diff --git a/common_types.cc b/common_types.cc
index 07f77b7777..61e58b766f 100644
--- a/common_types.cc
+++ b/common_types.cc
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ VideoCodec::VideoCodec()
       minBitrate(0),
       targetBitrate(0),
       maxFramerate(0),
+      active(true),
       qpMax(0),
       numberOfSimulcastStreams(0),
       simulcastStream(),
diff --git a/common_types.h b/common_types.h
index 9f1ad8f9f7..5f9d77a9bd 100644
--- a/common_types.h
+++ b/common_types.h
@@ -509,6 +509,7 @@ struct SimulcastStream {
   unsigned int targetBitrate;  // kilobits/sec.
   unsigned int minBitrate;     // kilobits/sec.
   unsigned int qpMax;          // minimum quality
+  bool active;                 // encoded and sent.
 };
 
 struct SpatialLayer {
@@ -540,6 +541,10 @@ class VideoCodec {
 
   uint32_t maxFramerate;
 
+  // This enables/disables encoding and sending when there aren't multiple
+  // simulcast streams,by allocating 0 bitrate if inactive.
+  bool active;
+
   unsigned int qpMax;
   unsigned char numberOfSimulcastStreams;
   SimulcastStream simulcastStream[kMaxSimulcastStreams];