diff --git a/packages/transport-webrtc/src/rtcpeerconnection-to-conn.ts b/packages/transport-webrtc/src/rtcpeerconnection-to-conn.ts
index 07c7765093..dc3b39c6b1 100644
--- a/packages/transport-webrtc/src/rtcpeerconnection-to-conn.ts
+++ b/packages/transport-webrtc/src/rtcpeerconnection-to-conn.ts
@@ -29,6 +29,18 @@ class RTCPeerConnectionMultiaddrConnection extends AbstractMultiaddrConnection {
         this.peerConnection.close()
       }
     }
+
+    // Handle the case where the peerConnection already reached a terminal state
+    // before this handler was registered (e.g. ICE failed during SDP exchange).
+    // Since onconnectionstatechange is a property assignment it won't fire for
+    // past state transitions, so we need to check the current state explicitly.
+    // Note: 'disconnected' is transient and may recover to 'connected', so only
+    // 'failed' and 'closed' are treated as terminal states here.
+    if (initialState === 'failed' || initialState === 'closed') {
+      this.log.trace('peer connection already in terminal state %s at construction time', initialState)
+      this.onTransportClosed()
+      this.peerConnection.close()
+    }
   }
 
   sendData (data: Uint8ArrayList): SendResult {
diff --git a/packages/transport-webrtc/test/maconn.spec.ts b/packages/transport-webrtc/test/maconn.spec.ts
index 6905f5ca47..78dc10e803 100644
--- a/packages/transport-webrtc/test/maconn.spec.ts
+++ b/packages/transport-webrtc/test/maconn.spec.ts
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@
 import { defaultLogger } from '@libp2p/logger'
 import { multiaddr } from '@multiformats/multiaddr'
 import { expect } from 'aegir/chai'
+import delay from 'delay'
 import { stubObject } from 'sinon-ts'
 import { toMultiaddrConnection } from '../src/rtcpeerconnection-to-conn.ts'
 import { RTCPeerConnection } from '../src/webrtc/index.js'
@@ -33,4 +34,54 @@ describe('Multiaddr Connection', () => {
     expect(maConn.timeline.close).to.not.be.undefined
     expect(metrics.increment.calledWith({ close: true })).to.be.true
   })
+
+  it('closes immediately when peer connection is already in failed state at construction time', async () => {
+    const peerConnection = {
+      connectionState: 'failed' as RTCPeerConnectionState,
+      onconnectionstatechange: null as any,
+      close: () => {}
+    }
+
+    const remoteAddr = multiaddr('/ip4/1.2.3.4/udp/1234/webrtc/certhash/uEiAUqV7kzvM1wI5DYDc1RbcekYVmXli_Qprlw3IkiEg6tQ')
+
+    const maConn = toMultiaddrConnection({
+      // @ts-expect-error - intentional mock
+      peerConnection,
+      remoteAddr,
+      direction: 'outbound',
+      log: defaultLogger().forComponent('libp2p:webrtc:connection')
+    })
+
+    // Give any microtasks or synchronous operations a chance to complete
+    await delay(0)
+
+    expect(maConn.timeline.close).to.not.be.undefined
+  })
+
+  it('closes when peer connection transitions to failed state after construction', async () => {
+    const peerConnection: any = {
+      connectionState: 'connected' as RTCPeerConnectionState,
+      onconnectionstatechange: null as any,
+      close: () => {}
+    }
+
+    const remoteAddr = multiaddr('/ip4/1.2.3.4/udp/1234/webrtc/certhash/uEiAUqV7kzvM1wI5DYDc1RbcekYVmXli_Qprlw3IkiEg6tQ')
+
+    const maConn = toMultiaddrConnection({
+      peerConnection,
+      remoteAddr,
+      direction: 'outbound',
+      log: defaultLogger().forComponent('libp2p:webrtc:connection')
+    })
+
+    expect(maConn.timeline.close).to.be.undefined
+
+    // Simulate peerConnection going to 'failed' after construction
+    peerConnection.connectionState = 'failed'
+    peerConnection.onconnectionstatechange?.()
+
+    await delay(0)
+
+    expect(maConn.timeline.close).to.not.be.undefined
+  })
 })