diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 3c6fd7f70..b3971e5f5 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -1414,6 +1414,22 @@ Optionally included keys are:
 	been requested for transcoding. Note that not all codecs support all packetization
 	intervals.
 
+* `supports`
+
+	Contains a list of strings. Each string indicates support for an additional feature
+	that the controlling SIP proxy supports. Currently defined values are:
+
+	* `load limit`
+
+		Indicates support for an extension to the *ng* protocol to facilitate certain load
+		balancing mechanisms. If *rtpengine* is configured with certain session or load
+		limit options enabled (such as the `max-sessions` option), then normally *rtpengine*
+		would reply with an error to an `offer` if one of the limits is exceeded. If support
+		for the `load limit` extension is indicated, then instead of replying with an error,
+		*rtpengine* responds with the string `load limit` in the `result` key of the response
+		dictionary. The response dictionary may also contain the optional key `message` with
+		an explanatory string. No other key is required in the response dictionary.
+
 
 An example of a complete `offer` request dictionary could be (SDP body abbreviated):
 
diff --git a/daemon/call_interfaces.c b/daemon/call_interfaces.c
index b644f4f66..c1b3c84f7 100644
--- a/daemon/call_interfaces.c
+++ b/daemon/call_interfaces.c
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include "str.h"
 #include "control_tcp.h"
 #include "control_udp.h"
+#include "control_ng.h"
 #include "rtp.h"
 #include "ice.h"
 #include "recording.h"
@@ -558,6 +559,10 @@ static void call_ng_flags_replace(struct sdp_ng_flags *out, str *s, void *dummy)
 		ilog(LOG_WARN, "Unknown 'replace' flag encountered: '" STR_FORMAT "'",
 				STR_FMT(s));
 }
+static void call_ng_flags_supports(struct sdp_ng_flags *out, str *s, void *dummy) {
+	if (!str_cmp(s, "load limit"))
+		out->supports_load_limit = 1;
+}
 static void call_ng_flags_codec_list(struct sdp_ng_flags *out, str *s, void *qp) {
 	str *s_copy;
 	s_copy = g_slice_alloc(sizeof(*s_copy));
@@ -646,6 +651,7 @@ static void call_ng_process_flags(struct sdp_ng_flags *out, bencode_item_t *inpu
 
 	call_ng_flags_list(out, input, "flags", call_ng_flags_flags, NULL);
 	call_ng_flags_list(out, input, "replace", call_ng_flags_replace, NULL);
+	call_ng_flags_list(out, input, "supports", call_ng_flags_supports, NULL);
 
 	diridx = 0;
 	if ((list = bencode_dictionary_get_expect(input, "direction", BENCODE_LIST))) {
@@ -714,13 +720,38 @@ static void call_ng_free_flags(struct sdp_ng_flags *flags) {
 	g_queue_clear_full(&flags->codec_transcode, str_slice_free);
 }
 
+static enum load_limit_reasons call_offer_session_limit(void) {
+	enum load_limit_reasons ret = LOAD_LIMIT_NONE;
+
+	rwlock_lock_r(&rtpe_config.config_lock);
+	if (rtpe_config.max_sessions>=0) {
+		rwlock_lock_r(&rtpe_callhash_lock);
+		if (g_hash_table_size(rtpe_callhash) -
+				atomic64_get(&rtpe_stats.foreign_sessions) >= rtpe_config.max_sessions)
+		{
+			/* foreign calls can't get rejected
+			 * total_rejected_sess applies only to "own" sessions */
+			atomic64_inc(&rtpe_totalstats.total_rejected_sess);
+			atomic64_inc(&rtpe_totalstats_interval.total_rejected_sess);
+			ilog(LOG_ERROR, "Parallel session limit reached (%i)",rtpe_config.max_sessions);
+
+			ret = LOAD_LIMIT_MAX_SESSIONS;
+		}
+		rwlock_unlock_r(&rtpe_callhash_lock);
+	}
+
+	rwlock_unlock_r(&rtpe_config.config_lock);
+
+	return ret;
+}
+
 static const char *call_offer_answer_ng(bencode_item_t *input,
 		bencode_item_t *output, enum call_opmode opmode, const char* addr,
 		const endpoint_t *sin)
 {
 	str sdp, fromtag, totag = STR_NULL, callid, viabranch;
 	str label = STR_NULL;
-	char *errstr;
+	const char *errstr;
 	GQueue parsed = G_QUEUE_INIT;
 	GQueue streams = G_QUEUE_INIT;
 	struct call *call;
@@ -744,12 +775,24 @@ static const char *call_offer_answer_ng(bencode_item_t *input,
 	bencode_dictionary_get_str(input, "via-branch", &viabranch);
 	bencode_dictionary_get_str(input, "label", &label);
 
-	if (sdp_parse(&sdp, &parsed))
-		return "Failed to parse SDP";
-
 	call_ng_process_flags(&flags, input);
 	flags.opmode = opmode;
 
+	if (opmode == OP_OFFER) {
+		enum load_limit_reasons limit = call_offer_session_limit();
+		if (limit != LOAD_LIMIT_NONE) {
+			if (!flags.supports_load_limit)
+				errstr = "Parallel session limit reached"; // legacy protocol
+			else
+				errstr = magic_load_limit_strings[limit];
+			goto out;
+		}
+	}
+
+	errstr = "Failed to parse SDP";
+	if (sdp_parse(&sdp, &parsed))
+		goto out;
+
 	if (flags.loop_protect && sdp_is_duplicate(&parsed)) {
 		ilog(LOG_INFO, "Ignoring message as SDP has already been processed by us");
 		bencode_dictionary_add_str(output, "sdp", &sdp);
@@ -874,25 +917,6 @@ out:
 const char *call_offer_ng(bencode_item_t *input, bencode_item_t *output, const char* addr,
 		const endpoint_t *sin)
 {
-	rwlock_lock_r(&rtpe_config.config_lock);
-	if (rtpe_config.max_sessions>=0) {
-		rwlock_lock_r(&rtpe_callhash_lock);
-		if (g_hash_table_size(rtpe_callhash) -
-				atomic64_get(&rtpe_stats.foreign_sessions) >= rtpe_config.max_sessions) {
-			rwlock_unlock_r(&rtpe_callhash_lock);
-			/* foreign calls can't get rejected
-			 * total_rejected_sess applies only to "own" sessions */
-			atomic64_inc(&rtpe_totalstats.total_rejected_sess);
-			atomic64_inc(&rtpe_totalstats_interval.total_rejected_sess);
-			ilog(LOG_ERROR, "Parallel session limit reached (%i)",rtpe_config.max_sessions);
-
-			rwlock_unlock_r(&rtpe_config.config_lock);
-			return "Parallel session limit reached";
-		}
-		rwlock_unlock_r(&rtpe_callhash_lock);
-	}
-
-	rwlock_unlock_r(&rtpe_config.config_lock);
 	return call_offer_answer_ng(input, output, OP_OFFER, addr, sin);
 }
 
diff --git a/daemon/call_interfaces.h b/daemon/call_interfaces.h
index d58c1f52f..7e60a7837 100644
--- a/daemon/call_interfaces.h
+++ b/daemon/call_interfaces.h
@@ -58,6 +58,7 @@ struct sdp_ng_flags {
 	    reset:1,
 	    record_call:1,
 	    loop_protect:1,
+	    supports_load_limit:1,
 	    dtls_off:1,
 	    sdes_off:1,
 	    sdes_unencrypted_srtp:1,
diff --git a/daemon/control_ng.c b/daemon/control_ng.c
index d73c267b6..aabc43b83 100644
--- a/daemon/control_ng.c
+++ b/daemon/control_ng.c
@@ -20,6 +20,10 @@ mutex_t rtpe_cngs_lock;
 GHashTable *rtpe_cngs_hash;
 struct control_ng *rtpe_control_ng;
 
+const char magic_load_limit_strings[__LOAD_LIMIT_MAX][64] = {
+	[LOAD_LIMIT_MAX_SESSIONS] = "Parallel session limit reached",
+};
+
 
 static void timeval_update_request_time(struct request_time *request, const struct timeval *offer_diff) {
 	// lock offers
@@ -112,7 +116,7 @@ static void control_ng_incoming(struct obj *obj, str *buf, const endpoint_t *sin
 	struct control_ng *c = (void *) obj;
 	bencode_buffer_t bencbuf;
 	bencode_item_t *dict, *resp;
-	str cmd, cookie, data, reply, *to_send, callid;
+	str cmd = STR_NULL, cookie, data, reply, *to_send, callid;
 	const char *errstr, *resultstr;
 	struct iovec iov[3];
 	unsigned int iovlen;
@@ -262,11 +266,18 @@ static void control_ng_incoming(struct obj *obj, str *buf, const endpoint_t *sin
 	goto send_resp;
 
 err_send:
-	ilog(LOG_WARNING, "Protocol error in packet from %s: %s ["STR_FORMAT"]", addr, errstr, STR_FMT(&data));
-	bencode_dictionary_add_string(resp, "result", "error");
-	bencode_dictionary_add_string(resp, "error-reason", errstr);
-	g_atomic_int_inc(&cur->errors);
-	cmd = STR_NULL;
+	if (errstr < magic_load_limit_strings[0] || errstr > magic_load_limit_strings[__LOAD_LIMIT_MAX-1]) {
+		ilog(LOG_WARNING, "Protocol error in packet from %s: %s ["STR_FORMAT"]",
+				addr, errstr, STR_FMT(&data));
+		bencode_dictionary_add_string(resp, "result", "error");
+		bencode_dictionary_add_string(resp, "error-reason", errstr);
+		g_atomic_int_inc(&cur->errors);
+		cmd = STR_NULL;
+	}
+	else {
+		bencode_dictionary_add_string(resp, "result", "load limit");
+		bencode_dictionary_add_string(resp, "message", errstr);
+	}
 
 send_resp:
 	bencode_collapse_str(resp, &reply);
diff --git a/daemon/control_ng.h b/daemon/control_ng.h
index c0dbb3af7..deea2928a 100644
--- a/daemon/control_ng.h
+++ b/daemon/control_ng.h
@@ -35,4 +35,12 @@ extern mutex_t rtpe_cngs_lock;
 extern GHashTable *rtpe_cngs_hash;
 extern struct control_ng *rtpe_control_ng;
 
+enum load_limit_reasons {
+	LOAD_LIMIT_NONE = -1,
+	LOAD_LIMIT_MAX_SESSIONS = 0,
+
+	__LOAD_LIMIT_MAX
+};
+extern const char magic_load_limit_strings[__LOAD_LIMIT_MAX][64];
+
 #endif
diff --git a/utils/rtpengine-ng-client b/utils/rtpengine-ng-client
index aa89907c4..35785aeff 100755
--- a/utils/rtpengine-ng-client
+++ b/utils/rtpengine-ng-client
@@ -53,6 +53,8 @@ GetOptions(
 	'ptime=i'			=> \$options{'ptime'},
 	'flags=s@'			=> \$options{'flags'},
 	'codec-options-flat'		=> \$options{'codec options flag'},
+	'flags=s@'			=> \$options{'flags'},
+	'supports=s@'			=> \$options{'supports'},
 ) or die;
 
 my $cmd = shift(@ARGV) or die;
@@ -71,7 +73,7 @@ for my $x (split(/,/, 'trust address,symmetric,asymmetric,force,strict source,me
 for my $x (split(/,/, 'origin,session connection')) {
 	defined($options{'replace-' . $x}) and push(@{$packet{replace}}, $x);
 }
-for my $x (split(/,/, 'rtcp-mux,SDES')) {
+for my $x (split(/,/, 'rtcp-mux,SDES,supports')) {
 	$packet{$x} = $options{$x}
 		if defined($options{$x}) && ref($options{$x}) eq 'ARRAY';
 }