diff --git a/script/manager/sarah.js b/script/manager/sarah.js
index 0db4c66..6bf209f 100644
--- a/script/manager/sarah.js
+++ b/script/manager/sarah.js
@@ -319,9 +319,9 @@ var askme = function(tts, grammar, timeout, callback){
       if (timeout <= 0){
         callback(false, end);
       } else {
-        SARAH.askme(tts, grammar, 0, callback);
+        SARAH.askme(tts, grammar, -timeout, callback);
       }
-  }, timeout || 16000);
+  }, Math.abs(timeout) || 16000);
 }
 
 var answerme = function(req, res, next){
@@ -473,4 +473,4 @@ var SARAH = {
 /**
  * EXPORTS
  */
-exports.init = SARAH.init;
\ No newline at end of file
+exports.init = SARAH.init;