diff --git a/daemon/call.c b/daemon/call.c
index 52db49e0e..e8657b410 100644
--- a/daemon/call.c
+++ b/daemon/call.c
@@ -1023,8 +1023,17 @@ enum call_stream_state call_stream_state_machine(struct packet_stream *ps) {
 	if (MEDIA_ISSET(media, PASSTHRU))
 		return CSS_RUNNING;
 
-	if (MEDIA_ISSET(media, ICE) && !ice_has_finished(media))
-		return CSS_ICE; /* handled by ICE timer */
+	enum call_stream_state ret = CSS_RUNNING;
+
+	if (MEDIA_ISSET(media, ICE) && !ice_has_finished(media)) {
+		if (!MEDIA_ISSET(media, DTLS))
+			return CSS_ICE; /* handled by ICE timer */
+		if (!ice_is_usable(media))
+			return CSS_ICE; /* handled by ICE timer */
+		// special case: ICE was able to communicate and DTLS is in use.
+		// we can now start DTLS if necessary.
+		ret = CSS_ICE;
+	}
 
 	if (MEDIA_ISSET(media, DTLS)) {
 		mutex_lock(&ps->in_lock);
@@ -1037,7 +1046,7 @@ enum call_stream_state call_stream_state_machine(struct packet_stream *ps) {
 		mutex_unlock(&ps->in_lock);
 	}
 
-	return CSS_RUNNING;
+	return ret;
 }
 
 void call_media_state_machine(struct call_media *m) {
diff --git a/daemon/ice.c b/daemon/ice.c
index b1b4d8dbc..e39bb5738 100644
--- a/daemon/ice.c
+++ b/daemon/ice.c
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ static int __copy_cand(struct call *call, struct ice_candidate *dst, const struc
 
 static void __ice_reset(struct ice_agent *ag) {
 	__agent_deschedule(ag);
-	AGENT_CLEAR2(ag, COMPLETED, NOMINATING);
+	AGENT_CLEAR3(ag, COMPLETED, NOMINATING, USABLE);
 	__ice_agent_free_components(ag);
 	ZERO(ag->active_components);
 	ZERO(ag->start_nominating);
@@ -699,6 +699,7 @@ static void __do_ice_checks(struct ice_agent *ag) {
 	/* triggered checks are preferred */
 	pair = g_queue_pop_head(&ag->triggered);
 	if (pair) {
+		__DBG("running triggered check on " PAIR_FORMAT, PAIR_FMT(pair));
 		PAIR_CLEAR(pair, TRIGGERED);
 		next_run = rtpe_now;
 		goto check;
@@ -708,6 +709,8 @@ static void __do_ice_checks(struct ice_agent *ag) {
 	for (l = ag->all_pairs_list.head; l; l = l->next) {
 		pair = l->data;
 
+		__DBG("considering checking " PAIR_FORMAT, PAIR_FMT(pair));
+
 		/* skip dead streams */
 		sfd = pair->sfd;
 		if (!sfd || !sfd->stream || !sfd->stream->selected_sfd)
@@ -744,6 +747,7 @@ static void __do_ice_checks(struct ice_agent *ag) {
 
 		/* remember the first frozen pair in case we find nothing else */
 		if (PAIR_ISSET(pair, FROZEN)) {
+			__DBG("pair " PAIR_FORMAT " is frozen", PAIR_FMT(pair));
 			if (!frozen)
 				frozen = pair;
 			continue;
@@ -753,10 +757,14 @@ static void __do_ice_checks(struct ice_agent *ag) {
 			highest = pair;
 	}
 
-	if (highest)
+	if (highest) {
 		pair = highest;
-	else if (frozen)
+		__DBG("checking highest priority pair " PAIR_FORMAT, PAIR_FMT(pair));
+	}
+	else if (frozen) {
 		pair = frozen;
+		__DBG("checking highest priority frozen pair " PAIR_FORMAT, PAIR_FMT(pair));
+	}
 	else
 		pair = NULL;
 
@@ -977,6 +985,7 @@ static int __check_valid(struct ice_agent *ag) {
 	struct ice_candidate_pair *pair;
 //	const struct local_intf *ifa;
 	struct stream_fd *sfd;
+	int is_complete = 1;
 
 	if (!ag) {
 		ilog(LOG_ERR, "ice ag is NULL");
@@ -988,13 +997,23 @@ static int __check_valid(struct ice_agent *ag) {
 	__get_complete_valid_pairs(&all_compos, ag);
 
 	if (!all_compos.length) {
-		ilog(LOG_DEBUG, "ICE not completed yet");
-		return 0;
+		is_complete = 0;
+		__get_complete_succeeded_pairs(&all_compos, ag);
+		if (!all_compos.length) {
+			ilog(LOG_DEBUG, "ICE not completed yet and no usable candidates");
+			return 0;
+		}
 	}
 
 	pair = all_compos.head->data;
-	ilog(LOG_DEBUG, "ICE completed, using pair "PAIR_FORMAT, PAIR_FMT(pair));
-	AGENT_SET(ag, COMPLETED);
+	if (is_complete) {
+		ilog(LOG_DEBUG, "ICE completed, using pair " PAIR_FORMAT, PAIR_FMT(pair));
+		AGENT_SET(ag, COMPLETED);
+	}
+	else {
+		ilog(LOG_DEBUG, "ICE not completed yet, but can use pair " PAIR_FORMAT, PAIR_FMT(pair));
+		AGENT_SET(ag, USABLE);
+	}
 
 	for (l = media->streams.head, k = all_compos.head; l && k; l = l->next, k = k->next) {
 		ps = l->data;
@@ -1252,11 +1271,10 @@ int ice_response(struct stream_fd *sfd, const endpoint_t *src,
 	if (PAIR_ISSET(pair, NOMINATED)) {
 		PAIR_SET(pair, VALID);
 		g_tree_insert(ag->valid_pairs, pair, pair);
-
-		if (!AGENT_ISSET(ag, CONTROLLING))
-			ret = __check_valid(ag);
 	}
 
+	ret = __check_valid(ag);
+
 out_unlock:
 	mutex_unlock(&ag->lock);
 out:
diff --git a/include/ice.h b/include/ice.h
index 059b6af16..c96356806 100644
--- a/include/ice.h
+++ b/include/ice.h
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #define ICE_AGENT_COMPLETED		0x0002
 #define ICE_AGENT_CONTROLLING		0x0004
 #define ICE_AGENT_NOMINATING		0x0008
+#define ICE_AGENT_USABLE		0x0010
 
 #define ICE_PAIR_FROZEN			0x0001
 #define ICE_PAIR_IN_PROGRESS		0x0002
@@ -51,7 +52,8 @@
 #define AGENT_SET(p, f)		bf_set(&(p)->agent_flags, ICE_AGENT_ ## f)
 #define AGENT_SET2(p, f, g)	bf_set(&(p)->agent_flags, ICE_AGENT_ ## f | ICE_AGENT_ ## g)
 #define AGENT_CLEAR(p, f)	bf_clear(&(p)->agent_flags, ICE_AGENT_ ## f)
-#define AGENT_CLEAR2(p, f, g)	bf_clear(&(p)->agent_flags, ICE_AGENT_ ## f | ICE_AGENT_ ## g)
+#define AGENT_CLEAR3(p, f, g, h) \
+	bf_clear(&(p)->agent_flags, ICE_AGENT_ ## f | ICE_AGENT_ ## g | ICE_AGENT_ ## h)
 
 
 
@@ -178,6 +180,18 @@ INLINE int ice_has_finished(struct call_media *media) {
 		return 1;
 	return 0;
 }
+/* returns 1 if media has connectivity */
+INLINE int ice_is_usable(struct call_media *media) {
+	if (!media)
+		return 1;
+	if (!MEDIA_ISSET(media, ICE))
+		return 1;
+	if (!media->ice_agent)
+		return 1;
+	if (AGENT_ISSET(media->ice_agent, USABLE))
+		return 1;
+	return 0;
+}
 INLINE unsigned int ice_type_preference(enum ice_candidate_type type) {
 	if (type >= __ICT_LAST)
 		return 0;