diff --git a/apps/voicebox/Voicebox.cpp b/apps/voicebox/Voicebox.cpp
index 443b68c3..db0f8a1e 100644
--- a/apps/voicebox/Voicebox.cpp
+++ b/apps/voicebox/Voicebox.cpp
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ AmPromptCollection* VoiceboxFactory::getPrompts(const string& domain,
     map<string, AmPromptCollection*>::iterator l_it = d_it->second.find(language);
     if (l_it != d_it->second.end()) {
 
-      // get the optios to the dom/lang combination
+      // get the options to the dom/lang combination
       po = PromptOptions(false, false);
       map<string, map<string, PromptOptions> >::iterator d_oit = 
 	prompt_options.find(domain);
@@ -85,6 +85,21 @@ AmPromptCollection* VoiceboxFactory::getPrompts(const string& domain,
   return NULL;
 }
 
+AmPromptCollection* VoiceboxFactory::findPrompts(const string& domain, 
+						 const string& language,
+						 PromptOptions& po) {
+  AmPromptCollection* res = getPrompts(domain, language, po);
+  if (res) return res;
+
+  // best hit:
+  if ((res = getPrompts(domain, default_language, po))!=NULL) return res;
+  if ((res = getPrompts(domain, "",               po))!=NULL) return res;
+
+  if ((res = getPrompts("",     language,         po))!=NULL) return res;
+  if ((res = getPrompts("",     default_language, po))!=NULL) return res;
+  return     getPrompts("",     "",               po);  
+}
+
 AmPromptCollection* VoiceboxFactory::loadPrompts(string prompt_base_path, 
 						 string domain, string language,
 						 bool load_digits) {
@@ -301,7 +316,7 @@ AmSession* VoiceboxFactory::onInvite(const AmSipRequest& req)
     language = default_language;
   
   PromptOptions po(false, false);
-  AmPromptCollection* pc = getPrompts(domain, language, po);
+  AmPromptCollection* pc = findPrompts(domain, language, po);
   if (NULL == pc)  
     throw AmSession::Exception(500, APP_NAME ": no menu for domain/language");
 
diff --git a/apps/voicebox/Voicebox.h b/apps/voicebox/Voicebox.h
index 25806aaa..9dee22e8 100644
--- a/apps/voicebox/Voicebox.h
+++ b/apps/voicebox/Voicebox.h
@@ -49,6 +49,12 @@ class VoiceboxFactory
 
   AmPromptCollection* getPrompts(const string& domain, const string& language,
 				 PromptOptions& po);
+
+  /** finds prompts from specific to default prompts */
+  AmPromptCollection* findPrompts(const string& domain, 
+				  const string& language,
+				  PromptOptions& po);
+
   AmPromptCollection* loadPrompts(string prompt_base_path, 
 				  string domain, string language,
 				  bool load_digits);