diff --git a/src/stt.zig b/src/stt.zig
index 3f6bfbb..354a4b0 100644
--- a/src/stt.zig
+++ b/src/stt.zig
@@ -976,6 +976,8 @@ pub const Session = struct {
         const silence_duration_ms: u64 = 300;
         const min_speech_duration_ms: u64 = 300;
         const samples_per_ms = 16; // This assumes 16kHz audio
+        const preroll_ms: u64 = 250; // Capture 250ms before speech starts
+        const preroll_samples = preroll_ms * samples_per_ms;
 
         std.log.info(
             "Listening with silence threshold {}. If wrong, use --measure-levels to find approriate val",
@@ -988,6 +990,16 @@ pub const Session = struct {
         };
         defer self.allocator.free(speech_buffer);
 
+        // Pre-roll ring buffer
+        var preroll_buffer = self.allocator.alloc(i16, preroll_samples) catch {
+            const error_info = ErrorInfo.init(Error.OutOfMemory, "Failed to allocate pre-roll buffer");
+            self.options.event_handler.onDetailedError(error_info);
+            return;
+        };
+        defer self.allocator.free(preroll_buffer);
+        var preroll_pos: usize = 0;
+        var preroll_filled: bool = false;
+
         var in_speech = false;
         var silence_samples: usize = 0;
         var speech_samples: usize = 0;
@@ -1024,6 +1036,20 @@ pub const Session = struct {
                     speech_pos = 0;
                     speech_max_amplitude = 0;
                     speech_min_amplitude = std.math.maxInt(u16);
+
+                    // Copy pre-roll buffer to speech buffer
+                    if (preroll_filled) {
+                        // Copy from preroll_pos to end
+                        const first_part_len = preroll_samples - preroll_pos;
+                        @memcpy(speech_buffer[0..first_part_len], preroll_buffer[preroll_pos..]);
+                        // Copy from start to preroll_pos
+                        @memcpy(speech_buffer[first_part_len..preroll_samples], preroll_buffer[0..preroll_pos]);
+                        speech_pos = preroll_samples;
+                    } else if (preroll_pos > 0) {
+                        // Buffer not full yet, just copy what we have
+                        @memcpy(speech_buffer[0..preroll_pos], preroll_buffer[0..preroll_pos]);
+                        speech_pos = preroll_pos;
+                    }
                 }
                 if (max_amplitude > speech_max_amplitude) speech_max_amplitude = max_amplitude;
                 if (max_amplitude < speech_min_amplitude) speech_min_amplitude = max_amplitude;
@@ -1063,6 +1089,13 @@ pub const Session = struct {
                         c.vosk_recognizer_reset(rec);
                     }
                 }
+            } else {
+                // Not in speech - update pre-roll buffer
+                for (vosk_buffer[0..samples_read]) |sample| {
+                    preroll_buffer[preroll_pos] = sample;
+                    preroll_pos = (preroll_pos + 1) % preroll_samples;
+                    if (preroll_pos == 0) preroll_filled = true;
+                }
             }
 
             // Sleep to ease CPU pressure