diff --git a/internal/asterisk/answer.go b/internal/asterisk/answer.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..1e31481
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/asterisk/answer.go
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+package asterisk
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"strings"
+
+	"github.com/CyCoreSystems/ari/v5"
+)
+
+// awaitStasisStart only marks the exact originated channel answered after it
+// enters our ARI application. A generic Up event is not proof of media setup.
+func awaitStasisStart(ctx context.Context, subscription ari.Subscription, channelID string) error {
+	if ctx == nil || subscription == nil || channelID == "" {
+		return errors.New("ARI answer subscription and channel identity required")
+	}
+	recent := make([]string, 0, 8)
+	for {
+		select {
+		case <-ctx.Done():
+			return fmt.Errorf("ARI answer deadline or cancellation (recent_events=%s): %w", strings.Join(recent, ","), ctx.Err())
+		case event, open := <-subscription.Events():
+			if !open {
+				return errors.New("ARI event subscription closed before answer")
+			}
+			if event == nil {
+				return errors.New("ARI answer subscription delivered an empty event")
+			}
+			typ := event.GetType()
+			if len(recent) == cap(recent) {
+				recent = recent[1:]
+			}
+			recent = append(recent, typ)
+			matched := false
+			for _, key := range event.Keys() {
+				if key != nil && key.Kind == "channel" && key.ID == channelID {
+					matched = true
+					break
+				}
+			}
+			if !matched {
+				continue
+			}
+			switch typ {
+			case "StasisStart":
+				if _, ok := event.(*ari.StasisStart); ok {
+					return nil
+				}
+			case "StasisEnd":
+				return errors.New("ARI channel left the application before StasisStart")
+			case "ChannelHangupRequest":
+				if hangup, ok := event.(*ari.ChannelHangupRequest); ok {
+					return fmt.Errorf("ARI channel ended before StasisStart: hangup_cause=%d", hangup.Cause)
+				}
+				return errors.New("ARI channel ended before StasisStart: hangup request")
+			case "ChannelDestroyed":
+				if destroyed, ok := event.(*ari.ChannelDestroyed); ok {
+					return fmt.Errorf("ARI channel ended before StasisStart: destroy_cause=%d", destroyed.Cause)
+				}
+				return errors.New("ARI channel ended before StasisStart: destroyed")
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/internal/asterisk/answer_test.go b/internal/asterisk/answer_test.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7c638c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/internal/asterisk/answer_test.go
@@ -0,0 +1,76 @@
+package asterisk
+
+import (
+	"context"
+	"strings"
+	"testing"
+	"time"
+
+	"github.com/CyCoreSystems/ari/v5"
+)
+
+type answerEvents struct {
+	ari.Subscription
+	events chan ari.Event
+}
+
+func (f answerEvents) Events() <-chan ari.Event { return f.events }
+
+func TestAwaitNativeAnswerRequiresMatchingStasisStart(t *testing.T) {
+	sub := answerEvents{events: make(chan ari.Event, 3)}
+	sub.events <- &ari.StasisStart{EventData: ari.EventData{Type: "StasisStart"}, Channel: ari.ChannelData{ID: "someone-else"}}
+	sub.events <- &ari.ChannelStateChange{EventData: ari.EventData{Type: "ChannelStateChange"}, Channel: ari.ChannelData{ID: "exec-1", State: "Up"}}
+	sub.events <- &ari.StasisStart{EventData: ari.EventData{Type: "StasisStart"}, Channel: ari.ChannelData{ID: "exec-1"}}
+	ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+	defer cancel()
+	if err := awaitStasisStart(ctx, sub, "exec-1"); err != nil {
+		t.Fatalf("actual answered channel must enter the approved Stasis application: %v", err)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestAwaitNativeAnswerFailsClosedOnHangupOrEventLoss(t *testing.T) {
+	for _, tc := range []struct {
+		name  string
+		event ari.Event
+	}{
+		{"hangup", &ari.ChannelHangupRequest{EventData: ari.EventData{Type: "ChannelHangupRequest"}, Channel: ari.ChannelData{ID: "exec-1"}, Cause: 17}},
+		{"destroyed", &ari.ChannelDestroyed{EventData: ari.EventData{Type: "ChannelDestroyed"}, Channel: ari.ChannelData{ID: "exec-1"}, Cause: 17}},
+		{"stasis-ended", &ari.StasisEnd{EventData: ari.EventData{Type: "StasisEnd"}, Channel: ari.ChannelData{ID: "exec-1"}}},
+	} {
+		t.Run(tc.name, func(t *testing.T) {
+			sub := answerEvents{events: make(chan ari.Event, 1)}
+			sub.events <- tc.event
+			ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+			defer cancel()
+			if err := awaitStasisStart(ctx, sub, "exec-1"); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "before StasisStart") {
+				t.Fatalf("failed origination must not count as answered: %v", err)
+			}
+		})
+	}
+	t.Run("empty-event", func(t *testing.T) {
+		sub := answerEvents{events: make(chan ari.Event, 1)}
+		sub.events <- nil
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+		if err := awaitStasisStart(ctx, sub, "exec-1"); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "empty event") {
+			t.Fatalf("empty ARI event cannot be ignored as if the stream was healthy: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("subscription-lost", func(t *testing.T) {
+		sub := answerEvents{events: make(chan ari.Event)}
+		close(sub.events)
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithTimeout(context.Background(), time.Second)
+		defer cancel()
+		if err := awaitStasisStart(ctx, sub, "exec-1"); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "subscription closed") {
+			t.Fatalf("event loss cannot be interpreted as answer: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+	t.Run("deadline", func(t *testing.T) {
+		sub := answerEvents{events: make(chan ari.Event)}
+		ctx, cancel := context.WithCancel(context.Background())
+		cancel()
+		if err := awaitStasisStart(ctx, sub, "exec-1"); err == nil || !strings.Contains(err.Error(), "deadline or cancellation") {
+			t.Fatalf("expired answer window cannot be interpreted as answer: %v", err)
+		}
+	})
+}