diff --git a/src/modules/bluetooth/backend-ofono.c b/src/modules/bluetooth/backend-ofono.c
index 2c51497f3..5f427043e 100644
--- a/src/modules/bluetooth/backend-ofono.c
+++ b/src/modules/bluetooth/backend-ofono.c
@@ -67,7 +67,7 @@ struct hf_audio_card {
 
     bool connecting;
     int fd;
-    uint8_t codec;
+    int (*acquire)(struct hf_audio_card *card);
 
     pa_bluetooth_transport *transport;
 };
@@ -99,12 +99,95 @@ static pa_dbus_pending* hf_dbus_send_and_add_to_pending(pa_bluetooth_backend *ba
     return p;
 }
 
+static DBusMessage *card_send(struct hf_audio_card *card, const char *method, DBusError *err)
+{
+    pa_bluetooth_transport *t = card->transport;
+    DBusMessage *m, *r;
+
+    pa_assert_se(m = dbus_message_new_method_call(t->owner, t->path, "org.ofono.HandsfreeAudioCard", method));
+    r = dbus_connection_send_with_reply_and_block(pa_dbus_connection_get(card->backend->connection), m, -1, err);
+    dbus_message_unref(m);
+
+    return r;
+}
+
+static int card_connect(struct hf_audio_card *card) {
+    DBusMessage *r;
+    DBusError err;
+
+    if (card->connecting)
+        return -EAGAIN;
+
+    card->connecting = true;
+
+    dbus_error_init(&err);
+    r = card_send(card, "Connect", &err);
+
+    if (!r) {
+        pa_log_error("Failed to connect %s: %s", err.name, err.message);
+        card->connecting = false;
+        dbus_error_free(&err);
+        return -1;
+    }
+
+    dbus_message_unref(r);
+
+    if (card->connecting)
+        return -EAGAIN;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
+static int card_acquire(struct hf_audio_card *card) {
+    int fd;
+    uint8_t codec;
+    DBusMessage *r;
+    DBusError err;
+
+    /* Try acquiring the stream first which was introduced in 1.21 */
+    dbus_error_init(&err);
+    r = card_send(card, "Acquire", &err);
+
+    if (!r) {
+        if (!pa_streq(err.name, DBUS_ERROR_UNKNOWN_METHOD)) {
+            pa_log_error("Failed to acquire %s: %s", err.name, err.message);
+            dbus_error_free(&err);
+            return -1;
+        }
+        dbus_error_free(&err);
+        /* Fallback to Connect as this might be an old version of ofono */
+        card->acquire = card_connect;
+        return card_connect(card);
+    }
+
+    if ((dbus_message_get_args(r, NULL, DBUS_TYPE_UNIX_FD, &fd,
+                                      DBUS_TYPE_BYTE, &codec,
+                                      DBUS_TYPE_INVALID) == true)) {
+        dbus_message_unref(r);
+        if (codec != HFP_AUDIO_CODEC_CVSD) {
+            pa_log_error("Invalid codec: %u", codec);
+            /* shutdown to make sure connection is dropped immediately */
+            shutdown(fd, SHUT_RDWR);
+            close(fd);
+            return -1;
+        }
+        card->transport->codec = codec;
+        card->fd = fd;
+        return 0;
+    }
+
+    pa_log_error("Unable to acquire");
+    dbus_message_unref(r);
+    return -1;
+}
+
 static struct hf_audio_card *hf_audio_card_new(pa_bluetooth_backend *backend, const char *path) {
     struct hf_audio_card *card = pa_xnew0(struct hf_audio_card, 1);
 
     card->path = pa_xstrdup(path);
     card->backend = backend;
     card->fd = -1;
+    card->acquire = card_acquire;
 
     return card;
 }
@@ -157,28 +240,9 @@ static int hf_audio_agent_transport_acquire(pa_bluetooth_transport *t, bool opti
     pa_assert(card);
 
     if (!optional && card->fd < 0) {
-        DBusMessage *m, *r;
-        DBusError derr;
-
-        if (card->connecting)
-            return -EAGAIN;
-
-        card->connecting = true;
-
-        dbus_error_init(&derr);
-        pa_assert_se(m = dbus_message_new_method_call(t->owner, t->path, "org.ofono.HandsfreeAudioCard", "Connect"));
-        r = dbus_connection_send_with_reply_and_block(pa_dbus_connection_get(card->backend->connection), m, -1, &derr);
-        dbus_message_unref(m);
-        m = NULL;
-
-        if (!r)
-            return -1;
-
-        dbus_message_unref(r);
-        r = NULL;
-
-        if (card->connecting)
-            return -EAGAIN;
+        err = card->acquire(card);
+        if (err < 0)
+            return err;
     }
 
     /* The correct block size should take into account the SCO MTU from
@@ -191,8 +255,6 @@ static int hf_audio_agent_transport_acquire(pa_bluetooth_transport *t, bool opti
     if (omtu)
         *omtu = 48;
 
-    t->codec = card->codec;
-
     err = socket_accept(card->fd);
     if (err < 0) {
         pa_log_error("Deferred setup failed on fd %d: %s", card->fd, pa_cstrerror(-err));