diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/CallPeerMediaHandlerSipImpl.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/CallPeerMediaHandlerSipImpl.java
index d7d347702..c3a3df27f 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/CallPeerMediaHandlerSipImpl.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/CallPeerMediaHandlerSipImpl.java
@@ -105,7 +105,7 @@ public CallPeerMediaHandlerSipImpl(CallPeerSipImpl peer)
 
     /**
      * Creates a session description <tt>String</tt> representing the
-     * <tt>MediaStream</tt>s that this <tt>MediaHandler</tt> is prepare to
+     * <tt>MediaStream</tt>s that this <tt>MediaHandler</tt> is prepared to
      * exchange. The offer takes into account user preferences such as whether
      * or not local user would be transmitting video, whether any or all streams
      * are put on hold, etc. The method is also taking into account any previous
@@ -127,6 +127,14 @@ public String createOffer()
                 ? createFirstOffer()
                 : createUpdateOffer(localSess);
 
+        if (getConfigurationService().getBoolean(
+                ProtocolProviderServiceSipImpl
+                        .USE_SESSION_LEVEL_DIRECTION_IN_SDP,
+                false))
+        {
+            SdpUtils.setSessionDirection(offer);
+        }
+
         return offer.toString();
     }
 
@@ -378,10 +386,19 @@ public String processOffer(String offerString)
 
         synchronized (offerAnswerLock)
         {
-            if (localSess == null)
-                return processFirstOffer(offer).toString();
-            else
-                return processUpdateOffer(offer, localSess).toString();
+            SessionDescription answer = (localSess == null)
+                    ? processFirstOffer(offer)
+                    : processUpdateOffer(offer, localSess);
+
+            if (getConfigurationService().getBoolean(
+                    ProtocolProviderServiceSipImpl
+                            .USE_SESSION_LEVEL_DIRECTION_IN_SDP,
+                    false))
+            {
+                SdpUtils.setSessionDirection(answer);
+            }
+
+            return answer.toString();
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/ProtocolProviderServiceSipImpl.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/ProtocolProviderServiceSipImpl.java
index 44673b2b4..a63333e01 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/ProtocolProviderServiceSipImpl.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/ProtocolProviderServiceSipImpl.java
@@ -127,6 +127,15 @@ public class ProtocolProviderServiceSipImpl
     private static final String IS_MESSAGING_DISABLED
         = "net.java.sip.communicator.impl.protocol.sip.MESSAGING_DISABLED";
 
+    /**
+     * The name of the property which, if enabled, will cause a session-level
+     * attribute for the session direction (e.g. a=sendonly, a=recvonly) to be
+     * added to SDP offers/answers which we send.
+     */
+    public static final String USE_SESSION_LEVEL_DIRECTION_IN_SDP
+            = "net.java.sip.communicator.impl.protocol.sip."
+                    + "USE_SESSION_LEVEL_DIRECTION_IN_SDP";
+
     /**
      * Default number of times that our requests can be forwarded.
      */
diff --git a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/sdp/SdpUtils.java b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/sdp/SdpUtils.java
index 42f1fd4d1..34e6168f8 100644
--- a/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/sdp/SdpUtils.java
+++ b/src/net/java/sip/communicator/impl/protocol/sip/sdp/SdpUtils.java
@@ -1581,11 +1581,10 @@ public static MediaType getMediaType(MediaDescription description)
     }
 
     /**
-     * Returns the media type (e.g. audio or video) for the specified media
-     * whether it contains the specified <tt>attributeName</tt>.
+     * Returns whether <tt>description</tt> contains the specified
+     * <tt>attributeName</tt>.
      *
-     * @param description the <tt>MediaDescription</tt> whose media type we'd
-     * like to extract.
+     * @param description the <tt>MediaDescription</tt>
      * @param attributeName name of the attribute to check
      * @return the media type (e.g. audio or video) for the specified media
      * <tt>description</tt>.
@@ -1769,4 +1768,87 @@ public static void setIceCredentials(SessionDescription sDes,
     {
         IceSdpUtils.setIceCredentials(sDes, uFrag, pwd);
     }
+
+    /**
+     * Adds an inactive|sendonly|recvonly|sendrecv session-level attribute to
+     * <tt>sdp</tt>, according to the directions of the media descriptions in
+     * <tt>sdp</tt>.
+     *
+     * @param sdp the <tt>SessionDescription</tt> to which to add an attribute.
+     */
+    public static void setSessionDirection(SessionDescription sdp)
+    {
+        MediaDirection direction = MediaDirection.INACTIVE;
+
+        //find out what direction we should use for the session
+        try
+        {
+            Vector medias = sdp.getMediaDescriptions(false);
+            if (medias != null)
+            {
+                for (Object o : medias)
+                {
+                    if (o instanceof MediaDescription)
+                    {
+                        MediaDescription md = (MediaDescription) o;
+
+                        // consider medias with port 0 inactive
+                        if (md.getMedia().getMediaPort() != 0)
+                        {
+                            direction = direction.or(
+                                    getDirection((MediaDescription) o));
+                        }
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        catch (SdpException se)
+        {
+            logger.warn("Failed to get media descriptions.");
+        }
+
+
+        // now set the session-level attribute
+        Vector attributes = sdp.getAttributes(true);
+        Iterator iter = attributes.iterator();
+
+        // first clear previous direction attributes
+        while (iter.hasNext())
+        {
+            Object o = iter.next();
+            if (o instanceof Attribute)
+            {
+                try
+                {
+                    String name = ((Attribute) o).getName();
+                    if ("inactive".equals(name)
+                            || "sendonly".equals(name)
+                            || "recvonly".equals(name)
+                            || "sendrecv".equals(name))
+                    {
+                        iter.remove();
+                    }
+                }
+                catch (SdpException se)
+                {
+                    if (logger.isDebugEnabled())
+                        logger.debug("Failed to get attribute name: ", se);
+
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        // By RFC4566 section 6, if we skip "sendrecv", it SHOULD be assumed.
+        if (!MediaDirection.SENDRECV.equals(direction))
+            attributes.add(createDirectionAttribute(direction));
+
+        try
+        {
+            sdp.setAttributes(attributes);
+        }
+        catch (SdpException se)
+        {
+            logger.warn("Failed to set session direction attribute.");
+        }
+    }
 }