diff --git a/espeakup.c b/espeakup.c
index eef672c..7a6bba4 100644
--- a/espeakup.c
+++ b/espeakup.c
@@ -86,7 +86,9 @@ void espeakup_sighandler(int sig)
 
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
-	struct synth_t s;
+	struct synth_t s = {
+		.voice = "",
+	};
 
 	/* process command line options */
 	process_cli(argc, argv);
diff --git a/espeakup.h b/espeakup.h
index 0518ed0..16556f5 100644
--- a/espeakup.h
+++ b/espeakup.h
@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ struct synth_t {
 	int frequency;
 	int pitch;
 	int rate;
-	char *voice;
+	char voice[10];
 	int volume;
 	char *buf;
 	int len;
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ extern espeak_ERROR set_pitch(struct synth_t *s, int pitch,
 							  enum adjust_t adj);
 extern espeak_ERROR set_rate(struct synth_t *s, int rate,
 							 enum adjust_t adj);
-extern espeak_ERROR set_voice(struct synth_t *s);
+extern espeak_ERROR set_voice(struct synth_t *s, char *voice);
 extern espeak_ERROR set_volume(struct synth_t *s, int vol,
 							   enum adjust_t adj);
 extern espeak_ERROR stop_speech(void);
diff --git a/synth.c b/synth.c
index c84ba8a..6c89cca 100644
--- a/synth.c
+++ b/synth.c
@@ -17,6 +17,8 @@
  *   along with this program.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
  */
 
+#include <string.h>
+
 #include "espeakup.h"
 
 /* multipliers and offsets */
@@ -74,9 +76,14 @@ espeak_ERROR set_rate(struct synth_t * s, int rate, enum adjust_t adj)
 	return rc;
 }
 
-espeak_ERROR set_voice(struct synth_t * s)
+espeak_ERROR set_voice(struct synth_t * s, char *voice)
 {
-	return (espeak_SetVoiceByName(s->voice));
+	espeak_ERROR rc;
+
+	rc = espeak_SetVoiceByName(voice);
+	if (rc == EE_OK)
+		strcpy(s->voice, voice);
+	return rc;
 }
 
 espeak_ERROR set_volume(struct synth_t * s, int vol, enum adjust_t adj)