diff --git a/esphome/components/speaker/media_player/speaker_media_player.cpp b/esphome/components/speaker/media_player/speaker_media_player.cpp
index 94f555c26e..fdf6bf66cd 100644
--- a/esphome/components/speaker/media_player/speaker_media_player.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/speaker/media_player/speaker_media_player.cpp
@@ -103,6 +103,20 @@ void SpeakerMediaPlayer::set_playlist_delay_ms(AudioPipelineType pipeline_type,
   }
 }
 
+void SpeakerMediaPlayer::stop_and_unpause_media_() {
+  this->media_pipeline_->stop();
+  this->unpause_media_remaining_ = 3;
+  this->set_interval("unpause_med", 50, [this]() {
+    if (this->media_pipeline_state_ == AudioPipelineState::STOPPED) {
+      this->cancel_interval("unpause_med");
+      this->media_pipeline_->set_pause_state(false);
+      this->is_paused_ = false;
+    } else if (--this->unpause_media_remaining_ == 0) {
+      this->cancel_interval("unpause_med");
+    }
+  });
+}
+
 void SpeakerMediaPlayer::watch_media_commands_() {
   if (!this->is_ready()) {
     return;
@@ -144,15 +158,7 @@ void SpeakerMediaPlayer::watch_media_commands_() {
           if (this->is_paused_) {
             // If paused, stop the media pipeline and unpause it after confirming its stopped. This avoids playing a
             // short segment of the paused file before starting the new one.
-            this->media_pipeline_->stop();
-            this->set_retry("unpause_med", 50, 3, [this](const uint8_t remaining_attempts) {
-              if (this->media_pipeline_state_ == AudioPipelineState::STOPPED) {
-                this->media_pipeline_->set_pause_state(false);
-                this->is_paused_ = false;
-                return RetryResult::DONE;
-              }
-              return RetryResult::RETRY;
-            });
+            this->stop_and_unpause_media_();
           } else {
             // Not paused, just directly start the file
             if (media_command.file.has_value()) {
@@ -197,27 +203,21 @@ void SpeakerMediaPlayer::watch_media_commands_() {
               this->cancel_timeout("next_ann");
               this->announcement_playlist_.clear();
               this->announcement_pipeline_->stop();
-              this->set_retry("unpause_ann", 50, 3, [this](const uint8_t remaining_attempts) {
+              this->unpause_announcement_remaining_ = 3;
+              this->set_interval("unpause_ann", 50, [this]() {
                 if (this->announcement_pipeline_state_ == AudioPipelineState::STOPPED) {
+                  this->cancel_interval("unpause_ann");
                   this->announcement_pipeline_->set_pause_state(false);
-                  return RetryResult::DONE;
+                } else if (--this->unpause_announcement_remaining_ == 0) {
+                  this->cancel_interval("unpause_ann");
                 }
-                return RetryResult::RETRY;
               });
             }
           } else {
             if (this->media_pipeline_ != nullptr) {
               this->cancel_timeout("next_media");
               this->media_playlist_.clear();
-              this->media_pipeline_->stop();
-              this->set_retry("unpause_med", 50, 3, [this](const uint8_t remaining_attempts) {
-                if (this->media_pipeline_state_ == AudioPipelineState::STOPPED) {
-                  this->media_pipeline_->set_pause_state(false);
-                  this->is_paused_ = false;
-                  return RetryResult::DONE;
-                }
-                return RetryResult::RETRY;
-              });
+              this->stop_and_unpause_media_();
             }
           }
 
diff --git a/esphome/components/speaker/media_player/speaker_media_player.h b/esphome/components/speaker/media_player/speaker_media_player.h
index 722f98ceea..6796fc9c00 100644
--- a/esphome/components/speaker/media_player/speaker_media_player.h
+++ b/esphome/components/speaker/media_player/speaker_media_player.h
@@ -112,6 +112,9 @@ class SpeakerMediaPlayer : public Component,
   /// media pipelines are defined.
   inline bool single_pipeline_() { return (this->media_speaker_ == nullptr); }
 
+  /// Stops the media pipeline and polls until stopped to unpause it, avoiding an audible glitch.
+  void stop_and_unpause_media_();
+
   // Processes commands from media_control_command_queue_.
   void watch_media_commands_();
 
@@ -141,6 +144,8 @@ class SpeakerMediaPlayer : public Component,
 
   bool is_paused_{false};
   bool is_muted_{false};
+  uint8_t unpause_media_remaining_{0};
+  uint8_t unpause_announcement_remaining_{0};
 
   // The amount to change the volume on volume up/down commands
   float volume_increment_;