diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index e39a3de5..15c014c2 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # Changes to the Mapbox Navigation SDK for iOS
 
 ## Unreleased
+ - The `speak` method in `RouteVoiceController` can be used without a given `RouteProgress` or the `RouteProgress` can explicitly ignored so that it will not be added to the voice instruction.
+ - `RouteProgress` is now optional in `willSpeak` method of `VoiceControllerDelegate` if the `RouteProgress` in the `speak` method of the `RouteVoiceController is `nil`.
  - Uses the `Locale` given in `RouteOptions` to create the corresponding `AVSpeechSynthesisVoice`.
  - Removed setCamera() from updateCourseTracking()
  - Added setCamera() to progressDidChange()
diff --git a/Examples/Swift/ViewController.swift b/Examples/Swift/ViewController.swift
index 317ddd37..e34199e9 100644
--- a/Examples/Swift/ViewController.swift
+++ b/Examples/Swift/ViewController.swift
@@ -360,7 +360,7 @@ extension ViewController: VoiceControllerDelegate {
         print(interruptedInstruction.text, interruptingInstruction.text)
     }
 
-    func voiceController(_ voiceController: RouteVoiceController, willSpeak instruction: SpokenInstruction, routeProgress: RouteProgress) -> SpokenInstruction? {
+    func voiceController(_ voiceController: RouteVoiceController, willSpeak instruction: SpokenInstruction, routeProgress: RouteProgress?) -> SpokenInstruction? {
         return SpokenInstruction(distanceAlongStep: instruction.distanceAlongStep, text: "New Instruction!", ssmlText: "<speak>New Instruction!</speak>")
     }
 
diff --git a/MapboxNavigation/RouteVoiceController.swift b/MapboxNavigation/RouteVoiceController.swift
index 8ca3cc61..53e168e0 100644
--- a/MapboxNavigation/RouteVoiceController.swift
+++ b/MapboxNavigation/RouteVoiceController.swift
@@ -192,13 +192,9 @@ open class RouteVoiceController: NSObject, AVSpeechSynthesizerDelegate {
      
      - parameter instruction: The instruction to read aloud.
      - parameter locale: The `Locale` used to create the voice read aloud the given instruction. If `nil` the `Locale.preferredLocalLanguageCountryCode` is used for creating the voice.
+     - parameter ignoreProgress: A `Bool` that indicates if the routeProgress is added to the instruction.
      */
-    open func speak(_ instruction: SpokenInstruction, with locale: Locale?) {
-        guard let routeProgress else {
-            assertionFailure("routeProgress should not be nil.")
-            return
-        }
-        
+    open func speak(_ instruction: SpokenInstruction, with locale: Locale?, ignoreProgress: Bool = false) {
         if speechSynth.isSpeaking, let lastSpokenInstruction = lastSpokenInstruction {
             voiceControllerDelegate?.voiceController?(self, didInterrupt: lastSpokenInstruction, with: instruction)
         }
@@ -209,29 +205,26 @@ open class RouteVoiceController: NSObject, AVSpeechSynthesizerDelegate {
             voiceControllerDelegate?.voiceController?(self, spokenInstructionsDidFailWith: error)
         }
         
-        var utterance: AVSpeechUtterance?
+        let modifiedInstruction = voiceControllerDelegate?.voiceController?(self, willSpeak: instruction, routeProgress: routeProgress) ?? instruction
+
+        let utterance: AVSpeechUtterance
+
         if locale?.identifier == "en-US" {
             // Alex can’t handle attributed text.
-            utterance = AVSpeechUtterance(string: instruction.text)
-            utterance!.voice = AVSpeechSynthesisVoice(identifier: AVSpeechSynthesisVoiceIdentifierAlex)
-        }
-        
-        let modifiedInstruction = voiceControllerDelegate?.voiceController?(self, willSpeak: instruction, routeProgress: routeProgress) ?? instruction
-        
-        if #available(iOS 10.0, *), utterance?.voice == nil {
-            utterance = AVSpeechUtterance(attributedString: modifiedInstruction.attributedText(for: routeProgress.currentLegProgress))
-        } else {
             utterance = AVSpeechUtterance(string: modifiedInstruction.text)
+            utterance.voice = AVSpeechSynthesisVoice(identifier: AVSpeechSynthesisVoiceIdentifierAlex)
+        } else {
+            if #available(iOS 10.0, *), !ignoreProgress, let routeProgress {
+                utterance = AVSpeechUtterance(attributedString: modifiedInstruction.attributedText(for: routeProgress.currentLegProgress))
+            } else {
+                utterance = AVSpeechUtterance(string: modifiedInstruction.text)
+            }
+            
+            // Only localized languages will have a proper fallback voice
+            utterance.voice = AVSpeechSynthesisVoice(language: locale?.identifier ?? Locale.preferredLocalLanguageCountryCode)
         }
         
-        // Only localized languages will have a proper fallback voice
-        if utterance?.voice == nil {
-            utterance?.voice = AVSpeechSynthesisVoice(language: locale?.identifier ?? Locale.preferredLocalLanguageCountryCode)
-        }
-        
-        if let utterance = utterance {
-            speechSynth.speak(utterance)
-        }
+        speechSynth.speak(utterance)
     }
 }
 
@@ -264,8 +257,8 @@ public protocol VoiceControllerDelegate {
      
      - parameter voiceController: The voice controller that will speak an instruction.
      - parameter instruction: The spoken instruction that will be said.
-     - parameter routeProgress: The `RouteProgress` just before when the instruction is scheduled to be spoken.
+     - parameter routeProgress: The `RouteProgress` just before when the instruction is scheduled to be spoken. Could be `nil` if no progress is available or if it should be ignored.
      **/
     @objc(voiceController:willSpeakSpokenInstruction:routeProgress:)
-    optional func voiceController(_ voiceController: RouteVoiceController, willSpeak instruction: SpokenInstruction, routeProgress: RouteProgress) -> SpokenInstruction?
+    optional func voiceController(_ voiceController: RouteVoiceController, willSpeak instruction: SpokenInstruction, routeProgress: RouteProgress?) -> SpokenInstruction?
 }
diff --git a/MapboxNavigationTests/NavigationViewControllerTests.swift b/MapboxNavigationTests/NavigationViewControllerTests.swift
index 482857d4..71bf4925 100644
--- a/MapboxNavigationTests/NavigationViewControllerTests.swift
+++ b/MapboxNavigationTests/NavigationViewControllerTests.swift
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ class TestableDayStyle: DayStyle {
 
 
 class FakeVoiceController: RouteVoiceController {
-    override func speak(_ instruction: SpokenInstruction, with locale: Locale?) {
+    override func speak(_ instruction: SpokenInstruction, with locale: Locale?, ignoreProgress: Bool = false) {
         //no-op
     }