diff --git a/video/closedcaption/src/cea708mux/imp.rs b/video/closedcaption/src/cea708mux/imp.rs
index eb4668b7..78491fe6 100644
--- a/video/closedcaption/src/cea708mux/imp.rs
+++ b/video/closedcaption/src/cea708mux/imp.rs
@@ -162,11 +162,6 @@ impl AggregatorImpl for Cea708Mux {
                 .expect("Not a Cea708MuxSinkPad?!")
         }) {
             let mut pad_state = pad.imp().pad_state.lock().unwrap();
-            // any data we currently have stored
-            let have_pending = pad_state
-                .pending_services
-                .values()
-                .any(|codes| !codes.is_empty());
 
             if pad.is_eos() {
                 if pad_state.pending_buffer.is_some() {
@@ -207,17 +202,10 @@ impl AggregatorImpl for Cea708Mux {
             }
             let duration = buffer.duration().unwrap_or(gst::ClockTime::ZERO);
             let buffer_end_ts = buffer_start_ts + duration;
-            // allow a 1 second grace period before dropping data
-            if start_running_time.saturating_sub(buffer_end_ts) > gst::ClockTime::from_seconds(1) {
-                gst::warning!(CAT, obj = pad,
-                    "Dropping buffer because start_running_time {} is more than 1s later than buffer_end_ts {}",
-                    start_running_time.display(),
-                    buffer_end_ts.display());
-                pad.drop_buffer();
-                if !have_pending {
-                    need_data = true;
-                }
-                continue;
+            if start_running_time.saturating_sub(buffer_end_ts) > gst::ClockTime::ZERO {
+                // need to wait for the next input buffer which might need to be part of this
+                // output buffer.
+                need_data = true;
             }
 
             let Ok(mapped) = buffer.map_readable() else {
@@ -242,6 +230,12 @@ impl AggregatorImpl for Cea708Mux {
                     cc_data[1] = 0xFF;
                     cc_data.extend(mapped.iter());
                     pad_state.ccp_parser.push(&cc_data).unwrap();
+
+                    if let Some(cea608) = pad_state.ccp_parser.cea608() {
+                        for pair in cea608 {
+                            state.writer.push_cea608(*pair);
+                        }
+                    }
                 }
                 _ => unreachable!(),
             }
@@ -330,12 +324,6 @@ impl AggregatorImpl for Cea708Mux {
                             }
                         }
                     }
-
-                    if let Some(cea608) = pad_state.ccp_parser.cea608() {
-                        for pair in cea608 {
-                            state.writer.push_cea608(*pair);
-                        }
-                    }
                 }
                 _ => (),
             }