diff --git a/core/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml b/core/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
index 25f429db5..d0b1896f4 100644
--- a/core/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
+++ b/core/src/main/AndroidManifest.xml
@@ -18,6 +18,13 @@
 
   <uses-permission android:name="android.permission.POST_NOTIFICATIONS" />
 
+  <queries>
+    <intent>
+      <action android:name="android.intent.action.TTS_SERVICE" />
+    </intent>
+  </queries>
+
+
   <application
     android:allowBackup="true"
     android:fullBackupContent="@xml/backup_rules"
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/core/main/CoreReaderFragment.kt b/core/src/main/java/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/core/main/CoreReaderFragment.kt
index be54dc552..1e188a83f 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/core/main/CoreReaderFragment.kt
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/core/main/CoreReaderFragment.kt
@@ -326,6 +326,7 @@ abstract class CoreReaderFragment :
   private lateinit var serviceConnection: ServiceConnection
   private var readAloudService: ReadAloudService? = null
   private var navigationHistoryList: MutableList<NavigationHistoryListItem> = ArrayList()
+  private var isReadSelection = false
 
   private var storagePermissionForNotesLauncher: ActivityResultLauncher<String>? =
     registerForActivityResult(
@@ -366,7 +367,12 @@ abstract class CoreReaderFragment :
 
   protected open fun configureWebViewSelectionHandler(menu: Menu?) {
     menu?.findItem(R.id.menu_speak_text)?.setOnMenuItemClickListener {
-      getCurrentWebView()?.let { currentWebView -> tts?.readSelection(currentWebView) }
+      if (tts?.isInitialized == false) {
+        isReadSelection = true
+        tts?.initializeTTS()
+      } else {
+        startReadSelection()
+      }
       actionMode?.finish()
       true
     }
@@ -853,7 +859,11 @@ abstract class CoreReaderFragment :
           requireActivity(),
           object : OnInitSucceedListener {
             override fun onInitSucceed() {
-              // do nothing it's default override method
+              if (isReadSelection) {
+                startReadSelection()
+              } else {
+                startReadAloud()
+              }
             }
           },
           object : OnSpeakingListener {
@@ -900,6 +910,18 @@ abstract class CoreReaderFragment :
     }
   }
 
+  private fun startReadAloud() {
+    getCurrentWebView()?.let {
+      tts?.readAloud(it)
+    }
+  }
+
+  private fun startReadSelection() {
+    getCurrentWebView()?.let {
+      tts?.readSelection(it)
+    }
+  }
+
   @OnClick(R2.id.activity_main_button_pause_tts)
   fun pauseTts() {
     if (tts?.currentTTSTask == null) {
@@ -1130,7 +1152,12 @@ abstract class CoreReaderFragment :
             if (isBackToTopEnabled) {
               backToTopButton?.hide()
             }
-            getCurrentWebView()?.let { tts?.readAloud(it) }
+            if (tts?.isInitialized == false) {
+              isReadSelection = false
+              tts?.initializeTTS()
+            } else {
+              startReadAloud()
+            }
           }
           View.VISIBLE -> {
             if (isBackToTopEnabled) {
diff --git a/core/src/main/java/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/core/main/KiwixTextToSpeech.kt b/core/src/main/java/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/core/main/KiwixTextToSpeech.kt
index 3d5078887..38484ff9e 100644
--- a/core/src/main/java/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/core/main/KiwixTextToSpeech.kt
+++ b/core/src/main/java/org/kiwix/kiwixmobile/core/main/KiwixTextToSpeech.kt
@@ -28,7 +28,6 @@ import android.speech.tts.TextToSpeech
 import android.speech.tts.TextToSpeech.Engine
 import android.speech.tts.TextToSpeech.LANG_MISSING_DATA
 import android.speech.tts.TextToSpeech.LANG_NOT_SUPPORTED
-import android.speech.tts.TextToSpeech.OnInitListener
 import android.speech.tts.TextToSpeech.QUEUE_ADD
 import android.speech.tts.TextToSpeech.SUCCESS
 import android.speech.tts.UtteranceProgressListener
@@ -36,7 +35,6 @@ import android.util.Log
 import android.webkit.JavascriptInterface
 import android.webkit.WebView
 import android.widget.Toast
-import org.kiwix.kiwixmobile.core.CoreApp.Companion.instance
 import org.kiwix.kiwixmobile.core.R
 import org.kiwix.kiwixmobile.core.extensions.toast
 import org.kiwix.kiwixmobile.core.reader.ZimReaderContainer
@@ -54,7 +52,7 @@ import java.util.concurrent.atomic.AtomicInteger
  */
 class KiwixTextToSpeech internal constructor(
   val context: Context,
-  onInitSucceedListener: OnInitSucceedListener,
+  private val onInitSucceedListener: OnInitSucceedListener,
   val onSpeakingListener: OnSpeakingListener,
   private var onAudioFocusChangeListener: OnAudioFocusChangeListener? = null,
   private val zimReaderContainer: ZimReaderContainer
@@ -63,26 +61,35 @@ class KiwixTextToSpeech internal constructor(
   private val focusLock: Any = Any()
   private val am: AudioManager = context.getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE) as AudioManager
   @JvmField var currentTTSTask: TTSTask? = null
-  private val tts: TextToSpeech = TextToSpeech(
-    instance,
-    OnInitListener { status: Int ->
-      if (status == SUCCESS) {
+  private lateinit var tts: TextToSpeech
+
+  /**
+   * Initializes the TextToSpeech object.
+   */
+  fun initializeTTS() {
+    tts = TextToSpeech(
+      context
+    ) { status: Int ->
+      if (status == TextToSpeech.SUCCESS) {
         Log.d(TAG_KIWIX, "TextToSpeech was initialized successfully.")
         this.isInitialized = true
         onInitSucceedListener.onInitSucceed()
       } else {
         Log.e(TAG_KIWIX, "Initialization of TextToSpeech Failed!")
-        context.toast(R.string.texttospeech_initialization_failed, Toast.LENGTH_SHORT)
+        context.toast(
+          R.string.texttospeech_initialization_failed,
+          Toast.LENGTH_SHORT
+        )
       }
     }
-  )
+  }
 
   /**
    * Returns whether the TTS is initialized.
    *
    * @return `true` if TTS is initialized; `false` otherwise
    */
-  private var isInitialized = false
+  var isInitialized = false
 
   init {
     Log.d(TAG_KIWIX, "Initializing TextToSpeech")
@@ -214,7 +221,9 @@ class KiwixTextToSpeech internal constructor(
    * {@link https://developer.android.com/guide/topics/media-apps/audio-focus#audio-focus-change }
    */
   fun shutdown() {
-    tts.shutdown()
+    if (::tts.isInitialized) {
+      tts.shutdown()
+    }
     if (Build.VERSION.SDK_INT >= Build.VERSION_CODES.O) {
       focusRequest?.let(am::abandonAudioFocusRequest)
       focusRequest = null