diff --git a/src/mod/asr_tts/mod_cepstral/mod_cepstral.c b/src/mod/asr_tts/mod_cepstral/mod_cepstral.c
index 6d21d665e0..16624a2455 100644
--- a/src/mod/asr_tts/mod_cepstral/mod_cepstral.c
+++ b/src/mod/asr_tts/mod_cepstral/mod_cepstral.c
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ static switch_status_t cepstral_speech_feed_tts(switch_speech_handle_t *sh, char
 			return SWITCH_STATUS_FALSE;
 		}
 
-        if ((to_say = switch_mprintf("<break time=\"500ms\"/> %s <break time=\"500ms\"/>", text))) {
+        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);
         }