diff --git a/src/mod/asr_tts/mod_cepstral/mod_cepstral.c b/src/mod/asr_tts/mod_cepstral/mod_cepstral.c
index c06d63a9b0..b8a46b4be3 100644
--- a/src/mod/asr_tts/mod_cepstral/mod_cepstral.c
+++ b/src/mod/asr_tts/mod_cepstral/mod_cepstral.c
@@ -218,12 +218,15 @@ static switch_status_t cepstral_speech_feed_tts(switch_speech_handle_t *sh, char
 		}
 		swift_port_speak_file(cepstral->port, text, NULL, &cepstral->tts_stream, NULL); 
 	} else {
+        char *to_say;
 		if (switch_strlen_zero(text)) {
 			return SWITCH_STATUS_FALSE;
 		}
 
-		swift_port_speak_text(cepstral->port, "<break time=\"500ms\"/>", 0, NULL, &cepstral->tts_stream, NULL); 
-		swift_port_speak_text(cepstral->port, text, 0, NULL, &cepstral->tts_stream, NULL); 
+        if ((to_say = switch_mprintf("<break time=\"500ms\"/> %s <break time=\"500ms\"/>", text))) {
+            swift_port_speak_text(cepstral->port, to_say, 0, NULL, &cepstral->tts_stream, NULL); 
+            switch_safe_free(to_say);
+        }
 	}
 
 	return SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS;