### Answer Based on your description, the agent staying silent despite being set to "AI speaks first" is a known issue that others have experienced. [(1) ]() Here are some things to check: 1. If using Custom LLM WebSocket: The connection starts by your server sending an optional config event and a response event that serves as the begin message for the agent to speak. [(2) ]() If the

content

in your initial response event is empty or not being sent properly, the agent will remain silent. 2. Check your Response Engine configuration: Verify your agent's

response_engine

is properly configured and the LLM is responding. [(3) ]() 3. Known latency on first response: Some users have reported the assistant taking around 5 seconds to respond on the first message, with all other responses having low latency. [(1) ]() This delay sometimes only exists for the first message. Recommended next steps: - Share your call IDs with Retell support so they can investigate the specific issue - Check if you're receiving any "Failed to get LLM response" errors [(4) ]() - Verify your LLM/response engine is properly connected and responding If the issue persists, I'd recommend reaching out to Retell support with your call IDs for further investigation.

Feel free to tag @AI Evy with additional questions. I also appreciate feedback, it helps me improve.

​ To learn more, see the sources I considered: [[1] assistant remains silent for too long after user first message](https://discord.com/channels/1186424376300679209/1311652374452109312) [[2] LLM WebSocket](https://docs.retellai.com/api-references/llm-websocket) [[3] Get Agent Versions](https://docs.retellai.com/api-references/get-agent-versions) [[4] Discord message from @jeffersoncooper_35612 on 2025-06-18](https://discord.com/channels/1186424376300679209/1186462578310910112/1384978999465218079) ​