diff --git a/src/fenrir/speechDriver/genericDriver.py b/src/fenrir/speechDriver/genericDriver.py
index 3217e4c7..2f2286fc 100644
--- a/src/fenrir/speechDriver/genericDriver.py
+++ b/src/fenrir/speechDriver/genericDriver.py
@@ -129,6 +129,8 @@ class driver(speechDriver):
             if isinstance(utterance, int):
                 if utterance == -1:
                     return
+                else:
+                    continue
             elif not isinstance(utterance, dict):
                 continue
             # no text means nothing to speak