diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c b/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
index ee758fadbf..74c2304300 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
@@ -52,6 +52,7 @@ enum
   PROP_0,
   PROP_BIT_RATE,
   PROP_RTP_PAYLOAD_SIZE,
+  PROP_COMPLIANCE,
 };
 
 /* A number of function prototypes are given so we can refer to them later. */
@@ -151,6 +152,11 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_class_init (GstFFMpegAudEncClass * klass)
       g_param_spec_int ("bitrate", "Bit Rate",
           "Target Audio Bitrate", 0, G_MAXINT, DEFAULT_AUDIO_BITRATE,
           G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
+  g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), PROP_COMPLIANCE,
+      g_param_spec_enum ("compliance", "Compliance",
+          "Adherence of the encoder to the specifications",
+          GST_TYPE_FFMPEG_COMPLIANCE, FFMPEG_DEFAULT_COMPLIANCE,
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   gobject_class->finalize = gst_ffmpegaudenc_finalize;
 
@@ -174,6 +180,8 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_init (GstFFMpegAudEnc * ffmpegaudenc)
   ffmpegaudenc->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (klass->in_plugin);
   ffmpegaudenc->opened = FALSE;
 
+  ffmpegaudenc->compliance = FFMPEG_DEFAULT_COMPLIANCE;
+
   gst_audio_encoder_set_drainable (GST_AUDIO_ENCODER (ffmpegaudenc), TRUE);
 }
 
@@ -265,7 +273,7 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_set_format (GstAudioEncoder * encoder, GstAudioInfo * info)
   }
 
   /* if we set it in _getcaps we should set it also in _link */
-  ffmpegaudenc->context->strict_std_compliance = -1;
+  ffmpegaudenc->context->strict_std_compliance = ffmpegaudenc->compliance;
 
   /* user defined properties */
   if (ffmpegaudenc->bitrate > 0) {
@@ -641,6 +649,9 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_set_property (GObject * object,
     case PROP_RTP_PAYLOAD_SIZE:
       ffmpegaudenc->rtp_payload_size = g_value_get_int (value);
       break;
+    case PROP_COMPLIANCE:
+      ffmpegaudenc->compliance = g_value_get_enum (value);
+      break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
       break;
@@ -665,6 +676,9 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_get_property (GObject * object,
     case PROP_RTP_PAYLOAD_SIZE:
       g_value_set_int (value, ffmpegaudenc->rtp_payload_size);
       break;
+    case PROP_COMPLIANCE:
+      g_value_set_enum (value, ffmpegaudenc->compliance);
+      break;
     default:
       G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
       break;
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.h b/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.h
index b01184f8fa..bce09004b1 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.h
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.h
@@ -42,6 +42,7 @@ struct _GstFFMpegAudEnc
   /* cache */
   gint bitrate;
   gint rtp_payload_size;
+  gint compliance;
 
   /* other settings are copied over straight,
    * include a context here, rather than copy-and-past it from avcodec.h */
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.c b/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.c
index e13627c157..96040a6ce5 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.c
@@ -66,6 +66,28 @@ static const struct
   AV_CH_STEREO_RIGHT, GST_AUDIO_CHANNEL_POSITION_FRONT_RIGHT}
 };
 
+GType
+gst_ffmpeg_compliance_get_type (void)
+{
+  static GType ffmpeg_compliance_type = 0;
+  static const GEnumValue compliance_types[] = {
+    {GST_FFMPEG_VERY_STRICT, "Strictly conform to older spec",
+        "verystrict"},
+    {GST_FFMPEG_STRICT, "Strictly conform to current spec", "strict"},
+    {GST_FFMPEG_NORMAL, "Normal behavior", "normal"},
+    {GST_FFMPEG_UNOFFICIAL, "Allow unofficial extensions", "unofficial"},
+    {GST_FFMPEG_EXPERIMENTAL, "Allow nonstandardized experimental things",
+        "experimental"},
+    {0, NULL, NULL}
+  };
+
+  if (!ffmpeg_compliance_type) {
+    ffmpeg_compliance_type =
+        g_enum_register_static ("GstFFMpegCompliance", compliance_types);
+  }
+  return ffmpeg_compliance_type;
+}
+
 static guint64
 gst_ffmpeg_channel_positions_to_layout (GstAudioChannelPosition * pos,
     gint channels)
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.h b/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.h
index 01ce9b1e09..f392f96a12 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.h
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.h
@@ -25,6 +25,48 @@
 #include <gst/audio/audio.h>
 #include <gst/video/video.h>
 
+/**
+ * GstFFMpegCompliance:
+ * @GST_FFMPEG_VERY_STRICT: Strictly conform to an older
+ * more strict version of the spec or reference software
+ * @GST_FFMPEG_STRICT: Strictly conform to all the things
+ * in the spec no matter what consequences.
+ * @GST_FFMPEG_NORMAL:
+ * @GST_FFMPEG_UNOFFICIAL: Allow unofficial extensions
+ * @GST_FFMPEG_EXPERIMENTAL: Allow nonstandardized
+ * experimental things.
+ *
+ * This setting instructs libav on how strictly it should follow the
+ * associated standard.
+ *
+ * From avcodec.h:
+ * Setting this to STRICT or higher means the encoder and decoder will
+ * generally do stupid things, whereas setting it to unofficial or lower
+ * will mean the encoder might produce output that is not supported by all
+ * spec-compliant decoders. Decoders don't differentiate between normal,
+ * unofficial and experimental (that is, they always try to decode things
+ * when they can) unless they are explicitly asked to behave stupidly
+ * (=strictly conform to the specs)
+ */
+typedef enum {
+  GST_FFMPEG_VERY_STRICT = FF_COMPLIANCE_VERY_STRICT,
+  GST_FFMPEG_STRICT = FF_COMPLIANCE_STRICT,
+  GST_FFMPEG_NORMAL = FF_COMPLIANCE_NORMAL,
+  GST_FFMPEG_UNOFFICIAL = FF_COMPLIANCE_UNOFFICIAL,
+  GST_FFMPEG_EXPERIMENTAL = FF_COMPLIANCE_EXPERIMENTAL,
+} GstFFMpegCompliance;
+
+/*
+ * _compliance_get_type () Returns an enum type that can be
+ * used as a property to indicate desired FFMpeg adherence to
+ * an associated specification
+ */
+
+GType
+gst_ffmpeg_compliance_get_type (void);
+#define GST_TYPE_FFMPEG_COMPLIANCE (gst_ffmpeg_compliance_get_type ())
+#define FFMPEG_DEFAULT_COMPLIANCE GST_FFMPEG_NORMAL
+
 /*
  * _codecid_to_caps () gets the GstCaps that belongs to
  * a certain CodecID for a pad with compressed data.
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c b/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
index 83e052ce90..ab570f9306 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ enum
   PROP_ME_METHOD,
   PROP_BUFSIZE,
   PROP_RTP_PAYLOAD_SIZE,
-  PROP_CFG_BASE
+  PROP_CFG_BASE,
+  PROP_COMPLIANCE,
 };
 
 #define GST_TYPE_ME_METHOD (gst_ffmpegvidenc_me_method_get_type())
@@ -206,8 +207,14 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_class_init (GstFFMpegVidEncClass * klass)
           "RTP Payload Size", "Target GOB length", 0, G_MAXINT, 0,
           G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
+  g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), PROP_COMPLIANCE,
+      g_param_spec_enum ("compliance", "Compliance",
+          "Adherence of the encoder to the specifications",
+          GST_TYPE_FFMPEG_COMPLIANCE, FFMPEG_DEFAULT_COMPLIANCE,
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
+
   /* register additional properties, possibly dependent on the exact CODEC */
-  gst_ffmpeg_cfg_install_property (klass, PROP_CFG_BASE);
+  gst_ffmpeg_cfg_install_property (klass, PROP_COMPLIANCE);
 
   venc_class->start = gst_ffmpegvidenc_start;
   venc_class->stop = gst_ffmpegvidenc_stop;
@@ -239,6 +246,7 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_init (GstFFMpegVidEnc * ffmpegenc)
   ffmpegenc->buffer_size = 512 * 1024;
   ffmpegenc->gop_size = DEFAULT_VIDEO_GOP_SIZE;
   ffmpegenc->rtp_payload_size = 0;
+  ffmpegenc->compliance = FFMPEG_DEFAULT_COMPLIANCE;
 
   ffmpegenc->lmin = 2;
   ffmpegenc->lmax = 31;
@@ -301,7 +309,7 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_set_format (GstVideoEncoder * encoder,
   }
 
   /* if we set it in _getcaps we should set it also in _link */
-  ffmpegenc->context->strict_std_compliance = -1;
+  ffmpegenc->context->strict_std_compliance = ffmpegenc->compliance;
 
   /* user defined properties */
   ffmpegenc->context->bit_rate = ffmpegenc->bitrate;
@@ -761,6 +769,9 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_set_property (GObject * object,
     case PROP_RTP_PAYLOAD_SIZE:
       ffmpegenc->rtp_payload_size = g_value_get_int (value);
       break;
+    case PROP_COMPLIANCE:
+      ffmpegenc->compliance = g_value_get_enum (value);
+      break;
     default:
       if (!gst_ffmpeg_cfg_set_property (object, value, pspec))
         G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
@@ -794,6 +805,9 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_get_property (GObject * object,
     case PROP_RTP_PAYLOAD_SIZE:
       g_value_set_int (value, ffmpegenc->rtp_payload_size);
       break;
+    case PROP_COMPLIANCE:
+      g_value_set_enum (value, ffmpegenc->compliance);
+      break;
     default:
       if (!gst_ffmpeg_cfg_get_property (object, value, pspec))
         G_OBJECT_WARN_INVALID_PROPERTY_ID (object, prop_id, pspec);
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.h b/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.h
index d19dc39d86..e841d6c79c 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.h
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ struct _GstFFMpegVidEnc
   gint gop_size;
   gint buffer_size;
   gint rtp_payload_size;
+  gint compliance;
 
   guint8 *working_buf;
   gsize working_buf_size;