diff --git a/dmr/Control.cpp b/dmr/Control.cpp
index 928aed7a..59093131 100644
--- a/dmr/Control.cpp
+++ b/dmr/Control.cpp
@@ -164,6 +164,12 @@ void Control::setOptions(yaml::Node& conf, const std::vector<uint32_t> voiceChNo
         silenceThreshold = dmr::DEFAULT_SILENCE_THRESHOLD;
     }
 
+    // either MAX_DMR_VOICE_ERRORS or 0 will disable the threshold logic
+    if (silenceThreshold == 0) {
+        LogWarning(LOG_P25, "Silence threshold set to zero, defaulting to %u", dmr::MAX_DMR_VOICE_ERRORS);
+        silenceThreshold = dmr::MAX_DMR_VOICE_ERRORS;
+    }
+    
     m_slot1->setSilenceThreshold(silenceThreshold);
     m_slot2->setSilenceThreshold(silenceThreshold);
 
diff --git a/nxdn/Control.cpp b/nxdn/Control.cpp
index 34ea38e8..5ae6f256 100644
--- a/nxdn/Control.cpp
+++ b/nxdn/Control.cpp
@@ -237,6 +237,12 @@ void Control::setOptions(yaml::Node& conf, const std::string cwCallsign, const s
         m_voice->m_silenceThreshold = nxdn::DEFAULT_SILENCE_THRESHOLD;
     }
 
+    // either MAX_NXDN_VOICE_ERRORS or 0 will disable the threshold logic
+    if (m_voice->m_silenceThreshold == 0) {
+        LogWarning(LOG_P25, "Silence threshold set to zero, defaulting to %u", nxdn::MAX_NXDN_VOICE_ERRORS);
+        m_voice->m_silenceThreshold = nxdn::MAX_NXDN_VOICE_ERRORS;
+    }
+    
     bool disableCompositeFlag = nxdnProtocol["disableCompositeFlag"].as<bool>(false);
     uint8_t serviceClass = NXDN_SIF1_VOICE_CALL_SVC | NXDN_SIF1_DATA_CALL_SVC;
     if (m_control) {
diff --git a/p25/Control.cpp b/p25/Control.cpp
index fefff9d9..709668b5 100644
--- a/p25/Control.cpp
+++ b/p25/Control.cpp
@@ -268,6 +268,12 @@ void Control::setOptions(yaml::Node& conf, const std::string cwCallsign, const s
         m_voice->m_silenceThreshold = p25::DEFAULT_SILENCE_THRESHOLD;
     }
 
+    // either MAX_P25_VOICE_ERRORS or 0 will disable the threshold logic
+    if (m_voice->m_silenceThreshold == 0) {
+        LogWarning(LOG_P25, "Silence threshold set to zero, defaulting to %u", p25::MAX_P25_VOICE_ERRORS);
+        m_voice->m_silenceThreshold = p25::MAX_P25_VOICE_ERRORS;
+    }
+    
     m_disableNetworkHDU = p25Protocol["disableNetworkHDU"].as<bool>(false);
 
     bool disableCompositeFlag = p25Protocol["disableCompositeFlag"].as<bool>(false);