hey

Thanks for reaching out, Prathamesh. I'm an AI assistant and I'm here to help. Give me a moment while I research this topic.

async def on_enter(self) -> None: time_to_first_word = self.time_to_first_word if self.time_to_first_word else 0.0 logger.info(f"Agent waiting for {time_to_first_word} seconds before greeting") time_to_first_word = 5.5 await asyncio.sleep(time_to_first_word) if self.enter_instructions: await self.session.say(self.enter_instructions, allow_interruptions=True) The agent is not waiting for the specified time and starts to instantly speak as soon as the user picks up the call

Thanks — I see the problem you described: the agent should wait but speaks immediately. The issue is that you overwrite the computed value by hardcoding

time_to_first_word = 5.5

. Remove that line so the instance value (or your default) is actually used. Suggested fixes: 1) Use your instance value with a 0.0 default:

async def on_enter(self) -> None:
    time_to_first_word = self.time_to_first_word if self.time_to_first_word else 0.0
    <http://logger.info|logger.info>(f"Agent waiting for {time_to_first_word} seconds before greeting")
    await asyncio.sleep(time_to_first_word)
    if self.enter_instructions:
        await self.session.say(self.enter_instructions, allow_interruptions=True)

2) Or use 5.5 as the default when

self.time_to_first_word

is unset:

time_to_first_word = self.time_to_first_word or 5.5

If you still see immediate speech after removing the hardcode, please tell me: • the value of

self.time_to_first_word

at runtime (or where it’s set), and • whether

await asyncio.sleep(...)

is being awaited on the same event loop as

self.session.say

.

Agent waiting for 5.5 seconds before greeting even after removing the hard coding it does not wait, self.time_to_first_word at runtime

Thanks — you're seeing the log "Agent waiting for 5.5 seconds before greeting" but it still speaks immediately. I can help diagnose this. Please confirm a few things: • What is the runtime value of

self.time_to_first_word

(exact value and type)? • Is

on_enter

awaited or scheduled on the same asyncio event loop that runs

self.session.say

? (e.g., is

on_enter

called via

await agent.on_enter()

or started with

asyncio.create_task()

from the same loop?) • Does any other code call

self.session.say

(or trigger speech) before or concurrently with

on_enter

? • Can you paste the surrounding code where

on_enter

is invoked and where

self.session.say

is implemented or called (a short snippet)? With those details I’ll suggest the next debugging steps.

self.time_to_first_word is 5.5 at the time of runtime

Thanks — that helps. Since

self.time_to_first_word

is 5.5 but the agent still speaks immediately, the next things to check are how

on_enter

runs and whether anything else triggers speech concurrently. Please answer these so I can pinpoint the cause: • How is

on_enter

invoked? (e.g.,

await agent.on_enter()

,

asyncio.create_task(agent.on_enter())

, or called from a callback/event handler?) • Is the code that calls

self.session.say

anywhere else (other tasks, event handlers, or callbacks)? Paste any snippets that call

say

outside

on_enter

. • Are

on_enter

and

self.session.say

running on the same asyncio event loop/process? If you create tasks, do you ever switch loops or use threads? • Can you paste the invocation site for the agent (the few lines where the agent is created and entered) and the

self.session.say

implementation or stub? If you prefer, paste a minimal runnable snippet showing agent creation,

on_enter

invocation, and any concurrent tasks — I’ll point out the exact race/bug.

the agent is deployed on livekit cloud so I dont know

Thanks — I understand you don’t have full visibility into the LiveKit Cloud deployment. I can still help narrow this down. Quick recap: you confirmed

self.time_to_first_word == 5.5

at runtime and removed the hardcoded override, but the agent still speaks immediately. Next steps I recommend you run (or provide results of) a few small, non-invasive checks you can do from your code/config in the cloud: 1) Add tight logs around the sleep to confirm the coroutine actually awaits:

<http://logger.info|logger.info>("on_enter start")
<http://logger.info|logger.info>(f"time_to_first_word={time_to_first_word!r}")
await asyncio.sleep(time_to_first_word)
<http://logger.info|logger.info>("sleep complete, about to say")
await self.session.say(self.enter_instructions, allow_interruptions=True)
<http://logger.info|logger.info>("say awaited")

Share the sequence/timestamps of those logs if you can. 2) Check for concurrent callers: • Search your project for other

session.say

or equivalent speech calls that might run before/parallel to

on_enter

. • If you cannot search the whole deployment, add a unique marker to this greeting (e.g., include "[greeting-A]" in

enter_instructions

) so you can tell which code path produced the immediate speech. 3) How

on_enter

is invoked: • Can you confirm whether

on_enter

is awaited directly or scheduled as a background task? If you don’t know, add a log at the call site (or add a one-time log at agent creation) like

<http://logger.info|logger.info>("scheduling on_enter")

/

<http://logger.info|logger.info>("awaiting on_enter")

so you can see which is happening. 4) Event-loop / thread hints: • If the platform uses multiple workers/processes,

asyncio.sleep

only pauses that task — other tasks can run and call

say

. Ensure you’re not starting a separate task that calls

say

immediately. • Add a log of the current task id and thread to help identify concurrency:

import asyncio, threading
<http://logger.info|logger.info>(f"task={asyncio.current_task()}, thread={threading.get_ident()}")

5) Workaround while we debug: • If

asyncio.sleep

seems ineffective in this environment, delay by scheduling the speak explicitly after a timer:

asyncio.get_event_loop().call_later(time_to_first_word, lambda: asyncio.create_task(self.session.say(...)))

This schedules the speak after the delay; if

call_later

is supported on your loop it can avoid some race conditions. (If you try this, add logs to confirm scheduling and execution.) If you can paste the log lines (with timestamps) from step 1 and the unique marker result from step 2, I’ll pinpoint whether the sleep ran and whether another caller produced the immediate speech. If you can’t access logs, tell me which of the above checks you can run and I’ll give the exact minimal change to add.

It works properly when I run it locally but not in the deployed cloud version, my lk version is 2.12.9 and cloud lk version is 2.12.2 mioght that be causing the issue. ?

Thanks — I hear you: it works locally but not on LiveKit Cloud, and you’re asking whether the version mismatch (local 2.12.9 vs cloud 2.12.2) could cause the agent to ignore the delay. Short answer: the version difference alone is unlikely to break

asyncio.sleep()

. The behavior is more likely caused by environment or concurrency differences in the cloud (CPU throttling, different event-loop/task scheduling, or another concurrent task calling

say

). Please try these targeted checks (minimal changes) and share results: 1. Add precise logs with timestamps around the sleep to confirm it actually runs and for how long:

<http://logger.info|logger.info>("on_enter start")
<http://logger.info|logger.info>(f"time_to_first_word={time_to_first_word!r}")
start = time.time()
await asyncio.sleep(time_to_first_word)
<http://logger.info|logger.info>(f"sleep complete, elapsed={time.time()-start}")
await self.session.say(..., allow_interruptions=True)
<http://logger.info|logger.info>("say awaited")

1. Add a unique marker in the greeting text (e.g., "[greeting-A]") to verify which code path produced the immediate speech. 2. Try a longer delay (e.g., 20s) temporarily to see if any delay is respected — this distinguishes a timing race vs immediate preemption. 3. Log task/thread context to detect concurrency:

<http://logger.info|logger.info>(f"task={asyncio.current_task()}, thread={threading.get_ident()}")

1. Temporary workaround: schedule the speak via the loop instead of awaiting sleep:

loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
loop.call_later(time_to_first_word, lambda: asyncio.create_task(self.session.say(...)))

1. If you can, confirm whether the cloud runtime can be upgraded to match 2.12.9. Upgrading removes one variable, though the version gap likely isn’t the root cause. If you run the logs above, paste the timestamped lines and whether the immediate speech includes the unique marker — I’ll pinpoint whether the sleep executed or another caller fired first. Sources: server-sdk-go | livekit/livekit_composite | DeepWiki | Troubleshooting Latency and Timeout Errors with Turn Detection on AWS | examples/frontdesk | livekit/livekit_composite | DeepWiki | How does end-of-utterance detection work in conversations?

can you read more docs and research more as I cant make changes in deployment to check logs

Thanks — I hear you: you can’t change the deployed code and want more investigation on why the delay works locally but not on LiveKit Cloud, and whether the version mismatch could cause it. Short answer: the version gap (2.12.9 local vs 2.12.2 cloud) might contribute but is unlikely by itself. More likely causes are LiveKit Cloud runtime behaviors: the agent’s interruption/preemptive-generation logic, end-of-utterance (EOU) handling (VAD/endpointing), or cloud scheduling that can cancel or bypass background sleeps. In other words,

asyncio.sleep()

is not a reliable way to enforce user-visible delays in the managed cloud runtime. What you can expect without changing deployment: • Preemptive generation or interruption can cancel or preempt pending speech and background sleeps. • EOU/VAD/endpointing determines when the agent will speak; Cloud media processing and latency differences can change timing vs local. • Cloud task scheduling or resource constraints can make background sleeps imprecise or be deprioritized. Practical options (no-deploy or minimal config-first guidance): • If you can change session config (AgentSession settings) without code edits, set interruption to be less aggressive or disable interruptions for the greeting (use

allow_interruptions=False

when sending the greeting). • If you can change prompts/content via configuration, add an explicit short spoken lead-in (e.g., “One moment”) as part of the session flow that the cloud will treat as normal speech so subsequent timing is tied to speech handles. • Consider adjusting endpointing/VAD parameters in session config so the agent’s turn detection is consistent with local behavior. If you can’t change the deployed code or session config at all, the remaining actionable paths are: • Request that your LiveKit Cloud environment be upgraded to the same agent/runtime version as your local dev (removes version-drift variable). • Ask LiveKit to check whether preemptive-generation/interruption or job lifecycle/draining cancelled background tasks for your deployment and to confirm the runtime version and resource class used. I can draft a concise message you can send to LiveKit Support (or ops) requesting: • Confirmation of the cloud agent/runtime version for your deployment. • Whether preemptive-generation or interruption logs show canceling of queued speech around call pickup. • Whether the job was running on a throttled or short-lived worker that might cancel background sleeps. Would you like me to draft that message for you? Sources: How does end-of-utterance detection work in conversations? | Announcing LiveKit Cloud | STT Metrics | LiveKit docs | Interrupt User | LiveKit docs | Turns overview | LiveKit docs

can we add delay to the .say function

Short answer: .say has no built-in delay parameter. You can add a delay by scheduling or awaiting before calling it. Options you can implement in code: • Simple await-sleep before say

await asyncio.sleep(5.5)
await session.say("Hi — how can I help?")

• Schedule the speak (non-blocking)

def _do_say(text):
    asyncio.create_task(session.say(text))

loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
loop.call_later(5.5, lambda: _do_say("Hi — how can I help?"))

• Tie delay to speech handle/playback to avoid preemption

handle = await session.say("One moment...", allow_interruptions=False)
await handle
await asyncio.sleep(5.5)
await session.say("Now I'm ready")

Notes: • In Cloud, sleeps can be preempted by the agent's interruption/preemptive-generation logic or by cloud scheduling; using

allow_interruptions=False

and waiting on speech handles gives the most predictable behavior. • If you can't change deployed code, ask LiveKit to adjust session configs (interruption/endpointing) or upgrade the runtime version. Tell me which option you prefer and I’ll give the exact snippet tailored to your agent code. Sources: Agent speech and audio | LiveKit docs | Turns overview | LiveKit docs | Agent session | LiveKit docs

What other ways to add time to first word

Thanks — here are the reliable alternatives to add time before the agent’s first spoken word, with brief trade-offs so you can pick what fits your deployed cloud constraints. Options (ranked by reliability in cloud): • Delay before calling generate_reply / say ◦ Pattern: await asyncio.sleep(N); await session.say(...) or await session.generate_reply(...) ◦ Trade-off: simple; can be preempted by interruption or other callers unless coordinated. • Disable preemptive generation ◦ Pattern: create AgentSession with preemptive_generation=False ◦ Trade-off: prevents speculative replies that can bypass your delay; makes timing more predictable. • Use speech handles and block on playback ◦ Pattern: handle = await session.say("lead-in", allow_interruptions=False); await handle; await asyncio.sleep(N); await session.say("real greeting") ◦ Trade-off: most reliable because you tie delay to actual playback; use allow_interruptions=False to avoid cancellation. • Interrupt then re-schedule ◦ Pattern: session.interrupt(); await asyncio.sleep(N); await session.generate_reply()/say(...) ◦ Trade-off: forces cancellation of any premature generation then re-schedules a delayed reply. • Adjust endpointing/VAD parameters ◦ Pattern: set min_endpointing_delay / max_endpointing_delay in AgentSession ◦ Trade-off: indirectly increases time-to-first-word by delaying turn-final detection; affects overall turn timing. • Trigger reply from external event (RPC or frontend) ◦ Pattern: have frontend call an RPC like start_conversation after its own delay, or send an RPC from platform to agent to start generating ◦ Trade-off: moves timing control outside the agent — useful if you can control call flow externally. • Schedule via event loop (call_later) ◦ Pattern: loop.call_later(N, lambda: asyncio.create_task(session.say(...))) ◦ Trade-off: avoids awaiting sleep in critical paths; still subject to cloud task scheduling but often effective. Recommended for cloud deployments: • Prefer using a short spoken lead-in + awaiting its SpeechHandle with allow_interruptions=False, then sleep and speak the main greeting. Or disable preemptive_generation and explicitly call generate_reply after your delay. Those approaches give the most consistent behavior in managed runtimes. Tell me which approach you prefer and I’ll give the exact minimal snippet tailored to your agent code. Sources: Agent speech and audio | LiveKit docs | examples/dtmf | livekit/livekit_composite | DeepWiki | Simple Call Answering Agent | LiveKit docs | External data and RAG | LiveKit docs | Turns overview | LiveKit docs

I think the agent waits for the specified time but due to wrong placement of the sleep function the telephony participant joins after the sleep is done. Please correct me if I'm wrong

You’re almost right — good thinking. Quick clarification: • The sleep does not delay the telephony participant joining. The participant joins when

ctx.connect()

(or the equivalent connect call) completes. •

await asyncio.sleep(...)

only delays when the agent starts speaking — it does not block the room connection or participant arrival. The event loop still processes join/media events during the sleep. • If you put the sleep before

ctx.connect()

, that could delay the join. If you put it after

ctx.connect()

but before `session.say()`/`generate_reply()`, it delays the agent’s first word (which is what you want). Recommended pattern:

await ctx.connect()               # participant joins now
await asyncio.sleep(time_to_first_word)   # delay agent's greeting
await session.say("Hello...")

If you still see the participant joining after the delay, check for where

ctx.connect()

is called in your flow — it must run before the sleep. If you want, paste the small snippet around connect/on_enter and I’ll point out the exact placement to fix. Sources: Uninterruptable Agent | LiveKit docs | SIP Lifecycle Management Agent | LiveKit docs | Simple Call Answering Agent | LiveKit docs | How to detect and handle silence during calls | Agents telephony integration | LiveKit docs

when is on_enter called in livekit flow ?

You're correct to question placement — here’s the precise behavior: • on_enter is called when the agent becomes active in the session (after the agent is initialized and AgentSession.start() runs), not on participant join. • Typical flow: a. AgentSession.start() / agent initialization b. Agent connects (e.g., ctx.connect()) — room & participants can join immediately c. on_enter() is invoked — agent is now active and can speak or run setup d. User interactions / turn events follow • Practical implications: ◦ Put any sleep you want to affect the first spoken word inside on_enter after ctx.connect(). That sleep delays the agent’s speech, not participant joining. ◦ If you put sleep before ctx.connect(), you will delay the participant join. ◦ If you need deterministic timing in cloud, tie delays to speech handles or disable preemptive generation / set allow_interruptions=False so the delay isn’t bypassed by interruption logic. If you paste the small snippet around your connect/on_enter sequence I’ll point out the exact line to move the sleep to. Sources: Pipeline nodes and hooks | LiveKit docs | Tasks and task groups | LiveKit docs | Agents and handoffs | LiveKit docs | Context Variables | LiveKit docs | SIP Lifecycle Management Agent | LiveKit docs

is ctx.connect() called after or before on_enter()

Short answer: ctx.connect() is called before on_enter(). Explanation: the agent connects to the room (ctx.connect()) as part of session startup and participant join handling, and once the agent is initialized and active the framework invokes on_enter(). So put any sleep you want to affect the agent’s first spoken word after ctx.connect() (for example, inside on_enter() after ctx.connect() has completed). If you share the few lines where you call ctx.connect() and your on_enter implementation, I’ll point exactly where to move the delay.