diff --git a/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/flash.controller.spec.ts b/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/flash.controller.spec.ts
index 59b6bc41b4f..6bbbb869207 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/flash.controller.spec.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/flash.controller.spec.ts
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@
  */
 /* eslint-disable @typescript-eslint/no-unsafe-assignment */
 
-import FlashController, { SUCCESS_AUTOHIDE_TIMEOUT } from './flash.controller';
+import FlashController, { LIVE_REGION_ANNOUNCEMENT_DELAY, SUCCESS_AUTOHIDE_TIMEOUT } from './flash.controller';
 import { setupStimulusTest, type StimulusTestContext } from 'core-stimulus/test-helpers';
 
 interface LiveRegionTestElement extends HTMLElement {
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ describe('FlashController', () => {
       await ctx.nextFrame();
 
       const item = ctx.screen.getByText('Saved');
-      // Keep the deferred live-region update deterministic.
-      vi.runOnlyPendingTimers();
+      // Keep the delayed live-region update deterministic.
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(LIVE_REGION_ANNOUNCEMENT_DELAY);
 
       expect(announceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Saved', { politeness: 'polite', from: item });
     });
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ describe('FlashController', () => {
       await ctx.nextFrame();
 
       const item = ctx.screen.getByText('Invalid input');
-      vi.runOnlyPendingTimers();
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(LIVE_REGION_ANNOUNCEMENT_DELAY);
 
       expect(announceSpy).toHaveBeenCalledWith('Invalid input', { politeness: 'assertive', from: item });
     });
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ describe('FlashController', () => {
       const announceSpy:LiveRegionTestElement['announce'] = vi.fn((_message:string, _options:unknown) => undefined);
       stubLiveRegionAnnouncement(announceSpy);
       await ctx.nextFrame();
-      vi.runOnlyPendingTimers();
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(LIVE_REGION_ANNOUNCEMENT_DELAY);
 
       expect(announceSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
@@ -119,7 +119,7 @@ describe('FlashController', () => {
       await ctx.nextFrame();
 
       ctx.screen.getByText('Saved').remove();
-      vi.runOnlyPendingTimers();
+      vi.advanceTimersByTime(LIVE_REGION_ANNOUNCEMENT_DELAY);
 
       expect(announceSpy).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
     });
diff --git a/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/flash.controller.ts b/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/flash.controller.ts
index 37ffd70f1ab..4e3a5f88ef9 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/flash.controller.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/stimulus/controllers/flash.controller.ts
@@ -2,6 +2,9 @@ import { ApplicationController } from 'stimulus-use';
 import { announce } from '@primer/live-region-element';
 
 export const SUCCESS_AUTOHIDE_TIMEOUT = 5000;
+// Match Primer's live-region registration delay. Manual screen reader
+// testing showed the first announcement can be missed without this pause.
+export const LIVE_REGION_ANNOUNCEMENT_DELAY = 150;
 
 export default class FlashController extends ApplicationController {
   static values = {
@@ -70,14 +73,14 @@ export default class FlashController extends ApplicationController {
     // Determine politeness level: 'assertive' for errors/alerts, 'polite' for other messages
     const politeness = element.dataset.politeness === 'assertive' ? 'assertive' : 'polite';
 
-    // Defer announcement until after the flash has been connected to the DOM.
+    // Defer announcement so screen readers can observe the live region before it changes.
     window.setTimeout(() => {
       if (!element.isConnected) {
         return;
       }
 
       void announce(message, { politeness, from: element });
-    });
+    }, LIVE_REGION_ANNOUNCEMENT_DELAY);
   }
 
   /**
@@ -85,11 +88,7 @@ export default class FlashController extends ApplicationController {
    * Clears any existing timer without restarting it.
    */
   private pauseAutohideTimer(element:HTMLElement) {
-    const timeoutId = this.autohideTimers.get(element);
-    if (timeoutId) {
-      window.clearTimeout(timeoutId);
-      this.autohideTimers.delete(element);
-    }
+    this.clearAutohideTimer(element);
   }
 
   /**