diff --git a/call/rtp_video_sender.cc b/call/rtp_video_sender.cc
index 041427a02e..e8d5db9e46 100644
--- a/call/rtp_video_sender.cc
+++ b/call/rtp_video_sender.cc
@@ -301,6 +301,38 @@ bool TransportSeqNumExtensionConfigured(const RtpConfig& config) {
     return ext.uri == RtpExtension::kTransportSequenceNumberUri;
   });
 }
+
+// Returns true when some coded video sequence can be decoded starting with
+// this frame without requiring any previous frames.
+// e.g. it is the same as a key frame when spatial scalability is not used.
+// When spatial scalability is used, then it is true for layer frames of
+// a key frame without inter-layer dependencies.
+bool IsFirstFrameOfACodedVideoSequence(
+    const EncodedImage& encoded_image,
+    const CodecSpecificInfo* codec_specific_info) {
+  if (encoded_image._frameType != VideoFrameType::kVideoFrameKey) {
+    return false;
+  }
+
+  if (codec_specific_info != nullptr &&
+      codec_specific_info->generic_frame_info.has_value()) {
+    // This function is used before
+    // `codec_specific_info->generic_frame_info->frame_diffs` are calculated, so
+    // need to use more complicated way to check for presence of dependencies.
+    return absl::c_none_of(
+        codec_specific_info->generic_frame_info->encoder_buffers,
+        [](const CodecBufferUsage& buffer) { return buffer.referenced; });
+  }
+
+  // Without depenedencies described in generic format do an educated guess.
+  // It might be wrong for VP9 with spatial layer 0 skipped or higher spatial
+  // layer not depending on the spatial layer 0. This corner case is unimportant
+  // for current usage of this helper function.
+
+  // Use <= to accept both 0 (i.e. the first) and nullopt (i.e. the only).
+  return encoded_image.SpatialIndex() <= 0;
+}
+
 }  // namespace
 
 RtpVideoSender::RtpVideoSender(
@@ -526,7 +558,7 @@ EncodedImageCallback::Result RtpVideoSender::OnEncodedImage(
         rtp_streams_[stream_index].rtp_rtcp->ExpectedRetransmissionTimeMs();
   }
 
-  if (encoded_image._frameType == VideoFrameType::kVideoFrameKey) {
+  if (IsFirstFrameOfACodedVideoSequence(encoded_image, codec_specific_info)) {
     // If encoder adapter produce FrameDependencyStructure, pass it so that
     // dependency descriptor rtp header extension can be used.
     // If not supported, disable using dependency descriptor by passing nullptr.
diff --git a/call/rtp_video_sender_unittest.cc b/call/rtp_video_sender_unittest.cc
index 5b14a938af..b738c21447 100644
--- a/call/rtp_video_sender_unittest.cc
+++ b/call/rtp_video_sender_unittest.cc
@@ -713,6 +713,61 @@ TEST(RtpVideoSenderTest, SupportsDependencyDescriptor) {
       sent_packets.back().HasExtension<RtpDependencyDescriptorExtension>());
 }
 
+TEST(RtpVideoSenderTest, SupportsDependencyDescriptorForVp9) {
+  RtpVideoSenderTestFixture test({kSsrc1}, {}, kPayloadType, {});
+  test.router()->SetActive(true);
+
+  RtpHeaderExtensionMap extensions;
+  extensions.Register<RtpDependencyDescriptorExtension>(
+      kDependencyDescriptorExtensionId);
+  std::vector<RtpPacket> sent_packets;
+  ON_CALL(test.transport(), SendRtp)
+      .WillByDefault([&](const uint8_t* packet, size_t length,
+                         const PacketOptions& options) {
+        sent_packets.emplace_back(&extensions);
+        EXPECT_TRUE(sent_packets.back().Parse(packet, length));
+        return true;
+      });
+
+  const uint8_t kPayload[1] = {'a'};
+  EncodedImage encoded_image;
+  encoded_image.SetTimestamp(1);
+  encoded_image.capture_time_ms_ = 2;
+  encoded_image._frameType = VideoFrameType::kVideoFrameKey;
+  encoded_image.SetEncodedData(
+      EncodedImageBuffer::Create(kPayload, sizeof(kPayload)));
+
+  CodecSpecificInfo codec_specific;
+  codec_specific.codecType = VideoCodecType::kVideoCodecVP9;
+  codec_specific.template_structure.emplace();
+  codec_specific.template_structure->num_decode_targets = 2;
+  codec_specific.template_structure->templates = {
+      FrameDependencyTemplate().S(0).Dtis("SS"),
+      FrameDependencyTemplate().S(1).Dtis("-S").FrameDiffs({1}),
+  };
+
+  // Send two tiny images, each mapping to single RTP packet.
+  // Send in key frame for the base spatial layer.
+  codec_specific.generic_frame_info =
+      GenericFrameInfo::Builder().S(0).Dtis("SS").Build();
+  codec_specific.generic_frame_info->encoder_buffers = {{0, false, true}};
+  EXPECT_EQ(test.router()->OnEncodedImage(encoded_image, &codec_specific).error,
+            EncodedImageCallback::Result::OK);
+  // Send in 2nd spatial layer.
+  codec_specific.template_structure = absl::nullopt;
+  codec_specific.generic_frame_info =
+      GenericFrameInfo::Builder().S(1).Dtis("-S").Build();
+  codec_specific.generic_frame_info->encoder_buffers = {{0, true, false},
+                                                        {1, false, true}};
+  EXPECT_EQ(test.router()->OnEncodedImage(encoded_image, &codec_specific).error,
+            EncodedImageCallback::Result::OK);
+
+  test.AdvanceTime(TimeDelta::Millis(33));
+  ASSERT_THAT(sent_packets, SizeIs(2));
+  EXPECT_TRUE(sent_packets[0].HasExtension<RtpDependencyDescriptorExtension>());
+  EXPECT_TRUE(sent_packets[1].HasExtension<RtpDependencyDescriptorExtension>());
+}
+
 TEST(RtpVideoSenderTest, SupportsStoppingUsingDependencyDescriptor) {
   RtpVideoSenderTestFixture test({kSsrc1}, {}, kPayloadType, {});
   test.router()->SetActive(true);