The invention concerns a method, a network element and a computer program product for monitoring the quality of a real-time communication (9) in a packet network (1) comprising at least two test points (3, 4). A packet stream pattern (22) is accessed and injected at a first test point (3). After transmission of the packet stream pattern (22) through the packet network (1), a degraded packet stream pattern (23) is received at a second test point (4). Characteristics of the degraded packet stream pattern (23) are determined and compared with corresponding characteristics of the packet stream pattern (22) injected at the first test point (3). Based on the comparison, data concerning quality degradation caused by transmission over the packet network (1) is evaluated.