diff --git a/lib/tasks/gather.js b/lib/tasks/gather.js
index 3fe2b297..57796d78 100644
--- a/lib/tasks/gather.js
+++ b/lib/tasks/gather.js
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ class TaskGather extends Task {
     // this is specially for barge in where we want to make a bargebale promt
     // to a user without listening after the say task has finished
     this.logger.debug({opts}, 'created gather task');
-    this.listenAfterSpeech = this.data.listenAfterSpeech === false;
+    this.listenAfterSpeech = typeof this.data.listenAfterSpeech === "boolean" ? this.data.listenAfterSpeech : true;
     this.timeout = (this.timeout || 15) * 1000;
     this.interim = this.partialResultCallback || this.bargein;
     if (this.data.recognizer) {