diff --git a/hugvey/story.py b/hugvey/story.py
index 7a14b81..57cb1d7 100644
--- a/hugvey/story.py
+++ b/hugvey/story.py
@@ -22,9 +22,11 @@ class Utterance(object):
         self.startTime = startTime
         self.endTime = None
         self.text = ""
+        self.lastUpdate = startTime
     
-    def setText(self, text):
+    def setText(self, text, now):
         self.text = text
+        self.lastUpdate = now
     
     def setFinished(self, endTime):
         self.endTime = endTime
@@ -181,7 +183,21 @@ class Reply(object):
     def getLastUtterance(self) -> Utterance:
         if not self.hasUtterances():
             return None
-        return self.utterances[-1]
+        u = self.utterances[-1] #: :type  u: Utterance
+        
+        # attempt to fix a glitch that google does not always send is_finished
+        if u.isFinished():
+            return u
+        
+        now = self.forMessage.story.timer.getElapsed()
+        diff = now - u.lastUpdate
+        if diff > 2: # time in seconds to force silence in utterance
+            self.forMessage.story.logger.warn(
+                f"Set finish time for utterance after {diff}s {u.text}"
+                )
+            u.setFinished(now)
+            
+        return u
     
     def getFirstUtterance(self) -> Utterance:
         if not self.hasUtterances():
@@ -765,9 +781,10 @@ class Story(object):
                 if self.currentReply is None:
                     self.logger.info("Start speaking")
                     self.currentReply= Reply(self.currentMessage)
-                    
-                utterance = self.currentReply.getActiveUtterance(self.timer.getElapsed())
-                utterance.setText(e['transcript'])
+                
+                now = self.timer.getElapsed()
+                utterance = self.currentReply.getActiveUtterance(now)
+                utterance.setText(e['transcript'], now)
                 self.hugvey.eventLogger.info("speaking: content {} \"{}\"".format(id(utterance), e['transcript']))
                 
                 if e['is_final']: