diff --git a/pi/bin/video-publisher.sh b/pi/bin/video-publisher.sh
index 556e69a7..d5082954 100644
--- a/pi/bin/video-publisher.sh
+++ b/pi/bin/video-publisher.sh
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ AUDIO_CHANNELS="${AUDIO_CHANNELS:-2}"
 AUDIO_OUT_RATE="${AUDIO_OUT_RATE:-16000}"
 AUDIO_OUT_CHANNELS="${AUDIO_OUT_CHANNELS:-1}"
 AUDIO_BITRATE="${AUDIO_BITRATE:-32000}"
-AUDIO_FORMAT="${AUDIO_FORMAT:-s32le}"
+AUDIO_FORMAT="${AUDIO_FORMAT:-s32}"
 # Flip the camera 180deg (supported by rpicam-vid/libcamera-vid)
 FLIP_ARGS=(--rotation 180)
 
@@ -95,6 +95,7 @@ run_pipeline() {
 				-sample_fmt "${AUDIO_FORMAT}" \
 				-ar "${AUDIO_RATE}" \
 				-ac "${AUDIO_CHANNELS}" \
+				-channel_layout stereo \
 				-i "${AUDIO_DEVICE}" \
 				-map 0:v:0 -map 1:a:0 \
 				-c:v copy \
diff --git a/pi/install_roverd.sh b/pi/install_roverd.sh
index 71e716d8..bf6454cf 100755
--- a/pi/install_roverd.sh
+++ b/pi/install_roverd.sh
@@ -186,6 +186,12 @@ install_audio_support() {
 		log "WARNING: pi/asound.conf missing; skipping ALSA config install"
 	fi
 	log "Installing TTS/audio packages (flite, espeak)..."
+	# check for flite and espeak before installing, and then install them if either is missing
+	if command -v flite >/dev/null 2>&1 && command -v espeak >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+		log "TTS packages flite and espeak already installed; skipping apt install"
+		return
+	fi
+	
 	apt-get update
 	apt-get install -y --no-install-recommends flite espeak
 	if [[ "${alsa_reload_notice:-0}" -eq 1 ]]; then