diff --git a/libs/freetdm/mod_freetdm/tdm.c b/libs/freetdm/mod_freetdm/tdm.c
index efdf4dce3e..b2d37d47ed 100644
--- a/libs/freetdm/mod_freetdm/tdm.c
+++ b/libs/freetdm/mod_freetdm/tdm.c
@@ -112,7 +112,7 @@ static switch_call_cause_t channel_outgoing_channel(switch_core_session_t *sessi
     ftdm_codec_t codec;
     uint32_t interval;
     ftdm_status_t fstatus;
-    
+    const char *ftdm_start_only = switch_event_get_header(var_event, "ftdm_start_only");
     ctdm_private_t *tech_pvt = NULL;
     
     if (zstr(szchanid) || zstr(span_name)) {
@@ -129,6 +129,15 @@ static switch_call_cause_t channel_outgoing_channel(switch_core_session_t *sessi
         goto fail;
     }
 
+    if ((fstatus = ftdm_span_start(span)) != FTDM_SUCCESS && fstatus != FTDM_EINVAL) {
+        switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_ERROR, "Couldn't start span %s.\n", span_name);
+        goto fail;
+    }
+
+    if (!zstr(ftdm_start_only) && switch_true(ftdm_start_only)) {
+	goto fail;
+    }
+    
     
     if (!(*new_session = switch_core_session_request(ctdm.endpoint_interface, SWITCH_CALL_DIRECTION_OUTBOUND, 0, pool))) {
         switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_ERROR, "Couldn't request session.\n");
@@ -137,11 +146,6 @@ static switch_call_cause_t channel_outgoing_channel(switch_core_session_t *sessi
     
     channel = switch_core_session_get_channel(*new_session);
     
-    if ((fstatus = ftdm_span_start(span)) != FTDM_SUCCESS && fstatus != FTDM_EINVAL) {
-        switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_ERROR, "Couldn't start span %s.\n", span_name);
-        goto fail;
-    }
-    
     if (ftdm_channel_open(span_id, chan_id, &chan) != FTDM_SUCCESS) {
         switch_log_printf(SWITCH_CHANNEL_LOG, SWITCH_LOG_ERROR, "Couldn't open span or channel.\n"); 
         goto fail;
diff --git a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_media_gateway/media_gateway.c b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_media_gateway/media_gateway.c
index e47055236a..ee5abe7d2f 100644
--- a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_media_gateway/media_gateway.c
+++ b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_media_gateway/media_gateway.c
@@ -155,6 +155,48 @@ done:
     return SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS;
 }
 
+
+/*
+ * Originate a channel so the target technology gets to run initialization code
+ */
+switch_status_t megaco_prepare_termination(mg_termination_t *term)
+{
+    switch_event_t *var_event = NULL;
+    switch_core_session_t *session = NULL;
+    switch_status_t status = SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS;
+    char dialstring[100];
+    switch_call_cause_t cause;
+    switch_channel_t *channel;
+    switch_event_create(&var_event, SWITCH_EVENT_CLONE);
+    
+    if (term->type == MG_TERM_RTP) {
+    } else if (term->type == MG_TERM_TDM) {
+        switch_snprintf(dialstring, sizeof dialstring, "tdm/%s", term->name);
+
+        switch_event_add_header_string(var_event, SWITCH_STACK_BOTTOM, "ftdm_start_only",  "true");
+        switch_event_add_header_string(var_event, SWITCH_STACK_BOTTOM, kSPAN_NAME,  term->u.tdm.span_name);
+        switch_event_add_header(var_event, SWITCH_STACK_BOTTOM, kCHAN_ID, "%d", term->u.tdm.channel);
+    }
+    
+    /* Set common variables on the channel */
+    switch_event_add_header_string(var_event, SWITCH_STACK_BOTTOM, SWITCH_PARK_AFTER_BRIDGE_VARIABLE, "true");
+    if (switch_ivr_originate(NULL, &session, &cause, dialstring, 0, NULL, NULL, NULL, NULL, var_event, 0, NULL) != SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS) {
+        status = SWITCH_STATUS_FALSE;	
+        goto done;
+    }
+    channel = switch_core_session_get_channel(session);
+    switch_channel_hangup(channel, SWITCH_CAUSE_NORMAL_CLEARING);
+
+done:
+    if (session) {
+        switch_core_session_rwunlock(session);
+    }
+    switch_event_destroy(&var_event);
+
+    return SWITCH_STATUS_SUCCESS;
+}
+
+
 mg_termination_t *megaco_choose_termination(megaco_profile_t *profile, const char *prefix)
 {
     mg_termination_type_t termtype;
diff --git a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_media_gateway/mod_media_gateway.h b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_media_gateway/mod_media_gateway.h
index 5c50ed9cfe..504f147d76 100644
--- a/src/mod/endpoints/mod_media_gateway/mod_media_gateway.h
+++ b/src/mod/endpoints/mod_media_gateway/mod_media_gateway.h
@@ -237,6 +237,7 @@ void megaco_release_context(mg_context_t *ctx);
 switch_status_t megaco_context_sub_termination(mg_context_t *ctx, mg_termination_t *term);
 switch_status_t megaco_context_sub_all_termination(mg_context_t *ctx);
 switch_status_t megaco_activate_termination(mg_termination_t *term);
+switch_status_t megaco_prepare_termination(mg_termination_t *term);
 
 mg_termination_t *megaco_choose_termination(megaco_profile_t *profile, const char *prefix);
 mg_termination_t *megaco_find_termination(megaco_profile_t *profile, const char *name);