diff --git a/src/modules/module-rtp-source.c b/src/modules/module-rtp-source.c
index bae21b0f7..d23474166 100644
--- a/src/modules/module-rtp-source.c
+++ b/src/modules/module-rtp-source.c
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@
  *         #sap.port = 9875
  *         #local.ifname = eth0
  *         sess.latency.msec = 100
+ *         #node.always-process = false # true to receive even when not running
  *         stream.props = {
  *            #media.class = "Audio/Source"
  *            #node.name = "rtp-source"
@@ -170,6 +171,7 @@ struct impl {
 
 	char *ifname;
 	char *sap_ip;
+	bool always_process;
 	int sap_port;
 	int sess_latency_msec;
 	uint32_t cleanup_interval;
@@ -330,25 +332,6 @@ static void stream_process(void *data)
 	pw_stream_queue_buffer(sess->stream, buf);
 }
 
-static void on_stream_state_changed(void *d, enum pw_stream_state old,
-		enum pw_stream_state state, const char *error)
-{
-	struct session *sess = d;
-	struct impl *impl = sess->impl;
-
-	switch (state) {
-	case PW_STREAM_STATE_UNCONNECTED:
-		pw_log_info("stream disconnected, unloading");
-		pw_impl_module_schedule_destroy(impl->module);
-		break;
-	case PW_STREAM_STATE_ERROR:
-		pw_log_error("stream error: %s", error);
-		break;
-	default:
-		break;
-	}
-}
-
 static void stream_io_changed(void *data, uint32_t id, void *area, uint32_t size)
 {
 	struct session *sess = data;
@@ -359,14 +342,6 @@ static void stream_io_changed(void *data, uint32_t id, void *area, uint32_t size
 	}
 }
 
-static const struct pw_stream_events out_stream_events = {
-	PW_VERSION_STREAM_EVENTS,
-	.destroy = stream_destroy,
-	.state_changed = on_stream_state_changed,
-	.io_changed = stream_io_changed,
-	.process = stream_process
-};
-
 static void
 on_rtp_io(void *data, int fd, uint32_t mask)
 {
@@ -401,7 +376,8 @@ on_rtp_io(void *data, int fd, uint32_t mask)
 
 		seq = ntohs(hdr->sequence_number);
 		if (sess->have_seq && sess->expected_seq != seq) {
-			pw_log_warn("unexpected seq (%d != %d)", seq, sess->expected_seq);
+			pw_log_info("unexpected seq (%d != %d)", seq, sess->expected_seq);
+			sess->have_sync = false;
 		}
 		sess->expected_seq = seq + 1;
 		sess->have_seq = true;
@@ -603,6 +579,78 @@ static int rule_matched(void *data, const char *location, const char *action,
 	return res;
 }
 
+static int session_start(struct impl *impl, struct session *session) {
+	int fd;
+	if (session->source)
+	  return 0;
+
+	pw_log_info("starting RTP listener");
+
+	if ((fd = make_socket((const struct sockaddr *)&session->info.sa,
+					session->info.salen, impl->ifname)) < 0) {
+		pw_log_error("failed to create socket: %m");
+		return fd;
+	}
+
+	session->source = pw_loop_add_io(impl->data_loop, fd,
+				SPA_IO_IN, true, on_rtp_io, session);
+	if (session->source == NULL) {
+		pw_log_error("can't create io source: %m");
+		close(fd);
+		return -errno;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
+static void session_stop(struct impl *impl, struct session *session) {
+	if (!session->source)
+		return;
+
+	pw_log_info("stopping RTP listener");
+
+	pw_loop_destroy_source(
+		session->impl->data_loop,
+		session->source
+	);
+
+	session->source = NULL;
+}
+
+static void on_stream_state_changed(void *d, enum pw_stream_state old,
+		enum pw_stream_state state, const char *error)
+{
+	struct session *sess = d;
+	struct impl *impl = sess->impl;
+
+	switch (state) {
+		case PW_STREAM_STATE_UNCONNECTED:
+			pw_log_info("stream disconnected, unloading");
+			pw_impl_module_schedule_destroy(impl->module);
+			break;
+		case PW_STREAM_STATE_ERROR:
+			pw_log_error("stream error: %s", error);
+			break;
+		case PW_STREAM_STATE_STREAMING:
+			if ((errno = -session_start(impl, sess)) < 0)
+				pw_log_error("failed to start RTP stream: %m");
+			break;
+		case PW_STREAM_STATE_PAUSED:
+			if (!impl->always_process)
+				session_stop(impl, sess);
+		  break;
+		default:
+			break;
+	}
+}
+
+static const struct pw_stream_events out_stream_events = {
+	PW_VERSION_STREAM_EVENTS,
+	.destroy = stream_destroy,
+	.state_changed = on_stream_state_changed,
+	.io_changed = stream_io_changed,
+	.process = stream_process
+};
+
 static int session_new(struct impl *impl, struct sdp_info *info)
 {
 	struct session *session;
@@ -611,7 +659,7 @@ static int session_new(struct impl *impl, struct sdp_info *info)
 	uint32_t n_params;
 	uint8_t buffer[1024];
 	struct pw_properties *props;
-	int res, fd, sess_latency_msec;
+	int res, sess_latency_msec;
 	const char *str;
 
 	if (impl->n_sessions >= MAX_SESSIONS) {
@@ -709,21 +757,10 @@ static int session_new(struct impl *impl, struct sdp_info *info)
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	if ((fd = make_socket((const struct sockaddr *)&info->sa,
-					info->salen, impl->ifname)) < 0) {
-		res = fd;
+	if (impl->always_process &&
+		(res = session_start(impl, session)) < 0)
 		goto error;
-	}
 
-	session->source = pw_loop_add_io(impl->data_loop, fd,
-				SPA_IO_IN, true, on_rtp_io, session);
-	if (session->source == NULL) {
-		res = -errno;
-		pw_log_error("can't create io source: %m");
-		goto error;
-	}
-
-	pw_log_info("starting RTP listener");
 	session_touch(session);
 
 	session->impl = impl;
@@ -1175,6 +1212,8 @@ int pipewire__module_init(struct pw_impl_module *module, const char *args)
 	str = pw_properties_get(impl->props, "local.ifname");
 	impl->ifname = str ? strdup(str) : NULL;
 
+	impl->always_process = pw_properties_get_bool(impl->props, PW_KEY_NODE_ALWAYS_PROCESS, false);
+
 	str = pw_properties_get(impl->props, "sap.ip");
 	impl->sap_ip = strdup(str ? str : DEFAULT_SAP_IP);
 	impl->sap_port = pw_properties_get_uint32(impl->props,