diff --git a/src/owner_voice_pet/assistant_pipeline.py b/src/owner_voice_pet/assistant_pipeline.py
index 0ddd1d6..a67b101 100644
--- a/src/owner_voice_pet/assistant_pipeline.py
+++ b/src/owner_voice_pet/assistant_pipeline.py
@@ -560,7 +560,6 @@ class TurnController:
         return (
             segment is not None
             and self.config.barge_in_enabled
-            and self.realtime_stt is not None
             and segment.duration_ms > self.config.barge_in_echo_guard_ms
         )
 
diff --git a/tests/test_live_runtime.py b/tests/test_live_runtime.py
index e44c386..bfa3234 100644
--- a/tests/test_live_runtime.py
+++ b/tests/test_live_runtime.py
@@ -749,7 +749,7 @@ class LiveRuntimeTests(unittest.TestCase):
             wakeword=KeywordWakeWordProvider(),
             vad_recorder=VadRecorder(EnergyVadProvider(), min_duration_ms=40, end_silence_ms=40),
             stt=stt,
-            realtime_stt=MetadataSttProvider(),
+            realtime_stt=None,
             llm=llm,
             tts=SineTtsProvider(),
             context=ConversationContext(),