diff --git a/rtmp/rtmp.go b/rtmp/rtmp.go
index 591af433..eedb2fa5 100644
--- a/rtmp/rtmp.go
+++ b/rtmp/rtmp.go
@@ -311,13 +311,42 @@ func (s *session) Open() error {
 		return errors.New("rtmp: attempt to start already running session")
 	}
 	var err error
-	s.rtmp, err = C.start_session(s.rtmp, C.CString(s.url), C.uint(s.timeout))
+	s.rtmp, err = startSession(s.rtmp, s.url, uint32(s.timeout))
 	if s.rtmp == nil {
 		return err
 	}
 	return nil
 }
 
+func startSession(rtmp *C.RTMP, u string, timeout uint32) (*C.RTMP, error) {
+	url := C.CString(u)
+	connect_timeout := C.int(timeout)
+	rtmp = C.RTMP_Alloc()
+	C.RTMP_Init(rtmp)
+	rtmp.Link.timeout = connect_timeout
+	if C.RTMP_SetupURL(rtmp, url) == 0 {
+		C.RTMP_Close(rtmp)
+		C.RTMP_Free(rtmp)
+		return nil, errors.New("rtmp startSession: Failed to setup URL!")
+	}
+
+	C.RTMP_EnableWrite(rtmp)
+	C.RTMP_SetBufferMS(rtmp, 3600*1000)
+	if C.RTMP_Connect(rtmp, nil) == 0 {
+		C.RTMP_Close(rtmp)
+		C.RTMP_Free(rtmp)
+		return nil, errors.New("rtmp startSession: Failed to connect!")
+	}
+
+	if C.RTMP_ConnectStream(rtmp, 0) == 0 {
+		C.RTMP_Close(rtmp)
+		C.RTMP_Free(rtmp)
+		return nil, errors.New("rtmp startSession: Failed to connect stream!")
+	}
+
+	return rtmp, nil
+}
+
 // Close terminates the rtmp connection
 func (s *session) Close() error {
 	if s.rtmp == nil {