diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 6b2456f..4e2a820 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -28,6 +28,11 @@ checkbox is needed. Under **Use the custom voice for:**, choose **Key names**
 These choices select the voice; the corresponding echo settings still control
 what is spoken. Turn off custom echo voice to use the main speech settings.
 
+Key names finish before the resulting navigation or focus announcement starts.
+For example, Right speaks "right" in the selected key echo voice, followed by
+the character at the caret in the normal reading voice. A new key press still
+interrupts the previous key's speech and discards its pending feedback.
+
 Changing the custom echo synthesizer, person, rate, pitch or volume speaks the
 selected value using the echo voice and its draft settings, before Apply.
 Tab and Shift+Tab announce the field label in the main voice, followed by its
diff --git a/internal/app/echo_speaker_test.go b/internal/app/echo_speaker_test.go
index ed28a41..0ac3f44 100644
--- a/internal/app/echo_speaker_test.go
+++ b/internal/app/echo_speaker_test.go
@@ -159,6 +159,22 @@ func test_echo_speaker(t *testing.T, wrapped bool) {
 	}
 	check(false, "", "")
 	check(true, "echo-module", "62")
+	// Key names use completion notifications on the selected voice's real
+	// SSIP connection, so following navigation cannot cancel an active echo.
+	keySpeech := newSpeechWorker(slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler), speaker)
+	for _, custom := range []bool{false, true} {
+		if err := keySpeech.deliver(ctx, speechRequest{Text: "right", Role: "key", Cause: "key-echo", CustomEcho: custom}); err != nil {
+			t.Fatal(err)
+		}
+		got := <-spoken
+		wantModule, wantRate := "", ""
+		if custom {
+			wantModule, wantRate = "echo-module", "62"
+		}
+		if got.text != "right" || got.module != wantModule || got.rate != wantRate {
+			t.Fatalf("key echo custom=%v: %+v", custom, got)
+		}
+	}
 	// Preview unsaved echo selections through the real SSIP clients. Only the
 	// numeric request uses that endpoint; subsequent dialog speech stays main.
 	previewWorker := newPreferencesWorker(slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler), settings, speaker)
diff --git a/internal/app/speech_delivery.go b/internal/app/speech_delivery.go
index 24e0fc2..9a33e2c 100644
--- a/internal/app/speech_delivery.go
+++ b/internal/app/speech_delivery.go
@@ -174,6 +174,22 @@ func (worker *speechWorker) deliver(ctx context.Context, request speechRequest)
 			speak = echo.SpeakEcho
 		}
 	}
+	// A key name and its resulting caret/focus feedback arrive separately.
+	// Wait for the key name's END before the next request can cancel it,
+	// including when the echo voice uses a different synthesizer. New input
+	// still cancels active speech through the worker's cancellation barrier.
+	if request.Cause == "key-echo" {
+		if voiced, ok := worker.speaker.(interface {
+			SpeakVoiceAndWait(context.Context, string, string, func()) error
+		}); ok {
+			if request.CustomEcho {
+				kind = "echo"
+			}
+			speak = func(ctx context.Context, text string) error {
+				return voiced.SpeakVoiceAndWait(ctx, text, kind, nil)
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	chunks := request.Chunks
 	if len(chunks) == 0 {
 		chunks = []string{request.Text}
diff --git a/internal/app/speech_key_echo_test.go b/internal/app/speech_key_echo_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c2e5c4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/app/speech_key_echo_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,87 @@
+// Copyright (c) 2026 Storm Dragon
+// Authors: Storm Dragon, Angus Kola
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+package app
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"fmt"
+	"log/slog"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"git.stormux.org/storm/cthulhu/internal/input"
+)
+
+type keyEchoCompletionSpeaker struct{ controlledSpeaker }
+
+func (speaker *keyEchoCompletionSpeaker) SpeakEcho(ctx context.Context, text string) error {
+	return speaker.call(ctx, "queued:echo:"+text)
+}
+
+func (speaker *keyEchoCompletionSpeaker) SpeakVoiceAndWait(ctx context.Context, text, voice string, _ func()) error {
+	return speaker.call(ctx, "completed:"+voice+":"+text)
+}
+
+func TestSpeechWorkerKeyEchoCompletesBeforeCaretSpeech(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, custom := range []bool{false, true} {
+		t.Run(fmt.Sprint(custom), func(t *testing.T) {
+			speaker := &keyEchoCompletionSpeaker{controlledSpeaker{calls: make(chan speechCall, 8)}}
+			worker := newSpeechWorker(slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler), speaker)
+			if err := worker.Start(t.Context()); err != nil {
+				t.Fatal(err)
+			}
+			t.Cleanup(func() { worker.Stop(context.Background()) })
+			worker.Enqueue(speechRequest{Text: "right", Role: "key", Cause: "key-echo", CustomEcho: custom})
+			close(expectSpeechCall(t, &speaker.controlledSpeaker, "cancel").done)
+			voice := ""
+			if custom {
+				voice = "echo"
+			}
+			echo := expectSpeechCall(t, &speaker.controlledSpeaker, "completed:"+voice+":right")
+			worker.Enqueue(speechRequest{Text: "h", Role: "entry", Cause: "object:text-caret-moved", Character: true})
+			select {
+			case call := <-speaker.calls:
+				t.Fatalf("caret output overtook key echo completion: %s", call.text)
+			default:
+			}
+			close(echo.done)
+			close(expectSpeechCall(t, &speaker.controlledSpeaker, "cancel").done)
+			close(expectSpeechCall(t, &speaker.controlledSpeaker, "h").done)
+		})
+	}
+}
+
+func TestSpeechWorkerKeyEchoWaitStillAllowsInputInterruption(t *testing.T) {
+	speaker := &keyEchoCompletionSpeaker{controlledSpeaker{calls: make(chan speechCall, 8)}}
+	worker := newSpeechWorker(slog.New(slog.DiscardHandler), speaker)
+	if err := worker.Start(t.Context()); err != nil {
+		t.Fatal(err)
+	}
+	t.Cleanup(func() { worker.Stop(context.Background()) })
+	worker.Enqueue(speechRequest{Text: "right", Role: "key", Cause: "key-echo", CustomEcho: true})
+	close(expectSpeechCall(t, &speaker.controlledSpeaker, "cancel").done)
+	echo := expectSpeechCall(t, &speaker.controlledSpeaker, "completed:echo:right")
+	worker.Enqueue(speechRequest{Text: "stale character", Cause: "object:text-caret-moved"})
+	if !worker.InterruptForInput(input.Event{Pressed: true, Name: "Left", Timestamp: 100}) {
+		t.Fatal("new input did not interrupt key echo")
+	}
+	close(expectSpeechCall(t, &speaker.controlledSpeaker, "cancel").done)
+	close(echo.done) // Backend reports cancellation of the old echo.
+	worker.Enqueue(speechRequest{Text: "left", Role: "key", Cause: "key-echo", CustomEcho: true})
+	for {
+		select {
+		case call := <-speaker.calls:
+			close(call.done)
+			if call.text == "completed:echo:left" {
+				return
+			}
+			if call.text != "cancel" {
+				t.Fatalf("stale speech survived new input: %s", call.text)
+			}
+		case <-time.After(time.Second):
+			t.Fatal("new key echo did not resume after interruption")
+		}
+	}
+}