The invention provides a cranking inhibition control system for an electric starter (10) to an internal combustion engine (12). Engine rotational speed is developed from the signal produced by a cam shaft position sensor (64), which drives the logic of the system. Responsive to changes in engine rotation speed which result in engine speed falling below idle speed, the control logic (108) generates a temporary cranking inhibit signal. Once engine speed falls low enough to clearly indicate cranking has ceased, a timer (130, 132, 134) is triggered which resets the inhibit signal to permit cranking after a suitable delay.