Provided are a method, system and network element for initiating active paging, belonging to the field of communications. The method includes: a first network element receives a downlink data notification message sent by a serving gateway (SGW), with the downlink data notification message containing a bearer identifier, and determines whether the bearer identifier exists in the bearer context stored in the first network element; if the bearer identifier does not so exist, said network element sends a no available bearer error information corresponding to the bearer identifier to the SGW so as to prompt the SGW to send a no available bearer notification to a public data network gateway (PDN GW), said notification being used to make the PDN GW stop sending downlink data to the serving gateway through the bearer and to release the resources of the bearer; and if the bearer identifier does so exist, then said network element initiates paging. In the present invention, the MME/SGSN reports the bearer absence to the serving gateway when paging has failed due to asynchronous bearer context, and the PDN GW is stopped from sending downlink data to the SGW, so as to save network resources.