diff --git a/dragonfly/engines/backend_kaldi/compiler.py b/dragonfly/engines/backend_kaldi/compiler.py
index 7118511c..0d43b4bd 100644
--- a/dragonfly/engines/backend_kaldi/compiler.py
+++ b/dragonfly/engines/backend_kaldi/compiler.py
@@ -32,8 +32,7 @@
 
 from dragonfly.grammar       import elements as elements_
 from dragonfly.engines.base  import CompilerBase, CompilerError
-from dragonfly.engines.backend_kaldi.dictation import (AlternativeDictation,
-                                                       DefaultDictation,
+from dragonfly.engines.backend_kaldi.dictation import (_get_dictation_nonterminal,
                                                        UserDictation)
 
 #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -336,8 +335,7 @@ def _compile_dictation(self, element, src_state, dst_state, grammar, kaldi_rule,
         src_state = self.add_weight_linkage(src_state, dst_state, self.get_weight(element), fst)
         # fst.add_arc(src_state, dst_state, '#nonterm:dictation', olabel=WFST.eps)
         extra_state = fst.add_state()
-        cloud_dictation = isinstance(element, (AlternativeDictation, DefaultDictation)) and element.cloud
-        dictation_nonterm = '#nonterm:dictation_cloud' if cloud_dictation else '#nonterm:dictation'
+        dictation_nonterm = _get_dictation_nonterminal(element)
         fst.add_arc(src_state, extra_state, '#nonterm:dictation', dictation_nonterm)
         # Accepts zero or more words
         fst.add_arc(extra_state, dst_state, WFST.eps, '#nonterm:end')
diff --git a/dragonfly/engines/backend_kaldi/dictation.py b/dragonfly/engines/backend_kaldi/dictation.py
index bf1ac079..f426e503 100644
--- a/dragonfly/engines/backend_kaldi/dictation.py
+++ b/dragonfly/engines/backend_kaldi/dictation.py
@@ -86,6 +86,12 @@ def value(self, node):
 #---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 # Alternative dictation classes -- elements capable of default or alternative dictation.
 
+def _get_dictation_nonterminal(element):
+    if isinstance(element, (AlternativeDictation, DefaultDictation)) and element.alternative:
+        return '#nonterm:dictation_cloud'
+    return '#nonterm:dictation'
+
+
 class AlternativeDictation(BaseDictation):
 
     alternative_default = True
diff --git a/dragonfly/test/suites.py b/dragonfly/test/suites.py
index d19519a6..27ca5be4 100644
--- a/dragonfly/test/suites.py
+++ b/dragonfly/test/suites.py
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@
     ] + common_names,
 
     "kaldi": [
+        "test_dictation_kaldi",
         "test_engine_kaldi",
         "test_language_en_number",
 
diff --git a/dragonfly/test/test_dictation_kaldi.py b/dragonfly/test/test_dictation_kaldi.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7bd66051
--- /dev/null
+++ b/dragonfly/test/test_dictation_kaldi.py
@@ -0,0 +1,29 @@
+#
+# This file is part of Dragonfly.
+# Licensed under the LGPL.
+#
+
+import unittest
+
+from dragonfly.grammar.elements_basic import Dictation
+from dragonfly.engines.backend_kaldi.dictation import (
+    AlternativeDictation,
+    DefaultDictation,
+    _get_dictation_nonterminal,
+)
+
+
+class TestKaldiDictationNonterminal(unittest.TestCase):
+
+    def test_specialized_dictation_elements_choose_expected_nonterminal(self):
+        cases = (
+            (Dictation("text"), '#nonterm:dictation'),
+            (AlternativeDictation("text"), '#nonterm:dictation_cloud'),
+            (DefaultDictation("text"), '#nonterm:dictation'),
+            (AlternativeDictation("text", alternative=False), '#nonterm:dictation'),
+            (DefaultDictation("text", alternative=True), '#nonterm:dictation_cloud'),
+        )
+
+        for element, expected in cases:
+            with self.subTest(element=repr(element)):
+                self.assertEqual(expected, _get_dictation_nonterminal(element))