diff --git a/coreapi/callbacks.c b/coreapi/callbacks.c
index f2917f876..579a5336a 100644
--- a/coreapi/callbacks.c
+++ b/coreapi/callbacks.c
@@ -602,6 +602,16 @@ static void call_released(SalOp *op){
 static void auth_requested(SalOp *h, const char *realm, const char *username){
 	LinphoneCore *lc=(LinphoneCore *)sal_get_user_pointer(sal_op_get_sal(h));
 	LinphoneAuthInfo *ai=(LinphoneAuthInfo*)linphone_core_find_auth_info(lc,realm,username);
+	LinphoneCall *call=is_a_linphone_call(sal_op_get_user_pointer(h));
+
+	if (call && call->ping_op==h){
+		/*don't request authentication for ping requests. Their purpose is just to get any
+		 * answer to get the Via's received and rport parameters.
+		 */
+		ms_message("auth_requested(): ignored for ping request.");
+		return;
+	}
+	
 	ms_message("auth_requested() for realm=%s, username=%s",realm,username);
 
 	if (ai && ai->works==FALSE && ai->usecount>=3){
diff --git a/coreapi/misc.c b/coreapi/misc.c
index 607ee6b3f..ea85f1036 100644
--- a/coreapi/misc.c
+++ b/coreapi/misc.c
@@ -557,6 +557,19 @@ void linphone_core_run_stun_tests(LinphoneCore *lc, LinphoneCall *call){
 	}
 }
 
+LinphoneCall * is_a_linphone_call(void *user_pointer){
+	LinphoneCall *call=(LinphoneCall*)user_pointer;
+	if (call==NULL) return NULL;
+	return call->magic==linphone_call_magic ? call : NULL;
+}
+
+LinphoneProxyConfig * is_a_linphone_proxy_config(void *user_pointer){
+	LinphoneProxyConfig *cfg=(LinphoneProxyConfig*)user_pointer;
+	if (cfg==NULL) return NULL;
+	return cfg->magic==linphone_proxy_config_magic ? cfg : NULL;
+}
+
+
 #ifdef HAVE_GETIFADDRS
 
 #include <ifaddrs.h>
diff --git a/coreapi/private.h b/coreapi/private.h
index 10876734b..ab317c981 100644
--- a/coreapi/private.h
+++ b/coreapi/private.h
@@ -75,8 +75,11 @@ struct _LinphoneCallParams{
 	
 };
 
+static const int linphone_call_magic=0x3343;
+
 struct _LinphoneCall
 {
+	int magic; /*used to distinguish from proxy config*/
 	struct _LinphoneCore *core;
 	SalMediaDescription *localdesc;
 	SalMediaDescription *resultdesc;
@@ -238,9 +241,14 @@ extern SalCallbacks linphone_sal_callbacks;
 void linphone_proxy_config_set_error(LinphoneProxyConfig *cfg, LinphoneReason error);
 bool_t linphone_core_rtcp_enabled(const LinphoneCore *lc);
 
+LinphoneCall * is_a_linphone_call(void *user_pointer);
+LinphoneProxyConfig * is_a_linphone_proxy_config(void *user_pointer);
+
+static const int linphone_proxy_config_magic=0x7979;
 
 struct _LinphoneProxyConfig
 {
+	int magic;
 	struct _LinphoneCore *lc;
 	char *reg_proxy;
 	char *reg_identity;