diff --git a/lib/utils/action-hook-delay.js b/lib/utils/action-hook-delay.js
index 60efdd56..656f8a8f 100644
--- a/lib/utils/action-hook-delay.js
+++ b/lib/utils/action-hook-delay.js
@@ -2,7 +2,6 @@ const makeTask = require('../tasks/make_task');
 const Emitter = require('events');
 const { normalizeJambones } = require('@jambonz/verb-specifications');
 const {TaskName} = require('../utils/constants');
-const assert = require('assert');
 
 /**
  * ActionHookDelayProcessor
@@ -51,7 +50,7 @@ class ActionHookDelayProcessor extends Emitter {
 
     this.actions = opts.actions;
     this.retries = opts.retries || 0;
-    this.noResponseTimeout = opts.noResponseTimeout || 0;
+    this.noResponseTimeout = opts.noResponseTimeout;
     this.noResponseGiveUpTimeout = opts.noResponseGiveUpTimeout;
 
     // return false if these options actually disable the ahdp
@@ -66,11 +65,16 @@ class ActionHookDelayProcessor extends Emitter {
       this.logger.debug('ActionHookDelayProcessor#start: already started due to prior gather which is continuing');
       return;
     }
-    assert(!this._noResponseTimer);
     this._active = true;
     this._retryCount = 0;
-    const timeoutMs =  this.noResponseTimeout === 0 ? 1 : this.noResponseTimeout * 1000;
-    this._noResponseTimer = setTimeout(this._onNoResponseTimer.bind(this), timeoutMs);
+    if (this.noResponseTimeout > 0) {
+      const timeoutMs =  this.noResponseTimeout * 1000;
+      this._noResponseTimer = setTimeout(this._onNoResponseTimer.bind(this), timeoutMs);
+    } else {
+      this.logger.debug(
+        'ActionHookDelayProcessor#start: noResponseTimeout is 0 or undefined hence not calling _onNoResponseTimer'
+      );
+    }
 
     if (this.noResponseGiveUpTimeout > 0) {
       const timeoutMs = this.noResponseGiveUpTimeout * 1000;