diff --git a/interface/src/SpeechRecognizer.h b/interface/src/SpeechRecognizer.h
index f2c78045aa..edd4abe1d6 100644
--- a/interface/src/SpeechRecognizer.h
+++ b/interface/src/SpeechRecognizer.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #define hifi_SpeechRecognizer_h
 
 #include <QObject>
+#include <QSet>
+#include <QString>
 
 class SpeechRecognizer : public QObject {
     Q_OBJECT
@@ -20,20 +22,24 @@ public:
     SpeechRecognizer();
     ~SpeechRecognizer();
 
-    void init();
     void handleCommandRecognized(const char* command);
-    bool getEnabled() { return _enabled; }
-    void setEnabled(bool enabled);
+    bool getEnabled() const { return _enabled; }
 
 public slots:
+    void setEnabled(bool enabled);
     void addCommand(const QString& command);
     void removeCommand(const QString& command);
 
 signals:
     void commandRecognized(const QString& command);
+    void enabledUpdated(bool enabled);
+
+protected:
+    void reloadCommands();
 
 private:
     bool _enabled;
+    QSet<QString> _commands;
     void* _speechRecognizerDelegate;
     void* _speechRecognizer;
 };
diff --git a/interface/src/SpeechRecognizer.mm b/interface/src/SpeechRecognizer.mm
index 4ec6fadfca..038bcce3e4 100644
--- a/interface/src/SpeechRecognizer.mm
+++ b/interface/src/SpeechRecognizer.mm
@@ -9,8 +9,12 @@
 //  See the accompanying file LICENSE or http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0.html
 //
 
+#include <QtGlobal>
+#ifdef Q_OS_MAC
+
 #import <Foundation/Foundation.h>
 #import <AppKit/NSSpeechRecognizer.h>
+#import <AppKit/NSWorkspace.h>
 
 #include <QDebug>
 
@@ -40,10 +44,11 @@
 SpeechRecognizer::SpeechRecognizer() :
     QObject(),
     _enabled(false),
-    _speechRecognizerDelegate(NULL),
+    _commands(),
+    _speechRecognizerDelegate([[SpeechRecognizerDelegate alloc] init]),
     _speechRecognizer(NULL) {
 
-    init();
+    [(id)_speechRecognizerDelegate setListener:this];
 }
 
 SpeechRecognizer::~SpeechRecognizer() {
@@ -55,40 +60,50 @@ SpeechRecognizer::~SpeechRecognizer() {
     }
 }
 
-void SpeechRecognizer::init() {
-    _speechRecognizerDelegate = [[SpeechRecognizerDelegate alloc] init];
-    [(id)_speechRecognizerDelegate setListener:this];
-
-    _speechRecognizer = [[NSSpeechRecognizer alloc] init];
-
-    [(id)_speechRecognizer setCommands:[NSArray array]];
-    [(id)_speechRecognizer setDelegate:(id)_speechRecognizerDelegate];
-
-    setEnabled(_enabled);
-}
-
 void SpeechRecognizer::handleCommandRecognized(const char* command) {
-    qDebug() << "Got command: " << command;
     emit commandRecognized(QString(command));
 }
 
 void SpeechRecognizer::setEnabled(bool enabled) {
+    if (enabled == _enabled) {
+        return;
+    }
+
     _enabled = enabled;
-    if (enabled) {
+    if (_enabled) {
+        _speechRecognizer = [[NSSpeechRecognizer alloc] init];
+
+        reloadCommands();
+
+        [(id)_speechRecognizer setDelegate:(id)_speechRecognizerDelegate];
         [(id)_speechRecognizer startListening];
     } else {
         [(id)_speechRecognizer stopListening];
+        [(id)_speechRecognizer dealloc];
+        _speechRecognizer = NULL;
+    }
+
+    emit enabledUpdated(_enabled);
+}
+
+void SpeechRecognizer::reloadCommands() {
+    if (_speechRecognizer) {
+        NSMutableArray* cmds = [NSMutableArray array];
+        for (QSet<QString>::const_iterator iter = _commands.constBegin(); iter != _commands.constEnd(); iter++) {
+            [cmds addObject:[NSString stringWithUTF8String:(*iter).toLocal8Bit().data()]];
+        }
+        [(id)_speechRecognizer setCommands:cmds];
     }
 }
 
 void SpeechRecognizer::addCommand(const QString& command) {
-    NSArray *cmds = [(id)_speechRecognizer commands];
-    NSString *cmd = [NSString stringWithUTF8String:command.toLocal8Bit().data()];
-    [(id)_speechRecognizer setCommands:[cmds arrayByAddingObject:cmd]];
+    _commands.insert(command);
+    reloadCommands();
 }
 
 void SpeechRecognizer::removeCommand(const QString& command) {
-    NSMutableArray* cmds = [NSMutableArray arrayWithArray:[(id)_speechRecognizer commands]];
-    [cmds removeObject:[NSString stringWithUTF8String:command.toLocal8Bit().data()]];
-    [(id)_speechRecognizer setCommands:cmds];
+    _commands.remove(command);
+    reloadCommands();
 }
+
+#endif // Q_OS_MAC