diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/readclause.c b/src/libespeak-ng/readclause.c
index 0acaa062..372a7065 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/readclause.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/readclause.c
@@ -74,7 +74,6 @@ static SSML_STACK ssml_stack[N_SSML_STACK];
 
 static espeak_VOICE base_voice;
 static char base_voice_variant_name[40] = { 0 };
-static char current_voice_id[40] = { 0 };
 
 static int n_param_stack;
 PARAM_STACK param_stack[N_PARAM_STACK];
@@ -652,7 +651,6 @@ int ReadClause(Translator *tr, char *buf, short *charix, int *charix_top, int n_
 	tr->clause_upper_count = 0;
 	tr->clause_lower_count = 0;
 	*tone_type = 0;
-	*voice_change = 0;
 
 	if (ungot_char2 != 0)
 		c2 = ungot_char2;
@@ -743,14 +741,11 @@ int ReadClause(Translator *tr, char *buf, short *charix, int *charix_top, int n_
 					xml_buf[n_xml_buf] = 0;
 					c2 = ' ';
 
-					terminator = ProcessSsmlTag(xml_buf, buf, &ix, n_buf, xmlbase, &audio_text, current_voice_id, &base_voice, base_voice_variant_name, &ignore_text, &clear_skipping_text, &sayas_mode, &sayas_start, ssml_stack, &n_ssml_stack, &n_param_stack, (int *)speech_parameters);
+					terminator = ProcessSsmlTag(xml_buf, buf, &ix, n_buf, xmlbase, &audio_text, voice_change, &base_voice, base_voice_variant_name, &ignore_text, &clear_skipping_text, &sayas_mode, &sayas_start, ssml_stack, &n_ssml_stack, &n_param_stack, (int *)speech_parameters);
 
 					if (terminator != 0) {
 						buf[ix] = ' ';
 						buf[ix++] = 0;
-
-						if (terminator & CLAUSE_TYPE_VOICE_CHANGE)
-							strcpy(voice_change, current_voice_id);
 						return terminator;
 					}
 					c1 = ' ';
@@ -1139,9 +1134,6 @@ void InitText2(void)
 
 	option_punctuation = speech_parameters[espeakPUNCTUATION];
 	option_capitals = speech_parameters[espeakCAPITALS];
-
-	current_voice_id[0] = 0;
-
 	ignore_text = false;
 	audio_text = false;
 	clear_skipping_text = false;
diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/ssml.c b/src/libespeak-ng/ssml.c
index c9ca85a1..ce2232ec 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/ssml.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/ssml.c
@@ -312,7 +312,7 @@ static int GetVoiceAttributes(wchar_t *pw, int tag_type, SSML_STACK *ssml_sp, SS
 	// a voice change.
 	// If it's a closing tag, delete the top frame of the stack and determine whether this implies
 	// a voice change.
-	// Returns  CLAUSE_TYPE_VOICE_CHANGE if there is a voice change
+	// if there is a voice change, sets current_voice_id and returns CLAUSE_TYPE_VOICE_CHANGE
 
 	wchar_t *lang;
 	wchar_t *gender;