We study wave diffraction at near-threshold frequencies in an acoustic waveguide with a cross-wall that has a small aperture of diameter ε > 0. We describe the effects of almost complete reflection or transmission of waves related to the classical Vainstein anomaly and the presence of almost standing waves for the threshold value Λ_k of the spectral parameter λ in continuous spectrum. The greatest attention is paid to analyzing the range λ^ε = Λ_k + ε²μ² of the spectral parameter with μ ≤ μ₀, which generates scattering coefficients depending on μ > 0 and presents the greatest difficulties in constructing and justifying the asymptotics. Almost complete reflection and transmission correspond to the cases of going away from the threshold (as μ → +∞) and approaching it (as μ → +0) characterized by simpler asymptotics.