A respiratory mask assembly including a frame and a cushion provided to the frame. The cushion including a non-face contacting portion removably attached to the frame and a face-contacting portion adapted to engage a patient's face. The face-contacting portion includes a side wall, a rim extending from the side wall and curving inwardly into a cavity of the cushion, and a membrane substantially surrounding the rim and including an inside surface spaced from an outside surface of the rim. The cushion includes a gusset portion extending radially outwardly from the side wall of the face-contacting portion and a reinforcing ring between the gusset portion and the face-contacting portion. The reinforcing ring is constructed and arranged to act as a stiffening hoop to reduce the tendency of the cushion to expand when under pressure.