diff --git a/carwatch/listen.py b/carwatch/listen.py
index 8351af0..4442b09 100644
--- a/carwatch/listen.py
+++ b/carwatch/listen.py
@@ -430,9 +430,14 @@ def _speak(text: str) -> bool:
             # Bond can exist while the A2DP link is down; connect is cheap
             # when already connected (car-speak.sh does the same).
             if _bt_pcm_mac("a2dpsrc/sink") != car:
-                subprocess.run(["bluetoothctl", "connect", car],
-                               capture_output=True, timeout=10)
-                time.sleep(2)
+                # An absent car makes connect hang to the timeout; that is
+                # a normal answer here, not a reason to drop the reply.
+                try:
+                    subprocess.run(["bluetoothctl", "connect", car],
+                                   capture_output=True, timeout=10)
+                    time.sleep(2)
+                except subprocess.TimeoutExpired:
+                    pass
             # Only a LIVE link counts. The saved MAC outlives the car: on the
             # kitchen table (26 Sep, Jabra) every answer went to the absent
             # car's A2DP and the speakerphone on the desk stayed silent.
diff --git a/scripts/restart-when-quiet.sh b/scripts/restart-when-quiet.sh
index e5afd0f..10eb23c 100755
--- a/scripts/restart-when-quiet.sh
+++ b/scripts/restart-when-quiet.sh
@@ -39,4 +39,9 @@ sleep 1
 systemctl daemon-reload
 systemctl enable --now carwatch-chat carwatch-presence
 systemctl restart $UNITS
+# The voice listener is optional (USB mic installs only), so it rides along
+# as try-restart: restarted when running, skipped when absent. Left out, it
+# kept executing pre-update listen.py (26 Sep: #71 merged and pulled, the
+# Jabra still silent until a hand restart).
+systemctl try-restart carwatch-listen 2>/dev/null || true
 echo "restart-when-quiet: restarted $UNITS after $(( $(date +%s) - start ))s"
diff --git a/tests/test_speak_route.py b/tests/test_speak_route.py
index d85c21f..2e5a692 100644
--- a/tests/test_speak_route.py
+++ b/tests/test_speak_route.py
@@ -50,6 +50,29 @@ def run(cmd, **kw):
     def test_absent_car_falls_back_to_usb(self):
         self.assertEqual(self._route(None), ["plughw:0,0"])
 
+    def test_connect_timeout_still_falls_back_to_usb(self):
+        # 26 Sep on vadelma: connect to the absent car hung past 10 s and the
+        # TimeoutExpired aborted the whole reply.
+        played = []
+
+        def run(cmd, **kw):
+            if cmd[0] == "bluetoothctl":
+                raise self.L.subprocess.TimeoutExpired(cmd, 10)
+            if cmd[0] == "aplay":
+                played.append(cmd[cmd.index("-D") + 1])
+            return mock.Mock(returncode=0)
+
+        from carwatch import voiceroom
+        with mock.patch.object(voiceroom, "tts_wav", return_value=self.wav), \
+                mock.patch.object(self.L, "_car_a2dp_mac", return_value=CAR), \
+                mock.patch.object(self.L, "_bt_pcm_mac", return_value=None), \
+                mock.patch.object(self.L, "_usb_audio_device", return_value="plughw:0,0"), \
+                mock.patch.object(self.L, "_echo_tail_sec", return_value=0.0), \
+                mock.patch.object(self.L.subprocess, "run", side_effect=run), \
+                mock.patch.object(self.L.time, "sleep"):
+            self.assertTrue(self.L._speak("hello"))
+        self.assertEqual(played, ["plughw:0,0"])
+
     def test_connected_car_still_wins(self):
         self.assertEqual(self._route(CAR), [f"bluealsa:DEV={CAR},PROFILE=a2dp"])