diff --git a/src/pipecat/pipeline/task.py b/src/pipecat/pipeline/task.py
index 56cf7d2a1..17bb4f91e 100644
--- a/src/pipecat/pipeline/task.py
+++ b/src/pipecat/pipeline/task.py
@@ -47,14 +47,7 @@ from pipecat.pipeline.base_task import BasePipelineTask, PipelineTaskParams
 from pipecat.pipeline.pipeline import Pipeline, PipelineSink, PipelineSource
 from pipecat.pipeline.task_observer import TaskObserver
 from pipecat.processors.frame_processor import FrameDirection, FrameProcessor, FrameProcessorSetup
-from pipecat.turns.bot.transcription_bot_turn_start_strategy import (
-    TranscriptionBotTurnStartStrategy,
-)
 from pipecat.turns.turn_start_strategies import TurnStartStrategies
-from pipecat.turns.user.transcription_user_turn_start_strategy import (
-    TranscriptionUserTurnStartStrategy,
-)
-from pipecat.turns.user.vad_user_turn_start_strategy import VADUserTurnStartStrategy
 from pipecat.utils.asyncio.task_manager import BaseTaskManager, TaskManager, TaskManagerParams
 from pipecat.utils.tracing.setup import is_tracing_available
 from pipecat.utils.tracing.turn_trace_observer import TurnTraceObserver
@@ -295,10 +288,7 @@ class PipelineTask(BasePipelineTask):
 
         # Initialize default user and bot turn start strategies.
         if not self._params.turn_start_strategies:
-            self._params.turn_start_strategies = TurnStartStrategies(
-                user=[VADUserTurnStartStrategy(), TranscriptionUserTurnStartStrategy()],
-                bot=[TranscriptionBotTurnStartStrategy()],
-            )
+            self._params.turn_start_strategies = TurnStartStrategies()
 
         self._finished = False
         self._cancelled = False
diff --git a/src/pipecat/turns/turn_start_strategies.py b/src/pipecat/turns/turn_start_strategies.py
index a3a344ef3..5ab4878fd 100644
--- a/src/pipecat/turns/turn_start_strategies.py
+++ b/src/pipecat/turns/turn_start_strategies.py
@@ -7,10 +7,17 @@
 """Turn start strategy configuration."""
 
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from typing import List
+from typing import List, Optional
 
 from pipecat.turns.bot.base_bot_turn_start_strategy import BaseBotTurnStartStrategy
+from pipecat.turns.bot.transcription_bot_turn_start_strategy import (
+    TranscriptionBotTurnStartStrategy,
+)
 from pipecat.turns.user.base_user_turn_start_strategy import BaseUserTurnStartStrategy
+from pipecat.turns.user.transcription_user_turn_start_strategy import (
+    TranscriptionUserTurnStartStrategy,
+)
+from pipecat.turns.user.vad_user_turn_start_strategy import VADUserTurnStartStrategy
 
 
 @dataclass
@@ -20,12 +27,25 @@ class TurnStartStrategies:
     This class groups the configured turn start strategies for both the user
     and the bot.
 
+    If no strategies are specified for the user or the bot, the following
+    defaults are used:
+
+        user: [VADUserTurnStartStrategy, TranscriptionUserTurnStartStrategy]
+         bot: [TranscriptionBotTurnStartStrategy]
+
     Attributes:
         user: A list of user turn start strategies used to detect when the
             user starts speaking.
         bot: A list of bot turn start strategies used to decide when the bot
             should start speaking.
+
     """
 
-    user: List[BaseUserTurnStartStrategy]
-    bot: List[BaseBotTurnStartStrategy]
+    user: Optional[List[BaseUserTurnStartStrategy]] = None
+    bot: Optional[List[BaseBotTurnStartStrategy]] = None
+
+    def __post_init__(self):
+        if not self.user:
+            self.user = [VADUserTurnStartStrategy(), TranscriptionUserTurnStartStrategy()]
+        if not self.bot:
+            self.bot = [TranscriptionBotTurnStartStrategy()]