diff --git a/lib/session/call-session.js b/lib/session/call-session.js
index 095213bb..194ce1c4 100644
--- a/lib/session/call-session.js
+++ b/lib/session/call-session.js
@@ -454,8 +454,8 @@ class CallSession extends Emitter {
   async enableBotMode(gather, autoEnable) {
     try {
       if (this.backgroundGatherTask) {
-        this.logger.info('CallSession:enableBotMode - bot mode currently enabled, stop it');
-        this.disableBotMode();
+        this.logger.info('CallSession:enableBotMode - bot mode currently enabled, ignoring request to start again');
+        return;
       }
       const t = normalizeJambones(this.logger, [gather]);
       this.backgroundGatherTask = makeTask(this.logger, t[0]);
diff --git a/lib/tasks/gather.js b/lib/tasks/gather.js
index 75c3d5b3..0c974150 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/gather.js
+++ b/lib/tasks/gather.js
@@ -182,6 +182,10 @@ class TaskGather extends Task {
         this.logger.debug('Gather:exec - calling _initSpeech');
         this._initSpeech(cs, ep)
           .then(() => {
+            if (this.killed) {
+              this.logger.info('Gather:exec - task was quickly killed so do not transcribe');
+              return;
+            }
             this._startTranscribing(ep);
             return updateSpeechCredentialLastUsed(this.sttCredentials.speech_credential_sid);
           })
@@ -232,7 +236,13 @@ class TaskGather extends Task {
           }
         });
       }
-      else startListening(cs, ep);
+      else {
+        if (this.killed) {
+          this.logger.info('Gather:exec - task was immediately killed so do not transcribe');
+          return;
+        }
+        startListening(cs, ep);
+      }
 
       if (this.input.includes('speech') && this.listenDuringPrompt) {
         await this._initSpeech(cs, ep);