diff --git a/android/src/com/reecedunn/espeak/SeekBarPreference.java b/android/src/com/reecedunn/espeak/SeekBarPreference.java
index a0fc3391..8a0d6b9b 100644
--- a/android/src/com/reecedunn/espeak/SeekBarPreference.java
+++ b/android/src/com/reecedunn/espeak/SeekBarPreference.java
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ public class SeekBarPreference extends DialogPreference implements SeekBar.OnSee
     private SeekBar mSeekBar;
     private TextView mValueText;
 
+    private int mOldProgress = 0;
     private int mProgress = 0;
     private int mDefaultValue = 0;
     private int mMin = 0;
@@ -41,6 +42,13 @@ public class SeekBarPreference extends DialogPreference implements SeekBar.OnSee
         mProgress = progress;
         String text = Integer.toString(mProgress);
         callChangeListener(text);
+
+        // Update the last saved value to the so it can be restored later if
+        // the user cancels the dialog. This needs to be done here as well
+        // as the onProgressChanged handler as the SeekBar will not be
+        // initialized at this point.
+
+        mOldProgress = mProgress;
     }
 
     public int getProgress() {
@@ -97,6 +105,17 @@ public class SeekBarPreference extends DialogPreference implements SeekBar.OnSee
         this(context, null);
     }
 
+    private void persistSettings(int progress) {
+        mProgress = progress;
+        String text = Integer.toString(mProgress);
+        callChangeListener(text);
+        if (shouldCommit()) {
+            SharedPreferences.Editor editor = getEditor();
+            editor.putString(getKey(), text);
+            editor.commit();
+        }
+    }
+
     @Override
     protected View onCreateDialogView() {
         View root = super.onCreateDialogView();
@@ -108,7 +127,13 @@ public class SeekBarPreference extends DialogPreference implements SeekBar.OnSee
             @Override
             public void onClick(View v)
             {
-                mSeekBar.setProgress(getDefaultValue() - mMin);
+                int defaultValue = getDefaultValue();
+                mSeekBar.setProgress(defaultValue - mMin);
+
+                // Persist the value here to ensure that eSpeak is using the
+                // new value the next time e.g. TalkBack reads part of the UI.
+
+                persistSettings(defaultValue);
             }
         });
         return root;
@@ -120,28 +145,57 @@ public class SeekBarPreference extends DialogPreference implements SeekBar.OnSee
         mSeekBar.setOnSeekBarChangeListener(this);
         mSeekBar.setMax(mMax - mMin);
         mSeekBar.setProgress(mProgress - mMin);
+
+        // Update the last saved value to the so it can be restored later if
+        // the user cancels the dialog.
+
+        mOldProgress = mProgress;
     }
 
     @Override
     public void onClick(DialogInterface dialog, int which) {
         switch (which) {
             case DialogInterface.BUTTON_POSITIVE:
-                mProgress = mSeekBar.getProgress() + mMin;
-                String text = Integer.toString(mProgress);
-                callChangeListener(text);
-                if (shouldCommit()) {
-                    SharedPreferences.Editor editor = getEditor();
-                    editor.putString(getKey(), text);
-                    editor.commit();
-                }
+                // Update the last saved value so this will be persisted when
+                // the dialog is dismissed.
+
+                mOldProgress = mSeekBar.getProgress() + mMin;
                 break;
         }
         super.onClick(dialog, which);
     }
 
+    @Override
+    public void onDismiss(DialogInterface dialog) {
+        // There are 3 ways to dismiss a dialog:
+        //   1.  Pressing the OK (positive) button.
+        //   2.  Pressing the Cancel (negative) button.
+        //   3.  Pressing the Back button.
+        //
+        // For [1], the new value needs to be persisted. For [2] and [3], the
+        // old value needs to be persisted (so the last saved value is
+        // restored). As there is no easy way to override the Dialog's back
+        // button pressed handler, the following approach is used:
+        //
+        // 1.  If the user presses the OK button, the last saved value is
+        //     updated to be the new value (see the onClick handler).
+        //
+        // 2.  In all cases, the last saved value is persisted when the dialog
+        //     is closed (in this onDismiss handler).
+
+        persistSettings(mOldProgress);
+    }
+
     @Override
     public void onProgressChanged(SeekBar seekBar, int progress, boolean fromUser)
     {
+        // This callback gets called frequently when the user is moving the
+        // slider, so constantly persisting the seeker value will be annoying.
+        //
+        // If the value is being set programatically, persisting the seeker
+        // value here will cause the speech rate to be set to 80 WPM (via the
+        // onBindDialogView handler).
+
         String text = String.format(getFormatter(), Integer.toString(progress + mMin));
         mValueText.setText(text);
         mSeekBar.setContentDescription(text);
@@ -155,5 +209,10 @@ public class SeekBarPreference extends DialogPreference implements SeekBar.OnSee
     @Override
     public void onStopTrackingTouch(SeekBar seekBar)
     {
+        // After the user has let go of the slider, the new value is
+        // persisted to ensure that eSpeak is using the new value the
+        // next time e.g. TalkBack reads part of the UI.
+
+        persistSettings(mSeekBar.getProgress() + mMin);
     }
 }