diff --git a/src/utility/Mic_Class.cpp b/src/utility/Mic_Class.cpp
index f5cf740..60432bb 100644
--- a/src/utility/Mic_Class.cpp
+++ b/src/utility/Mic_Class.cpp
@@ -584,7 +584,6 @@ if (_cfg.pin_bck < 0 || _cfg.pin_ws < 0) {
         dst_remain = current_rec->length;
         if (dst_remain == 0)
         {
-          self->_is_recording = false;
           ulTaskNotifyTake( pdTRUE, portMAX_DELAY );
           src_idx = ~0u;
           src_len = 0;
@@ -593,7 +592,6 @@ if (_cfg.pin_bck < 0 || _cfg.pin_ws < 0) {
           continue;
         }
       }
-      self->_is_recording = true;
 
       for (;;)
       {
@@ -702,7 +700,6 @@ if (_cfg.pin_bck < 0 || _cfg.pin_ws < 0) {
         }
       }
     }
-    self->_is_recording = false;
     _i2s_stop(self->_cfg.i2s_port);
 
     self->_task_handle = nullptr;
@@ -736,13 +733,16 @@ if (_cfg.pin_bck < 0 || _cfg.pin_ws < 0) {
 #if portNUM_PROCESSORS > 1
       if (_cfg.task_pinned_core < portNUM_PROCESSORS)
       {
-        xTaskCreatePinnedToCore(mic_task, "mic_task", stack_size, this, _cfg.task_priority, &_task_handle, _cfg.task_pinned_core);
+        res = (pdPASS == xTaskCreatePinnedToCore(mic_task, "mic_task", stack_size, this, _cfg.task_priority, &_task_handle, _cfg.task_pinned_core));
       }
       else
 #endif
       {
-        xTaskCreate(mic_task, "mic_task", stack_size, this, _cfg.task_priority, &_task_handle);
+        res = (pdPASS == xTaskCreate(mic_task, "mic_task", stack_size, this, _cfg.task_priority, &_task_handle));
       }
+      // end() takes the driver and the callback back down; it still sees the
+      // class as running, which is what lets it do that.
+      if (!res) { end(); }
     }
 
     return res;
@@ -758,6 +758,10 @@ if (_cfg.pin_bck < 0 || _cfg.pin_ws < 0) {
       do { vTaskDelay(1); } while (_task_handle);
     }
 
+    // an unfinished request would otherwise keep isRecording() reporting a recording.
+    _rec_info[0] = recording_info_t();
+    _rec_info[1] = recording_info_t();
+
     if (_cb_set_enabled) { _cb_set_enabled(_cb_set_enabled_args, false); }
     _i2s_driver_uninstall(_cfg.i2s_port);
   }
diff --git a/src/utility/Mic_Class.hpp b/src/utility/Mic_Class.hpp
index b784410..8af605a 100644
--- a/src/utility/Mic_Class.hpp
+++ b/src/utility/Mic_Class.hpp
@@ -114,7 +114,7 @@ namespace m5
 
     /// now in recording or not.
     /// @return 0=not recording / 1=recording (There's room in the queue) / 2=recording (There's no room in the queue.)
-    size_t isRecording(void) const { return _is_recording ? ((bool)_rec_info[0].length) + ((bool)_rec_info[1].length) : 0; }
+    size_t isRecording(void) const volatile { return ((bool)_rec_info[0].length) + ((bool)_rec_info[1].length); }
 
     /// set recording sampling rate.
     /// @param sample_rate the sampling rate (Hz)
@@ -186,7 +186,6 @@ namespace m5
 
     int32_t _offset = 0;
     volatile bool _task_running = false;
-    volatile bool _is_recording = false;
 #if defined (SDL_h_)
     SDL_Thread* _task_handle = nullptr;
 #else
diff --git a/src/utility/Speaker_Class.cpp b/src/utility/Speaker_Class.cpp
index bc5c951..49d4727 100644
--- a/src/utility/Speaker_Class.cpp
+++ b/src/utility/Speaker_Class.cpp
@@ -930,20 +930,24 @@ namespace m5
       _task_running = true;
 #if defined (SDL_h_)
       _task_handle = SDL_CreateThread(reinterpret_cast<SDL_ThreadFunction>(spk_task), "spk_task", this);
+      res = (_task_handle != nullptr);
 #else
       size_t stack_size = 1280 + (_cfg.dma_buf_len * sizeof(uint32_t));
 
 #if portNUM_PROCESSORS > 1
       if (_cfg.task_pinned_core < portNUM_PROCESSORS)
       {
-        xTaskCreatePinnedToCore(spk_task, "spk_task", stack_size, this, _cfg.task_priority, &_task_handle, _cfg.task_pinned_core);
+        res = (pdPASS == xTaskCreatePinnedToCore(spk_task, "spk_task", stack_size, this, _cfg.task_priority, &_task_handle, _cfg.task_pinned_core));
       }
       else
 #endif
       {
-        xTaskCreate(spk_task, "spk_task", stack_size, this, _cfg.task_priority, &_task_handle);
+        res = (pdPASS == xTaskCreate(spk_task, "spk_task", stack_size, this, _cfg.task_priority, &_task_handle));
       }
 #endif
+      // end() takes the driver and the callback back down; it still sees the
+      // class as running, which is what lets it do that.
+      if (!res) { end(); }
     }
 
     return res;