diff --git a/src/chat_session.c b/src/chat_session.c
index f352fea0..283860de 100644
--- a/src/chat_session.c
+++ b/src/chat_session.c
@@ -52,6 +52,18 @@ chat_sessions_clear(void)
     g_hash_table_remove_all(sessions);
 }
 
+gboolean
+chat_session_exists(const char * const recipient)
+{
+    ChatSession session = g_hash_table_lookup(sessions, recipient);
+
+    if (session != NULL) {
+        return TRUE;
+    } else {
+        return FALSE;
+    }
+}
+
 void
 chat_session_start(const char * const recipient, gboolean recipient_supports)
 {
diff --git a/src/chat_session.h b/src/chat_session.h
index aecc47da..7cfc8de5 100644
--- a/src/chat_session.h
+++ b/src/chat_session.h
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ void chat_sessions_init(void);
 void chat_sessions_clear(void);
 void chat_session_start(const char * const recipient,
     gboolean recipient_supports);
+gboolean chat_session_exists(const char * const recipient);
 void chat_session_end(const char * const recipient);
 gboolean chat_session_recipient_supports(const char * const recipient);
 
diff --git a/src/jabber.c b/src/jabber.c
index 472aa015..23f7f444 100644
--- a/src/jabber.c
+++ b/src/jabber.c
@@ -137,16 +137,16 @@ jabber_process_events(void)
 void
 jabber_send(const char * const msg, const char * const recipient)
 {
+    if (!chat_session_exists(recipient)) {
+        chat_session_start(recipient, TRUE);
+    }
+
     char *coded_msg = str_replace(msg, "&", "&");
     char *coded_msg2 = str_replace(coded_msg, "<", "&lt;");
     char *coded_msg3 = str_replace(coded_msg2, ">", "&gt;");
 
     xmpp_stanza_t *reply, *body, *text, *active;
 
-    active = xmpp_stanza_new(jabber_conn.ctx);
-    xmpp_stanza_set_name(active, "active");
-    xmpp_stanza_set_ns(active, "http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates");
-
     reply = xmpp_stanza_new(jabber_conn.ctx);
     xmpp_stanza_set_name(reply, "message");
     xmpp_stanza_set_type(reply, "chat");
@@ -157,7 +157,14 @@ jabber_send(const char * const msg, const char * const recipient)
 
     text = xmpp_stanza_new(jabber_conn.ctx);
     xmpp_stanza_set_text(text, coded_msg3);
-    xmpp_stanza_add_child(reply, active);
+
+    if (chat_session_recipient_supports(recipient)) {
+        active = xmpp_stanza_new(jabber_conn.ctx);
+        xmpp_stanza_set_name(active, "active");
+        xmpp_stanza_set_ns(active, "http://jabber.org/protocol/chatstates");
+        xmpp_stanza_add_child(reply, active);
+    }
+
     xmpp_stanza_add_child(body, text);
     xmpp_stanza_add_child(reply, body);