diff --git a/src/fs_encode.c b/src/fs_encode.c
index 626601d9d6..49895390ef 100644
--- a/src/fs_encode.c
+++ b/src/fs_encode.c
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ int main(int argc, char *argv[])
 	switch_loadable_module_init(SWITCH_FALSE);
 	switch_loadable_module_load_module("", "CORE_PCM_MODULE", SWITCH_TRUE, &err);
 	switch_loadable_module_load_module("", "CORE_SPEEX_MODULE", SWITCH_TRUE, &err);
+	switch_loadable_module_load_module("", "CORE_SOFTTIMER_MODULE", SWITCH_TRUE, &err);
 
 	for (i = 0; i < extra_modules_count; i++) {
 		if (switch_loadable_module_load_module((char *) SWITCH_GLOBAL_dirs.mod_dir, (char *) extra_modules[i], SWITCH_TRUE, &err) != SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
diff --git a/src/mod/applications/mod_spandsp/mod_spandsp_fax.c b/src/mod/applications/mod_spandsp/mod_spandsp_fax.c
index 02187db92d..c2fc659187 100644
--- a/src/mod/applications/mod_spandsp/mod_spandsp_fax.c
+++ b/src/mod/applications/mod_spandsp/mod_spandsp_fax.c
@@ -190,6 +190,13 @@ static void *SWITCH_THREAD_FUNC timer_thread_run(switch_thread_t *thread, void *
 	pvt_t *pvt;
 	int samples = 160;
 	int ms = 20;
+    int r = 0;
+
+	if (switch_core_timer_init(&timer, "soft", ms, samples, NULL) != SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+		switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_CRIT, "timer init failed.\n");
+        r = -1;
+		goto end;
+	}
 
 	switch_mutex_lock(t38_state_list.mutex);
 	t38_state_list.thread_running = 1;
@@ -197,15 +204,9 @@ static void *SWITCH_THREAD_FUNC timer_thread_run(switch_thread_t *thread, void *
 
 	switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_DEBUG, "FAX timer thread started.\n");
 
-	if (switch_core_timer_init(&timer, "soft", ms, samples, NULL) != SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
-		switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_CRIT, "timer init failed.\n");
-        t38_state_list.thread_running = -1;
-		goto end;
-	}
-
 	switch_mutex_lock(spandsp_globals.cond_mutex);
 
-	while(t38_state_list.thread_running > 0) {
+	while(t38_state_list.thread_running == 1) {
 
 		switch_mutex_lock(t38_state_list.mutex);
 
@@ -234,7 +235,7 @@ static void *SWITCH_THREAD_FUNC timer_thread_run(switch_thread_t *thread, void *
 	switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_DEBUG, "FAX timer thread ended.\n");
 
 	switch_mutex_lock(t38_state_list.mutex);
-	t38_state_list.thread_running = 0;
+	t38_state_list.thread_running = r;
 	switch_mutex_unlock(t38_state_list.mutex);
 
 	if (timer.timer_interface) {