diff --git a/app/src/main/assets/pulseaudio.tzst b/app/src/main/assets/pulseaudio.tzst
index 60066f1a5..3d52e1141 100644
Binary files a/app/src/main/assets/pulseaudio.tzst and b/app/src/main/assets/pulseaudio.tzst differ
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/MainActivity.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/MainActivity.kt
index ed1f1188d..b02e367b8 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/MainActivity.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/MainActivity.kt
@@ -298,9 +298,18 @@ class MainActivity : ComponentActivity() {
         // The session's logs land in Downloads so a failed run can be handed over as a folder
         // rather than dug out of app-private storage. targetSdk 28 means the old permission still
         // grants exactly that.
+        val wanted = ArrayList<String>()
         if (checkSelfPermission(Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
-            requestPermissions(arrayOf(Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE), 1)
+            wanted.add(Manifest.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE)
         }
+        // The microphone is on by default; ask once, with the storage prompt, so voice chat works
+        // without a trip to the settings. A refusal is not asked again - the toggle asks when used.
+        if (SessionPrefs.micEnabled(this) && !SessionPrefs.micAsked(this)
+            && checkSelfPermission(Manifest.permission.RECORD_AUDIO) != PackageManager.PERMISSION_GRANTED) {
+            wanted.add(Manifest.permission.RECORD_AUDIO)
+            SessionPrefs.setMicAsked(this)
+        }
+        if (wanted.isNotEmpty()) requestPermissions(wanted.toTypedArray(), 1)
         // A session folder left without its ending - the process was killed - gets it now.
         if (!SessionState.running) Thread({ SessionArtifacts.finishAbandoned(this) }, "finish-abandoned").start()
     }
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/audio/PulseAudioComponent.java b/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/audio/PulseAudioComponent.java
index acbaee62c..cb18481d2 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/audio/PulseAudioComponent.java
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/audio/PulseAudioComponent.java
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ public class PulseAudioComponent extends SessionPart {
     /** Where the guest reaches the daemon; the session exports PULSE_SERVER=unix:<this>. */
     public static final String SOCKET_NAME = "PS0";
     /** Identifies the bundled pulseaudio.tzst; a change here re-unpacks it over what a device has. */
-    private static final String BUNDLE_STAMP = "2026-09-23-pa13-suspend-r4";
+    private static final String BUNDLE_STAMP = "2026-09-23-pa13-suspend-r5";
 
     private final File workingDir;
     /** Where the daemon's own output is kept for this session, or null for logcat only. */
diff --git a/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/session/SessionPrefs.kt b/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/session/SessionPrefs.kt
index 1dec83576..e2562ae89 100644
--- a/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/session/SessionPrefs.kt
+++ b/app/src/main/java/com/steamdeck/launcher/session/SessionPrefs.kt
@@ -78,8 +78,15 @@ object SessionPrefs {
         prefs(context).edit().putBoolean("directAudio", on).apply()
     }
 
-    /** The microphone, its own opt-in: the helper opens an input stream only when asked. */
-    fun micEnabled(context: Context): Boolean = prefs(context).getBoolean("mic", false)
+    /** The microphone for voice chat, on unless turned off; used only once RECORD_AUDIO is granted. */
+    fun micEnabled(context: Context): Boolean = prefs(context).getBoolean("mic", true)
+
+    /** Whether the app has already asked for the microphone once at start-up. */
+    fun micAsked(context: Context): Boolean = prefs(context).getBoolean("micAsked", false)
+
+    fun setMicAsked(context: Context) {
+        prefs(context).edit().putBoolean("micAsked", true).apply()
+    }
 
     fun setMicEnabled(context: Context, on: Boolean) {
         prefs(context).edit().putBoolean("mic", on).apply()