diff --git a/ovos_core/intent_services/__init__.py b/ovos_core/intent_services/__init__.py
index 8a0633be6fbf..747718db5e79 100644
--- a/ovos_core/intent_services/__init__.py
+++ b/ovos_core/intent_services/__init__.py
@@ -276,9 +276,16 @@ def handle_utterance(self, message):
 
             stopwatch = Stopwatch()
 
+            # get session
+            sess = SessionManager.get(message)
+            if sess.session_id == "default":
+                # Default session, check if it needs to be (re)-created
+                if sess.expired():
+                    sess = SessionManager.reset_default_session()
+                sess.lang = lang
+
             # match
             match = None
-            sess = SessionManager.get(message)
             with stopwatch:
                 # Loop through the matching functions until a match is found.
                 for match_func in self.get_pipeline(session=sess):
@@ -310,7 +317,8 @@ def handle_utterance(self, message):
                 self.send_complete_intent_failure(message)
 
             # sync any changes made to the default session, eg by ConverseService
-            SessionManager.sync()
+            if sess.session_id == "default":
+                SessionManager.sync()
             return match, message.context, stopwatch
 
         except Exception as err:
diff --git a/requirements/requirements.txt b/requirements/requirements.txt
index cc4c4736b483..dbf3c2c1c613 100644
--- a/requirements/requirements.txt
+++ b/requirements/requirements.txt
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ combo-lock>=0.2.2, <0.3
 padacioso~=0.2, >=0.2.1a8
 adapt-parser>=1.0.0, <2.0.0
 
-ovos_bus_client~=0.0,>=0.0.6a7
+
 ovos-utils<0.1.0, >=0.0.35a7
 ovos-plugin-manager<0.1.0, >=0.0.24a5
 ovos-config~=0.0,>=0.0.11a9