diff --git a/lib/utils/transcription-utils.js b/lib/utils/transcription-utils.js
index 0bb6915f..949498ac 100644
--- a/lib/utils/transcription-utils.js
+++ b/lib/utils/transcription-utils.js
@@ -391,9 +391,9 @@ module.exports = (logger) => {
     else if ('microsoft' === vendor) {
       opts = {
         ...opts,
-        ...(rOpts.hints.length > 0 && typeof rOpts.hints[0] === 'string' &&
+        ...(rOpts.hints && rOpts.hints.length > 0 && typeof rOpts.hints[0] === 'string' &&
           {AZURE_SPEECH_HINTS: rOpts.hints.map((h) => h.trim()).join(',')}),
-        ...(rOpts.hints.length > 0 && typeof rOpts.hints[0] === 'object' &&
+        ...(rOpts.hints && rOpts.hints.length > 0 && typeof rOpts.hints[0] === 'object' &&
           {AZURE_SPEECH_HINTS: rOpts.hints.map((h) => h.phrase).join(',')}),
         ...(rOpts.altLanguages && rOpts.altLanguages.length > 0 &&
           {AZURE_SPEECH_ALTERNATIVE_LANGUAGE_CODES: [...new Set(rOpts.altLanguages)].join(',')}),