diff --git a/common/src/settings/speech.rs b/common/src/settings/speech.rs
index e065fab7..db994677 100644
--- a/common/src/settings/speech.rs
+++ b/common/src/settings/speech.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use serde::{Deserialize, Serialize};
 #[derive(Debug, Serialize, Deserialize)]
 #[allow(clippy::module_name_repetitions)]
 pub struct SpeechSettings {
-	pub rate: i32,
+	pub rate: i8,
 }
 impl Default for SpeechSettings {
 	fn default() -> Self {
diff --git a/odilia/src/state.rs b/odilia/src/state.rs
index db617f91..182d00aa 100644
--- a/odilia/src/state.rs
+++ b/odilia/src/state.rs
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ impl ScreenReaderState {
 		let accessible_history = Mutex::new(CircularQueue::with_capacity(16));
 		let event_history = Mutex::new(CircularQueue::with_capacity(16));
 		let cache = Arc::new(Cache::new(atspi.connection().clone()));
-
+ssip.send(SSIPRequest::SetRate(ssip_client_async::ClientScope::Current, config.speech().rate)).await?;
 		Ok(Self {
 			atspi,
 			dbus,