diff --git a/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session-pool.c b/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session-pool.c
index 8ce18efbf9..43a5887baf 100644
--- a/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session-pool.c
+++ b/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session-pool.c
@@ -352,3 +352,31 @@ gst_rtsp_session_pool_remove (GstRTSPSessionPool *pool, GstRTSPSession *sess)
   return found;
 }
 
+static gboolean
+cleanup_func (gchar *sessionid, GstRTSPSession *sess, GstRTSPSessionPool *pool)
+{
+  return gst_rtsp_session_is_expired (sess);
+}
+
+/**
+ * gst_rtsp_session_pool_cleanup:
+ * @pool: a #GstRTSPSessionPool
+ *
+ * Inspect all the sessions in @pool and remove the sessions that are inactive
+ * for more than their timeout.
+ *
+ * Returns: the amount of sessions that got removed.
+ */
+guint
+gst_rtsp_session_pool_cleanup (GstRTSPSessionPool *pool)
+{
+  guint result;
+
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_RTSP_SESSION_POOL (pool), 0);
+
+  g_mutex_lock (pool->lock);
+  result = g_hash_table_foreach_remove (pool->sessions, (GHRFunc) cleanup_func, pool);
+  g_mutex_unlock (pool->lock);
+
+  return result;
+}
diff --git a/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session-pool.h b/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session-pool.h
index 30df9bd264..dba8b764f6 100644
--- a/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session-pool.h
+++ b/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session-pool.h
@@ -85,6 +85,9 @@ GstRTSPSession *      gst_rtsp_session_pool_find              (GstRTSPSessionPoo
 gboolean              gst_rtsp_session_pool_remove            (GstRTSPSessionPool *pool,
                                                                GstRTSPSession *sess);
 
+/* perform session maintenance */
+guint                 gst_rtsp_session_pool_cleanup           (GstRTSPSessionPool *pool);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __GST_RTSP_SESSION_POOL_H__ */
diff --git a/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session.c b/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session.c
index 3c538b4b62..8e8ae0eef0 100644
--- a/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session.c
+++ b/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session.c
@@ -397,6 +397,35 @@ gst_rtsp_session_touch (GstRTSPSession *session)
   g_get_current_time (&session->last_access);
 }
 
+/**
+ * gst_rtsp_session_is_expired:
+ * @session: a #GstRTSPSession
+ *
+ * Check if @session timeout out. 
+ *
+ * Returns: %TRUE if @session timed out
+ */
+gboolean
+gst_rtsp_session_is_expired (GstRTSPSession *session)
+{
+  gboolean res;
+  GstClockTime last_access, now_ns;
+  GTimeVal now;
+
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_RTSP_SESSION (session), FALSE);
+
+  last_access = GST_TIMEVAL_TO_TIME (session->last_access);
+  /* add timeout */
+  last_access += session->timeout * GST_SECOND;
+
+  g_get_current_time (&now);
+  now_ns = GST_TIMEVAL_TO_TIME (now);
+
+  res = now_ns > last_access;
+
+  return res;
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_rtsp_session_stream_init_udp:
  * @stream: a #GstRTSPSessionStream
diff --git a/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session.h b/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session.h
index d87922bd66..bcda0887d5 100644
--- a/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session.h
+++ b/gst/rtsp-server/rtsp-session.h
@@ -117,8 +117,9 @@ const gchar *          gst_rtsp_session_get_sessionid        (GstRTSPSession *se
 void                   gst_rtsp_session_set_timeout          (GstRTSPSession *session, guint timeout);
 guint                  gst_rtsp_session_get_timeout          (GstRTSPSession *session);
 
-/* touch the session, update last_access */
+/* session timeout stuff */
 void                   gst_rtsp_session_touch                (GstRTSPSession *session);
+gboolean               gst_rtsp_session_is_expired           (GstRTSPSession *session);
 
 /* handle media in a session */
 GstRTSPSessionMedia *  gst_rtsp_session_manage_media         (GstRTSPSession *sess,