diff --git a/modules/dispatcher/dispatch.c b/modules/dispatcher/dispatch.c
index 3638a9c8f8a..6921aaed7e4 100644
--- a/modules/dispatcher/dispatch.c
+++ b/modules/dispatcher/dispatch.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ static int _ds_table_version = DS_TABLE_VERSION;
 
 static ds_ht_t *_dsht_load = NULL;
 
+static int *_ds_ping_active = NULL;
 
 extern int ds_force_dst;
 
@@ -91,6 +92,43 @@ void destroy_list(int);
 void shuffle_uint100array(unsigned int* arr);
 int ds_reinit_rweight_on_state_change(int old_state, int new_state, ds_set_t *dset);
 
+/**
+ *
+ */
+int ds_ping_active_init(void)
+{
+	if(_ds_ping_active!=NULL)
+		return 0;
+	_ds_ping_active = (int*)shm_malloc(sizeof(int));
+	if(_ds_ping_active==NULL) {
+		LM_ERR("no more shared memory\n");
+		return -1;
+	}
+	*_ds_ping_active = 1;
+	return 0;
+}
+
+/**
+ *
+ */
+int ds_ping_active_get(void)
+{
+	if(_ds_ping_active!=NULL)
+		return -1;
+	return *_ds_ping_active;
+}
+
+/**
+ *
+ */
+int ds_ping_active_set(int v)
+{
+	if(_ds_ping_active!=NULL)
+		return -1;
+	*_ds_ping_active = v;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 /**
  *
  */
@@ -2812,6 +2850,11 @@ void ds_check_timer(unsigned int ticks, void* param)
 		return;
 	}
 
+	if(_ds_ping_active!=NULL && *_ds_ping_active==0)
+	{
+		LM_DBG("pinging destinations is inactive by admin\n");
+		return;
+	}
 	/* Iterate over the groups and the entries of each group: */
 	for(list = _ds_list; list!= NULL; list= list->next)
 	{
diff --git a/modules/dispatcher/dispatch.h b/modules/dispatcher/dispatch.h
index 56da6c78db1..856a88ec59c 100644
--- a/modules/dispatcher/dispatch.h
+++ b/modules/dispatcher/dispatch.h
@@ -183,5 +183,10 @@ typedef struct _ds_set
 
 ds_set_t *ds_get_list(void);
 int ds_get_list_nr(void);
+
+int ds_ping_active_init(void);
+int ds_ping_active_get(void);
+int ds_ping_active_set(int v);
+
 #endif
 
diff --git a/modules/dispatcher/dispatcher.c b/modules/dispatcher/dispatcher.c
index f960297fb48..51d1955bc74 100644
--- a/modules/dispatcher/dispatcher.c
+++ b/modules/dispatcher/dispatcher.c
@@ -286,6 +286,10 @@ static int mod_init(void)
 		LM_ERR("failed to register MI commands\n");
 		return -1;
 	}
+	if(ds_ping_active_init()<0) {
+		return -1;
+	}
+
 	if(ds_init_rpc()<0)
 	{
 		LM_ERR("failed to register RPC commands\n");
@@ -1318,6 +1322,54 @@ static void dispatcher_rpc_set_state(rpc_t* rpc, void* ctx)
 }
 
 
+static const char* dispatcher_rpc_ping_active_doc[2] = {
+	"Manage setting on/off the pinging (keepalive) of destinations",
+	0
+};
+
+
+/*
+ * RPC command to set the state of a destination address
+ */
+static void dispatcher_rpc_ping_active(rpc_t* rpc, void* ctx)
+{
+	int state;
+	int ostate;
+	void *th;
+
+	if(rpc->scan(ctx, "*d", &state)!=1) {
+		state = -1;
+	}
+	ostate = ds_ping_active_get();
+	/* add entry node */
+	if (rpc->add(ctx, "{", &th) < 0) {
+		rpc->fault(ctx, 500, "Internal error root reply");
+		return;
+	}
+	if(state==-1) {
+		if(rpc->struct_add(th, "d",
+				"OldPingState", ostate)<0)
+		{
+			rpc->fault(ctx, 500, "Internal error reply structure");
+			return;
+		}
+		return;
+	}
+
+	if(ds_ping_active_set(state)<0) {
+		rpc->fault(ctx, 500, "Ping State Update Failed");
+		return;
+	}
+	if(rpc->struct_add(th, "dd",
+				"NewPingState", state,
+				"OldPingState", ostate)<0)
+	{
+		rpc->fault(ctx, 500, "Internal error reply structure");
+		return;
+	}
+	return;
+}
+
 rpc_export_t dispatcher_rpc_cmds[] = {
 	{"dispatcher.reload", dispatcher_rpc_reload,
 		dispatcher_rpc_reload_doc, 0},
@@ -1325,6 +1377,8 @@ rpc_export_t dispatcher_rpc_cmds[] = {
 		dispatcher_rpc_list_doc,   0},
 	{"dispatcher.set_state",   dispatcher_rpc_set_state,
 		dispatcher_rpc_set_state_doc,   0},
+	{"dispatcher.ping_active",   dispatcher_rpc_ping_active,
+		dispatcher_rpc_ping_active_doc, 0},
 	{0, 0, 0, 0}
 };