diff --git a/channels/chan_websocket.c b/channels/chan_websocket.c
index b86bac4c67..a431f26092 100644
--- a/channels/chan_websocket.c
+++ b/channels/chan_websocket.c
@@ -70,6 +70,19 @@ struct webchan_conf_global {
 	enum webchan_control_msg_format control_msg_format;
 };
 
+/* This is from the perspective of the app, NOT Asterisk */
+enum webchan_media_direction {
+	WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_BOTH,
+	WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_OUT,
+	WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN,
+};
+
+static const char *websocket_media_direction_map[] = {
+	[WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_BOTH] = "both",
+	[WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_OUT] = "out",
+	[WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN] = "in",
+};
+
 static struct ast_websocket_server *ast_ws_server;
 
 static struct ao2_container *instances = NULL;
@@ -102,6 +115,7 @@ struct websocket_pvt {
 	int frame_queue_length;
 	int queue_full;
 	int queue_paused;
+	int media_direction;
 	char connection_id[0];
 };
 
@@ -126,6 +140,7 @@ struct websocket_pvt {
 #define REPORT_QUEUE_DRAINED "REPORT_QUEUE_DRAINED"
 #define PAUSE_MEDIA "PAUSE_MEDIA"
 #define CONTINUE_MEDIA "CONTINUE_MEDIA"
+#define SET_MEDIA_DIRECTION "SET_MEDIA_DIRECTION"
 
 #define QUEUE_LENGTH_MAX 1000
 #define QUEUE_LENGTH_XOFF_LEVEL 900
@@ -142,6 +157,7 @@ static struct ast_frame *webchan_read(struct ast_channel *ast);
 static int webchan_write(struct ast_channel *ast, struct ast_frame *f);
 static int webchan_hangup(struct ast_channel *ast);
 static int webchan_send_dtmf_text(struct ast_channel *ast, char digit, unsigned int duration);
+static int set_channel_timer(struct websocket_pvt *instance);
 
 #define websocket_request_hangup(_instance, _cause, _tech) \
 	_websocket_request_hangup(_instance, _cause, _tech, __LINE__, __FUNCTION__)
@@ -746,6 +762,27 @@ static int queue_option_frame(struct websocket_pvt *instance,
 	return 0;
 }
 
+#define ERROR_ON_PASSTHROUGH_MODE_RTN(instance, command) \
+({ \
+	if (instance->passthrough) { \
+		send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s not supported in passthrough mode", command); \
+		ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket in passthrough mode. Ignoring %s command.\n", \
+			ast_channel_name(instance->channel), command); \
+		return 0; \
+	} \
+})
+
+#define ERROR_ON_INVALID_MEDIA_DIRECTION_RTN(instance, command, direction) \
+({ \
+	if (instance->media_direction == direction) { \
+		send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s not supported while media direction " \
+			"is '%s'", command, websocket_media_direction_map[direction]); \
+		ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket media direction is '%s'. Ignoring %s command.\n", \
+			ast_channel_name(instance->channel), websocket_media_direction_map[direction], command); \
+		return 0; \
+	} \
+})
+
 /*!
  * \internal
  * \brief Handle commands from the websocket
@@ -787,12 +824,8 @@ static int handle_command(struct websocket_pvt *instance, char *buffer)
 		websocket_request_hangup(instance, AST_CAUSE_NORMAL, AST_WEBSOCKET_STATUS_NORMAL);
 
 	} else if (ast_strings_equal(command, START_MEDIA_BUFFERING)) {
-		if (instance->passthrough) {
-			send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s not supported in passthrough mode", command);
-			ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket in passthrough mode. Ignoring %s command.\n",
-				ast_channel_name(instance->channel), command);
-			return 0;
-		}
+		ERROR_ON_PASSTHROUGH_MODE_RTN(instance, command);
+		ERROR_ON_INVALID_MEDIA_DIRECTION_RTN(instance, command, WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN);
 		AST_LIST_LOCK(&instance->frame_queue);
 		instance->bulk_media_in_progress = 1;
 		AST_LIST_UNLOCK(&instance->frame_queue);
@@ -809,12 +842,8 @@ static int handle_command(struct websocket_pvt *instance, char *buffer)
 			id = data;
 		}
 
-		if (instance->passthrough) {
-			send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s not supported in passthrough mode", command);
-			ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket in passthrough mode. Ignoring %s command.\n",
-				ast_channel_name(instance->channel), command);
-			return 0;
-		}
+		ERROR_ON_PASSTHROUGH_MODE_RTN(instance, command);
+		ERROR_ON_INVALID_MEDIA_DIRECTION_RTN(instance, command, WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN);
 
 		ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket %s '%s' with %d bytes in leftover_data.\n",
 			ast_channel_name(instance->channel), STOP_MEDIA_BUFFERING, id,
@@ -841,12 +870,8 @@ static int handle_command(struct websocket_pvt *instance, char *buffer)
 		SCOPED_LOCK(frame_queue_lock, &instance->frame_queue, AST_LIST_LOCK,
 			AST_LIST_UNLOCK);
 
-		if (instance->passthrough) {
-			send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s not supported in passthrough mode", command);
-			ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket in passthrough mode. Ignoring %s command.\n",
-				ast_channel_name(instance->channel), command);
-			return 0;
-		}
+		ERROR_ON_PASSTHROUGH_MODE_RTN(instance, command);
+		ERROR_ON_INVALID_MEDIA_DIRECTION_RTN(instance, command, WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN);
 
 		if (instance->control_msg_format == WEBCHAN_CONTROL_MSG_FORMAT_JSON) {
 			id = ast_json_object_string_get(json, "correlation_id");
@@ -867,12 +892,7 @@ static int handle_command(struct websocket_pvt *instance, char *buffer)
 	} else if (ast_strings_equal(command, FLUSH_MEDIA)) {
 		struct ast_frame *frame = NULL;
 
-		if (instance->passthrough) {
-			send_event(instance, ERROR, "FLUSH_MEDIA not supported in passthrough mode");
-			ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket in passthrough mode. Ignoring %s command.\n",
-				ast_channel_name(instance->channel), command);
-			return 0;
-		}
+		ERROR_ON_PASSTHROUGH_MODE_RTN(instance, command);
 
 		AST_LIST_LOCK(&instance->frame_queue);
 		while ((frame = AST_LIST_REMOVE_HEAD(&instance->frame_queue, frame_list))) {
@@ -884,12 +904,7 @@ static int handle_command(struct websocket_pvt *instance, char *buffer)
 		AST_LIST_UNLOCK(&instance->frame_queue);
 
 	} else if (ast_strings_equal(command, REPORT_QUEUE_DRAINED)) {
-		if (instance->passthrough) {
-			send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s not supported in passthrough mode", command);
-			ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket in passthrough mode. Ignoring %s command.\n",
-				ast_channel_name(instance->channel), command);
-			return 0;
-		}
+		ERROR_ON_PASSTHROUGH_MODE_RTN(instance, command);
 
 		AST_LIST_LOCK(&instance->frame_queue);
 		instance->report_queue_drained = 1;
@@ -899,27 +914,79 @@ static int handle_command(struct websocket_pvt *instance, char *buffer)
 		return send_event(instance, STATUS);
 
 	} else if (ast_strings_equal(command, PAUSE_MEDIA)) {
-		if (instance->passthrough) {
-			send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s not supported in passthrough mode", command);
-			ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket in passthrough mode. Ignoring %s command.\n",
-				ast_channel_name(instance->channel), command);
-			return 0;
-		}
+		ERROR_ON_PASSTHROUGH_MODE_RTN(instance, command);
+		ERROR_ON_INVALID_MEDIA_DIRECTION_RTN(instance, command, WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN);
 		AST_LIST_LOCK(&instance->frame_queue);
 		instance->queue_paused = 1;
 		AST_LIST_UNLOCK(&instance->frame_queue);
 
 	} else if (ast_strings_equal(command, CONTINUE_MEDIA)) {
-		if (instance->passthrough) {
-			send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s not supported in passthrough mode", command);
-			ast_debug(4, "%s: WebSocket in passthrough mode. Ignoring %s command.\n",
-				ast_channel_name(instance->channel), command);
-			return 0;
-		}
+		ERROR_ON_PASSTHROUGH_MODE_RTN(instance, command);
+		ERROR_ON_INVALID_MEDIA_DIRECTION_RTN(instance, command, WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN);
 		AST_LIST_LOCK(&instance->frame_queue);
 		instance->queue_paused = 0;
 		AST_LIST_UNLOCK(&instance->frame_queue);
 
+	} else if (ast_strings_equal(command, SET_MEDIA_DIRECTION)) {
+		const char *direction;
+
+		ERROR_ON_PASSTHROUGH_MODE_RTN(instance, command);
+
+		if (instance->control_msg_format != WEBCHAN_CONTROL_MSG_FORMAT_JSON) {
+			send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s only supports JSON format.\n", command);
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+		direction = ast_json_object_string_get(json, "direction");
+		if (!direction) {
+			send_event(instance, ERROR, "%s requires a 'direction' parameter.\n", command);
+			return 0;
+		}
+
+		if (!strcmp("both", direction)) {
+			if (instance->media_direction == WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_BOTH) {
+				return 0;
+			}
+
+			if (!instance->timer) {
+				set_channel_timer(instance);
+				ast_queue_frame(instance->channel, &ast_null_frame);
+			}
+
+			instance->media_direction = WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_BOTH;
+
+		} else if (!strcmp("out", direction)) {
+			if (instance->media_direction == WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_OUT) {
+				return 0;
+			}
+
+			if (!instance->timer) {
+				set_channel_timer(instance);
+				ast_queue_frame(instance->channel, &ast_null_frame);
+			}
+
+			instance->media_direction = WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_OUT;
+
+		} else if (!strcmp("in", direction)) {
+			if (instance->media_direction == WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN) {
+				return 0;
+			}
+
+			if (instance->timer) {
+				ast_channel_internal_fd_clear(instance->channel, WS_TIMER_FDNO);
+				ast_timer_close(instance->timer);
+				instance->timer = NULL;
+				ast_queue_frame(instance->channel, &ast_null_frame);
+			}
+
+			instance->media_direction = WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN;
+
+		} else {
+			send_event(instance, ERROR, "'%s' is not a valid direction for %s.\n",
+				direction, command);
+			return 0;
+		}
+
 	} else {
 		ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "%s: WebSocket %s command unknown\n",
 			ast_channel_name(instance->channel), command);
@@ -1127,7 +1194,14 @@ static int read_from_ws_and_queue(struct websocket_pvt *instance)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
-	if (opcode != AST_WEBSOCKET_OPCODE_BINARY) {
+	if (opcode == AST_WEBSOCKET_OPCODE_BINARY) {
+		/* If the application's media direction is 'in', drop any media we receive from it */
+		if (instance->media_direction == WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN) {
+			ast_debug(5, "%s: WebSocket dropped frame (application media direction is 'in')\n",
+				ast_channel_name(instance->channel));
+			return 0;
+		}
+	} else {
 		ast_log(LOG_WARNING, "%s: WebSocket frame type %d not supported\n",
 			ast_channel_name(instance->channel), (int)opcode);
 		websocket_request_hangup(instance, AST_CAUSE_FAILURE, AST_WEBSOCKET_STATUS_UNSUPPORTED_DATA);
@@ -1205,6 +1279,11 @@ static int webchan_write(struct ast_channel *ast, struct ast_frame *f)
 		return -1;
 	}
 
+	/* The app doesn't want media right now */
+	if (instance->media_direction == WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_OUT) {
+		return 0;
+	}
+
 	if (f->frametype == AST_FRAME_CNG) {
 		return 0;
 	}
@@ -1580,6 +1659,7 @@ enum {
 	OPT_WS_URI_PARAM =  (1 << 2),
 	OPT_WS_PASSTHROUGH =  (1 << 3),
 	OPT_WS_MSG_FORMAT =  (1 << 4),
+	OPT_WS_MEDIA_DIRECTION = (1 << 5),
 };
 
 enum {
@@ -1588,6 +1668,7 @@ enum {
 	OPT_ARG_WS_URI_PARAM,
 	OPT_ARG_WS_PASSTHROUGH,
 	OPT_ARG_WS_MSG_FORMAT,
+	OPT_ARG_WS_MEDIA_DIRECTION,
 	OPT_ARG_ARRAY_SIZE
 };
 
@@ -1597,6 +1678,7 @@ AST_APP_OPTIONS(websocket_options, BEGIN_OPTIONS
 	AST_APP_OPTION_ARG('v', OPT_WS_URI_PARAM, OPT_ARG_WS_URI_PARAM),
 	AST_APP_OPTION('p', OPT_WS_PASSTHROUGH),
 	AST_APP_OPTION_ARG('f', OPT_WS_MSG_FORMAT, OPT_ARG_WS_MSG_FORMAT),
+	AST_APP_OPTION_ARG('d', OPT_WS_MEDIA_DIRECTION, OPT_ARG_WS_MEDIA_DIRECTION),
 	END_OPTIONS );
 
 static struct ast_channel *webchan_request(const char *type,
@@ -1673,6 +1755,22 @@ static struct ast_channel *webchan_request(const char *type,
 		goto failure;
 	}
 
+	instance->media_direction = WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_BOTH;
+	if (ast_test_flag(&opts, OPT_WS_MEDIA_DIRECTION)) {
+		if (!strcmp("both", opt_args[OPT_ARG_WS_MEDIA_DIRECTION])) {
+			/* The default. Don't need to do anything here other than
+			 * ensure it is an allowed value. */
+		} else if (!strcmp("out", opt_args[OPT_ARG_WS_MEDIA_DIRECTION])) {
+			instance->media_direction = WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_OUT;
+		} else if (!strcmp("in", opt_args[OPT_ARG_WS_MEDIA_DIRECTION])) {
+			instance->media_direction = WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN;
+		} else {
+			ast_log(LOG_ERROR, "Unrecognized option for media direction: '%s'.\n",
+				opt_args[OPT_ARG_WS_MEDIA_DIRECTION]);
+			goto failure;
+		}
+	}
+
 	instance->no_auto_answer = ast_test_flag(&opts, OPT_WS_NO_AUTO_ANSWER);
 	if (!instance->passthrough) {
 		instance->passthrough = ast_test_flag(&opts, OPT_WS_PASSTHROUGH);
@@ -1751,7 +1849,9 @@ static struct ast_channel *webchan_request(const char *type,
 		goto failure;
 	}
 
-	if (set_channel_timer(instance) != 0) {
+	/* If the application's media direction is 'both' or 'out', we need the channel timer. */
+	if (instance->media_direction != WEBCHAN_MEDIA_DIRECTION_IN
+		&& set_channel_timer(instance) != 0) {
 		goto failure;
 	}
 
diff --git a/res/ari/resource_channels.c b/res/ari/resource_channels.c
index d989abb9ab..3acb0e072c 100644
--- a/res/ari/resource_channels.c
+++ b/res/ari/resource_channels.c
@@ -2212,11 +2212,21 @@ static int external_media_websocket(struct ast_ari_channels_external_media_args
 	char *endpoint;
 	struct ast_channel *chan;
 	struct varshead *vars;
+	char direction[16] = "";
 
-	if (ast_asprintf(&endpoint, "WebSocket/%s%s%s",
+	/* If direction is set here, it WILL override any m() line in transport data
+	 * since it is appended to the end of the string.
+	 */
+	if (args->direction) {
+		snprintf(direction, sizeof(direction), "d(%s)", args->direction);
+	}
+
+	if (ast_asprintf(&endpoint, "WebSocket/%s%s%s%s%s",
 			args->external_host,
 			S_COR(args->transport_data, "/", ""),
-			S_OR(args->transport_data, "")) == -1) {
+			S_OR(args->transport_data, ""),
+			S_COR(!args->transport_data && args->direction, "/", ""),
+			direction) == -1) {
 		return 1;
 	}
 
@@ -2354,8 +2364,14 @@ void ast_ari_channels_external_media(struct ast_variable *headers,
 		return;
 	}
 
-	if (ast_strlen_zero(args->direction)) {
-		args->direction = "both";
+	if (!ast_strlen_zero(args->direction)) {
+		if (strcmp(args->direction, "both") && strcmp(args->direction, "in")
+			&& strcmp(args->direction, "out")) {
+			ast_ari_response_error(
+				response, 400, "Bad Request",
+				"Invalid direction specified");
+			return;
+		}
 	}
 
 	if (strcasecmp(args->encapsulation, "rtp") == 0 && strcasecmp(args->transport, "udp") == 0) {