diff --git a/src/pipewire/impl-client.c b/src/pipewire/impl-client.c
index b4a3c2a2e..1279472a6 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/impl-client.c
+++ b/src/pipewire/impl-client.c
@@ -228,6 +228,18 @@ static int finish_register(struct pw_impl_client *client)
 	pw_global_update_keys(client->global, client->info.props, keys);
 	pw_global_register(client->global);
 
+#ifdef OLD_MEDIA_SESSION_WORKAROUND
+	/*
+	 * XXX: temporary workaround for pipewire-media-session, see #2159
+	 */
+	if (spa_streq(spa_dict_lookup(client->info.props, PW_KEY_APP_NAME),
+					"pipewire-media-session")) {
+		client->recv_generation = UINT64_MAX;
+		pw_log_info("impl-client %p: enable old pipewire-media-session workaround",
+				client);
+	}
+#endif
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/pipewire/meson.build b/src/pipewire/meson.build
index 969f50b22..f96a022bc 100644
--- a/src/pipewire/meson.build
+++ b/src/pipewire/meson.build
@@ -91,6 +91,7 @@ configure_file(input : 'version.h.in',
 install_headers(pipewire_headers, subdir : pipewire_headers_dir)
 
 libpipewire_c_args = [
+  '-DOLD_MEDIA_SESSION_WORKAROUND=1'
 ]
 
 if build_machine.system() != 'freebsd'