diff --git a/js/ComboBox.js b/js/ComboBox.js
index b13744f3..cfb48c11 100644
--- a/js/ComboBox.js
+++ b/js/ComboBox.js
@@ -168,7 +168,14 @@ class ComboBox extends Node {
     // @private the popup list box
     this.listBox = new ComboBoxListBox( property, items,
       this.hideListBox.bind( this ), // callback to hide the list box
-      this.button.focus.bind( this.button ), // callback to transfer focus to button
+      selectedItem => {
+
+        // ComboBoxListBox will focus the button before setting the new Property value so we need to update
+        // the voicingNameResponse BEFORE moving focus to the button. This workaround makes sure that the correct
+        // name is ready before the button receives focus. See https://github.com/phetsims/friction/issues/268.
+        this.button.voicingNameResponse = selectedItem.a11yLabel;
+        this.button.focus();
+      },
       options.tandem.createTandem( 'listBox' ), {
         align: options.align,
         highlightFill: options.highlightFill,
diff --git a/js/ComboBoxButton.js b/js/ComboBoxButton.js
index 427b6941..6858f8b4 100644
--- a/js/ComboBoxButton.js
+++ b/js/ComboBoxButton.js
@@ -182,6 +182,7 @@ class ComboBoxButton extends RectangularPushButton {
 
       // pdom
       this.innerContent = item.a11yLabel;
+      this.voicingNameResponse = item.a11yLabel;
     };
     property.link( propertyObserver );
 
diff --git a/js/ComboBoxListBox.js b/js/ComboBoxListBox.js
index 7c649b7b..cb096c1f 100644
--- a/js/ComboBoxListBox.js
+++ b/js/ComboBoxListBox.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class ComboBoxListBox extends Panel {
    * @param {Property} property
    * @param {ComboBoxItem[]} items
    * @param {function} hideListBoxCallback - called to hide the list box
-   * @param {function} focusButtonCallback - called to transfer focus to the combo box's button
+   * @param {function(ComboBoxItem):} focusButtonCallback - called to transfer focus to the combo box's button
    * @param {Tandem} tandem
    * @param {Object} [options]
    */
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ class ComboBoxListBox extends Panel {
       assert && assert( listItemNode instanceof ComboBoxListItemNode, 'expected a ComboBoxListItemNode' );
 
       // So that something related to the ComboBox has focus before changing Property value.
-      focusButtonCallback();
+      focusButtonCallback( listItemNode.item );
 
       // set value based on which item was chosen in the list box
       property.value = listItemNode.item.value;
@@ -201,7 +201,7 @@ class ComboBoxListBox extends Panel {
 
           // Escape and Tab hide the list box and return focus to the button
           hideListBoxCallback();
-          focusButtonCallback();
+          focusButtonCallback( this.getListItemNode( property.value ).item );
         }
         else if ( KeyboardUtils.isAnyKeyEvent( event.domEvent, [ KeyboardUtils.KEY_DOWN_ARROW, KeyboardUtils.KEY_UP_ARROW ] ) ) {
 
diff --git a/js/ComboBoxListItemNode.js b/js/ComboBoxListItemNode.js
index 8402031d..b7e13231 100644
--- a/js/ComboBoxListItemNode.js
+++ b/js/ComboBoxListItemNode.js
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 
 import Shape from '../../kite/js/Shape.js';
 import merge from '../../phet-core/js/merge.js';
+import Voicing from '../../scenery/js/accessibility/voicing/Voicing.js';
 import IndexedNodeIO from '../../scenery/js/nodes/IndexedNodeIO.js';
 import Node from '../../scenery/js/nodes/Node.js';
 import Rectangle from '../../scenery/js/nodes/Rectangle.js';
@@ -24,6 +25,8 @@ class ComboBoxListItemNode extends Node {
    * @param {number} highlightWidth
    * @param {number} highlightHeight
    * @param {Object} [options]
+   *
+   * @mixes {Voicing}
    */
   constructor( item, highlightWidth, highlightHeight, options ) {
 
@@ -59,6 +62,7 @@ class ComboBoxListItemNode extends Node {
     // pdom: get innerContent from the item
     assert && assert( options.innerContent === undefined, 'ComboBoxListItemNode sets innerContent' );
     options.innerContent = item.a11yLabel;
+    options.voicingNameResponse = item.a11yLabel;
 
     // Highlight that is shown when the pointer is over this item. This is not the a11y focus rectangle.
     const highlightRectangle = new Rectangle( 0, 0, highlightWidth, highlightHeight, {
@@ -92,11 +96,18 @@ class ComboBoxListItemNode extends Node {
     assert && assert( !options.children, 'ComboBoxListItemNode sets children' );
     options.children = [ highlightRectangle, itemNodeWrapper ];
 
-    super( options );
+    super();
+
+    // voicing - initialize the Voicing trait
+    this.initializeVoicing();
 
     // @public (read-only)
     this.item = item;
 
+    // mutate after initializing the Voicing trait, but must come before setting the focusHighlight so that bounds
+    // are defined
+    this.mutate( options );
+
     // pdom focus highlight is fitted to this Node's bounds, so that it doesn't overlap other items in the list box
     this.focusHighlight = Shape.bounds( this.localBounds );
 
@@ -109,5 +120,7 @@ class ComboBoxListItemNode extends Node {
   }
 }
 
+Voicing.compose( ComboBoxListItemNode );
+
 sun.register( 'ComboBoxListItemNode', ComboBoxListItemNode );
 export default ComboBoxListItemNode;
\ No newline at end of file