_assistant.py
index f6665c4ad91..427cd1dbc8f 100644
--- a/tests/components/esphome/test_voice_assistant.py
+++ b/tests/components/esphome/test_voice_assistant.py
@@ -224,9 +224,13 @@ async def test_udp_server_queue(
 
     voice_assistant_udp_server_v1.close()
 
-    with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
-        async for data in voice_assistant_udp_server_v1._iterate_packets():
-            assert data == bytes(1024)
+    # Stopping the UDP server should cause _iterate_packets to break out
+    # immediately without yielding any data.
+    has_data = False
+    async for _data in voice_assistant_udp_server_v1._iterate_packets():
+        has_data = True
+
+    assert not has_data, "Server was stopped"
 
 
 async def test_error_calls_handle_finished(