diff --git a/src/pyj/read_book/tts.pyj b/src/pyj/read_book/tts.pyj
index 0813a78142..68190c5745 100644
--- a/src/pyj/read_book/tts.pyj
+++ b/src/pyj/read_book/tts.pyj
@@ -114,6 +114,12 @@ class Client:
         self.status = {'synthesizing': True, 'paused': True}
         self.onevent('pause')
 
+    def speak(self, text):
+        self.current_utterance = None
+        if text and text.length:
+            self.current_utterance = self.create_utterance(text)
+            window.speechSynthesis.speak(self.current_utterance)
+
     def utterance_ended(self, event):
         self.status = {'synthesizing': False, 'paused': False}
         if self.stop_requested_at? and window.performance.now() - self.stop_requested_at < 1000:
@@ -122,7 +128,7 @@ class Client:
         self.tracker.pop_first()
         text = self.tracker.current_text()
         if text and text.length:
-            window.speechSynthesis.speak(text)
+            self.speak(text)
         else:
             self.onevent('end')
 
@@ -154,7 +160,7 @@ class Client:
     def resume_after_configure(self):
         text = self.tracker.resume()
         if text and text.length:
-            window.speechSynthesis.speak(text)
+            self.speak(text)
 
     def stop(self):
         self.tracker.clear()
@@ -166,14 +172,14 @@ class Client:
         self.stop()
         text = self.tracker.parse_marked_text(v'[text]')
         if text and text.length:
-            window.speechSynthesis.speak(self.create_utterance(text))
+            self.speak(text)
 
     def speak_marked_text(self, text_segments, onevent):
         self.stop()
         self.onevent = onevent
         text = self.tracker.parse_marked_text(text_segments)
         if text and text.length:
-            window.speechSynthesis.speak(self.create_utterance(text))
+            self.speak(text)
 
     def faster(self):
         self.change_rate(steps=1)
@@ -181,20 +187,18 @@ class Client:
     def slower(self):
         self.change_rate(steps=-1)
 
-    def apply_settings(self):
+    def save_settings(self):
         sd = get_session_data()
         sd.set('tts_backend', {'voice': self.current_voice_uri, 'rate': self.current_rate})
 
     def change_rate(self, steps=1):
         rate = current_rate = (self.current_rate or 1) * 10
-        step_size = 2
-        rate += steps * step_size
+        rate += steps
         rate /= 10
         rate = max(self.min_rate, min(rate, self.max_rate))
         if rate is not current_rate:
             self.current_rate = rate
-            self.apply_settings()
-            self.resume_after_configure()
+            self.save_settings()
 
     def configure(self):
         voice_id = unique_id()
@@ -246,7 +250,7 @@ class Client:
                 if changed:
                     self.current_voice_uri = voice
                     self.current_rate = rate
-                    self.apply_settings()
+                    self.save_settings()
 
                 self.onevent('configured')
         )