diff --git a/src/modules/elevenlabs/ElevenlabsSettings.tsx b/src/modules/elevenlabs/ElevenlabsSettings.tsx
index b57987a52..0d808f54c 100644
--- a/src/modules/elevenlabs/ElevenlabsSettings.tsx
+++ b/src/modules/elevenlabs/ElevenlabsSettings.tsx
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@ import { Section } from '@/common/components/Section';
 import { settingsGap } from '@/common/theme';
 import { useSettingsStore } from '@/common/state/store-settings';
 
-import { isValidElevenLabsApiKey, requireUserKeyElevenLabs, useElevenLabsVoices } from './elevenlabs.client';
+import { isElevenLabsEnabled, requireUserKeyElevenLabs, useElevenLabsVoices } from './elevenlabs.client';
 
 
 export function ElevenlabsSettings() {
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ export function ElevenlabsSettings() {
   }), shallow);
 
   const requiresKey = requireUserKeyElevenLabs;
-  const isValidKey = apiKey ? isValidElevenLabsApiKey(apiKey) : !requiresKey;
+  const isValidKey = isElevenLabsEnabled(apiKey);
 
   const { voicesData, loadingVoices } = useElevenLabsVoices(apiKey, isValidKey);
 
diff --git a/src/modules/elevenlabs/elevenlabs.client.ts b/src/modules/elevenlabs/elevenlabs.client.ts
index 987cc10b4..61f64ae33 100644
--- a/src/modules/elevenlabs/elevenlabs.client.ts
+++ b/src/modules/elevenlabs/elevenlabs.client.ts
@@ -7,11 +7,15 @@ export const requireUserKeyElevenLabs = !process.env.HAS_SERVER_KEY_ELEVENLABS;
 
 export const isValidElevenLabsApiKey = (apiKey?: string) => !!apiKey && apiKey.trim()?.length >= 32;
 
+export const isElevenLabsEnabled = (apiKey?: string) => apiKey ? isValidElevenLabsApiKey(apiKey) : !requireUserKeyElevenLabs;
+
 
 export async function speakText(text: string) {
   if (!(text?.trim())) return;
 
   const { elevenLabsApiKey, elevenLabsVoiceId, preferredLanguage } = useSettingsStore.getState();
+  if (!isElevenLabsEnabled(elevenLabsApiKey)) return;
+
   try {
     // NOTE: hardcoded 1000 as a failsafe, since the API will take very long and consume lots of credits for longer texts
     const nonEnglish = !(preferredLanguage.toLowerCase().startsWith('en'));