diff --git a/src/material/form-field/directives/error.ts b/src/material/form-field/directives/error.ts
index ab56e375f76c..f66204c1f0f7 100644
--- a/src/material/form-field/directives/error.ts
+++ b/src/material/form-field/directives/error.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,14 @@
  * found in the LICENSE file at https://angular.dev/license
  */
 
-import {Directive, InjectionToken, Input, inject} from '@angular/core';
+import {
+  Directive,
+  ElementRef,
+  HostAttributeToken,
+  InjectionToken,
+  Input,
+  inject,
+} from '@angular/core';
 import {_IdGenerator} from '@angular/cdk/a11y';
 
 /**
@@ -21,10 +28,24 @@ export const MAT_ERROR = new InjectionToken<MatError>('MatError');
   selector: 'mat-error, [matError]',
   host: {
     'class': 'mat-mdc-form-field-error mat-mdc-form-field-bottom-align',
+    'aria-atomic': 'true',
     '[id]': 'id',
   },
   providers: [{provide: MAT_ERROR, useExisting: MatError}],
 })
 export class MatError {
   @Input() id: string = inject(_IdGenerator).getId('mat-mdc-error-');
+
+  constructor(...args: unknown[]);
+
+  constructor() {
+    const ariaLive = inject(new HostAttributeToken('aria-live'), {optional: true});
+
+    // If no aria-live value is set add 'polite' as a default. This is preferred over setting
+    // role='alert' so that screen readers do not interrupt the current task to read this aloud.
+    if (!ariaLive) {
+      const elementRef = inject(ElementRef);
+      elementRef.nativeElement.setAttribute('aria-live', 'polite');
+    }
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/material/form-field/form-field.html b/src/material/form-field/form-field.html
index b5e38afad4fb..73f3ea5847e9 100644
--- a/src/material/form-field/form-field.html
+++ b/src/material/form-field/form-field.html
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@
   }
 </div>
 
-<div aria-atomic="true" aria-live="polite"
+<div
   class="mat-mdc-form-field-subscript-wrapper mat-mdc-form-field-bottom-align"
   [class.mat-mdc-form-field-subscript-dynamic-size]="subscriptSizing === 'dynamic'"
 >
diff --git a/src/material/input/input.spec.ts b/src/material/input/input.spec.ts
index 27a3c8dbfa0a..1536d8f7ce08 100644
--- a/src/material/input/input.spec.ts
+++ b/src/material/input/input.spec.ts
@@ -1276,13 +1276,11 @@ describe('MatInput with forms', () => {
         .toBe(1);
     });
 
-    it('should be in a parent element with the an aria-live attribute to announce the error', () => {
+    it('should set aria-live on the error to announce it', () => {
       testComponent.formControl.markAsTouched();
       fixture.detectChanges();
 
-      expect(
-        containerEl.querySelector('[aria-live]:has(mat-error)')!.getAttribute('aria-live'),
-      ).toBe('polite');
+      expect(containerEl.querySelector('mat-error')!.getAttribute('aria-live')).toBe('polite');
     });
 
     it('sets the aria-describedby to reference errors when in error state', () => {