diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/linux_config.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/linux_config.py
index 5a532b88d9..2eab61443c 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/linux_config.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/linux_config.py
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ class Widget(QWidget):
         l.addRow(_('&Speed of speech:'), s)
         s.setRange(self.tts_client.min_rate, self.tts_client.max_rate)
         s.setSingleStep(10)
-        s.setTickInterval((self.tts_client.max_rate - self.tts_client.min_rate) // 2)
+        s.setTickInterval((s.maximum() - s.minimum()) // 2)
 
         self.output_modules = om = QComboBox(self)
         with BusyCursor():
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/macos.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/macos.py
index 67b19d4df8..eb9c2fa495 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/macos.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/macos.py
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ class Client:
     mark_template = '[[sync 0x{:x}]]'
     END_MARK = 0xffffffff
     name = 'nsss'
+    min_rate = 10
+    max_rate = 340
 
     @classmethod
     def escape_marked_text(cls, text):
@@ -24,12 +26,20 @@ class Client:
         self.current_marked_text = self.last_mark = None
         self.dispatch_on_main_thread = dispatch_on_main_thread
         self.status = {'synthesizing': False, 'paused': False}
-        self.apply_settings(settings)
+        self.settings = settings
+        self.ignore_next_stop_event = False
+        self.apply_settings()
 
     def apply_settings(self, new_settings=None):
-        settings = new_settings or {}
-        self.nsss.set_current_rate(settings.get('rate', self.default_system_rate))
-        self.nsss.set_current_voice(settings.get('voice') or self.default_system_voice)
+        if self.status['paused']:
+            self.nsss.resume()
+            self.ignore_next_stop_event = True
+            self.status = {'synthesizing': False, 'paused': False}
+        if new_settings is not None:
+            self.settings = new_settings
+        self.nsss.set_current_voice(self.settings.get('voice') or self.default_system_voice)
+        rate = self.settings.get('rate', self.default_system_rate)
+        self.nsss.set_current_rate(rate)
 
     def __del__(self):
         self.nsss = None
@@ -40,15 +50,13 @@ class Client:
         event = None
         if message_type == MARK:
             self.last_mark = data
-            if data == self.END_MARK:
-                event = Event(EventType.end)
-                self.status = {'synthesizing': False, 'paused': False}
-            else:
-                event = Event(EventType.mark, data)
+            event = Event(EventType.mark, data)
         elif message_type == END:
-            if not data:  # normal end event is handled by END_MARK
-                event = Event(EventType.cancel)
-                self.status = {'synthesizing': False, 'paused': False}
+            if self.ignore_next_stop_event:
+                self.ignore_next_stop_event = False
+                return
+            event = Event(EventType.end if data else EventType.cancel)
+            self.status = {'synthesizing': False, 'paused': False}
         if event is not None and self.current_callback is not None:
             try:
                 self.current_callback(event)
@@ -64,9 +72,6 @@ class Client:
 
     def speak_marked_text(self, text, callback):
         self.current_callback = callback
-        # on macOS didFinishSpeaking is never called for some reason, so work
-        # around it by adding an extra, special mark at the end
-        text += self.mark_template.format(self.END_MARK)
         self.current_marked_text = text
         self.last_mark = None
         self.nsss.speak(text)
@@ -88,17 +93,22 @@ class Client:
                 self.current_callback(Event(EventType.resume))
 
     def resume_after_configure(self):
-        if self.status['paused'] and self.last_mark is not None and self.current_marked_text:
+        if self.status['paused']:
+            self.resume()
+            return
+        if self.last_mark is None:
+            idx = -1
+        else:
             mark = self.mark_template.format(self.last_mark)
             idx = self.current_marked_text.find(mark)
-            if idx == -1:
-                text = self.current_marked_text
-            else:
-                text = self.current_marked_text[idx:]
-            self.nsss.speak(text)
-            self.status = {'synthesizing': True, 'paused': False}
-            if self.current_callback is not None:
-                self.current_callback(Event(EventType.resume))
+        if idx == -1:
+            text = self.current_marked_text
+        else:
+            text = self.current_marked_text[idx:]
+        self.nsss.speak(text)
+        self.status = {'synthesizing': True, 'paused': False}
+        if self.current_callback is not None:
+            self.current_callback(Event(EventType.resume))
 
     def stop(self):
         self.nsss.stop()
@@ -121,3 +131,18 @@ class Client:
     def config_widget(self, backend_settings, parent):
         from calibre.gui2.tts.macos_config import Widget
         return Widget(self, backend_settings, parent)
+
+    def change_rate(self, steps=1):
+        rate = current_rate = self.settings.get('rate', self.default_system_rate)
+        step_size = (self.max_rate - self.min_rate) // 10
+        rate += steps * step_size
+        rate = max(self.min_rate, min(rate, self.max_rate))
+        if rate != current_rate:
+            self.settings['rate'] = rate
+            prev_state = self.status.copy()
+            self.pause()
+            self.apply_settings()
+            if prev_state['synthesizing']:
+                self.status = {'synthesizing': True, 'paused': False}
+                self.resume_after_configure()
+            return self.settings
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/macos_config.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/macos_config.py
index 05825c5e11..0f0f84a596 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/macos_config.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/macos_config.py
@@ -83,8 +83,9 @@ class Widget(QWidget):
         self.speed = s = QSlider(Qt.Orientation.Horizontal, self)
         s.setMinimumWidth(200)
         l.addRow(_('&Speed of speech (words per minute):'), s)
-        delta = self.default_system_rate - 50
-        s.setRange(self.default_system_rate - delta, self.default_system_rate + delta)
+        s.setRange(self.tts_client.min_rate, self.tts_client.max_rate)
+        s.setTickPosition(QSlider.TickPosition.TicksAbove)
+        s.setTickInterval((s.maximum() - s.minimum()) // 2)
         s.setSingleStep(10)
 
         self.voices = v = QTableView(self)
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/windows.py b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/windows.py
index 64cac9dd33..08e98425de 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/tts/windows.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/tts/windows.py
@@ -139,8 +139,11 @@ class Client:
         if self.status['paused']:
             self.resume()
         else:
-            mark = self.mark_template.format(self.last_mark)
-            idx = self.current_marked_text.find(mark)
+            if self.last_mark is None:
+                idx = -1
+            else:
+                mark = self.mark_template.format(self.last_mark)
+                idx = self.current_marked_text.find(mark)
             if idx == -1:
                 text = self.current_marked_text
             else:
diff --git a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/tts.py b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/tts.py
index 0ff7461490..4d2e596065 100644
--- a/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/tts.py
+++ b/src/calibre/gui2/viewer/tts.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ class TTS(QObject):
 
     def play(self, data):
         marked_text = add_markup(data['marked_text'], self.tts_client_class.mark_template)
-        self.tts_client.speak_marked_text(marked_text, self.callback)
+        self.tts_client.speak_marked_text(marked_text.strip(), self.callback)
 
     def pause(self, data):
         self.tts_client.pause()