diff --git a/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.c b/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.c
index 71d6bb19..0fba949e 100644
--- a/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.c
+++ b/src/libespeak-ng/mbrowrap.c
@@ -527,6 +527,11 @@ static int init_mbrola(char *voice_path)
 	if (error)
 		return -1;
 
+	// Allow mbrola time to start when running on Windows Subsystem for
+	// Linux (WSL). Otherwise, the receive_from_mbrola call to read the
+	// wav header from mbrola will fail.
+	usleep(100);
+
 	result = send_to_mbrola("#\n");
 	if (result != 2) {
 		stop_mbrola();