diff --git a/lua/SimSyncUtils.lua b/lua/SimSyncUtils.lua
index b246722230..c96fba9f67 100644
--- a/lua/SimSyncUtils.lua
+++ b/lua/SimSyncUtils.lua
@@ -5,8 +5,7 @@ function SyncCameraRequest(data)
     table.insert(Sync.CameraRequests, data)
 end
 
----comment
----@param data any
+---@param data SoundBlueprint
 function SyncVoice(data)
     local Sync = Sync
     Sync.Voice = Sync.Voice or { }
diff --git a/lua/UserSync.lua b/lua/UserSync.lua
index dbfb2b6dd3..3f5f24a87d 100644
--- a/lua/UserSync.lua
+++ b/lua/UserSync.lua
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ function OnSync()
     --Play Sounds
     if Sync.Sounds then
         for k, v in Sync.Sounds do
-            PlaySound(Sound{ Bank=v.Bank, Cue=v.Cue })
+            PlaySound(Sound(v))
         end
     end
 
@@ -302,7 +302,7 @@ function OnSync()
     if Sync.Voice then
         if not import("/lua/ui/game/missiontext.lua").IsHeadPlaying() then
             for k, v in Sync.Voice do
-                PlayVoice(Sound{ Bank=v.Bank, Cue=v.Cue }, true)
+                PlayVoice(Sound(v), true)
             end
         end
     end
diff --git a/lua/aibrain.lua b/lua/aibrain.lua
index fef11fc3f0..ea59b7ca00 100644
--- a/lua/aibrain.lua
+++ b/lua/aibrain.lua
@@ -739,22 +739,11 @@ AIBrain = Class(AIBrainHQComponent, AIBrainStatisticsComponent, AIBrainJammerCom
     },
 
     ---@param self AIBrain
-    ---@param string string
+    ---@param key string
     ---@param sound SoundHandle
-    PlayVOSound = function(self, string, sound)
-        if not self.VOTable then
-            self.VOTable = {}
-        end
-
-        local VO = self.VOSounds[string]
-        if not VO then
-            WARN('PlayVOSound: ' .. string .. " not found")
-            return
-        end
-
-        if not self.VOTable[string] and VO['obs'] and GetFocusArmy() == -1 and self:GetArmyIndex() == 1 then
-            -- Don't stop sound IF not repeated AND sound is flagged as 'obs' AND i'm observer AND only from PlayerIndex = 1
-        elseif self.VOTable[string] or GetFocusArmy() ~= self:GetArmyIndex() then
+    PlayVOSound = function(self, key, sound)
+        if not self.VOSounds[key] then
+            WARN("PlayVOSound: " .. key .. " not found")
             return
         end
 
@@ -762,24 +751,42 @@ AIBrain = Class(AIBrainHQComponent, AIBrainStatisticsComponent, AIBrainJammerCom
         if sound then
             cue, bank = GetCueBank(sound)
         else
-            cue, bank = VO['bank'], 'XGG'
+            -- note: what the VO sound table calls a "bank" is actually a "cue"
+            cue, bank = self.VOSounds[key]["bank"], "XGG"
         end
 
         if not (bank and cue) then
-            WARN('PlayVOSound: No valid bank/cue for ' .. string)
+            WARN("PlayVOSound: No valid bank/cue for " .. key)
             return
         end
 
-        self.VOTable[string] = true
-        ForkThread(self.PlayVOSoundThread, self, string, {
+        ForkThread(self.PlayVOSoundThread, self, key, {
             Cue = cue,
-            Bank = bank
+            Bank = bank,
         })
     end,
 
+    ---@param self AIBrain
+    ---@param key string
+    ---@param data SoundBlueprint
     PlayVOSoundThread = function(self, key, data)
+        if not self.VOTable then
+            self.VOTable = {}
+        end
+        if self.VOTable[key] then
+            return
+        end
+        local sound = self.VOSounds[key]
+        local focusArmy = GetFocusArmy()
+        local armyIndex = self:GetArmyIndex()
+        if focusArmy ~= armyIndex and not (focusArmy == -1 and armyIndex == 1 and sound.obs) then
+            return
+        end
+
+        self.VOTable[key] = true
+
         import("/lua/SimSyncUtils.lua").SyncVoice(data)
-        WaitSeconds(self.VOSounds["timeout"])
+        WaitSeconds(sound.timeout)
 
         self.VOTable[key] = nil
     end,