diff --git a/gst/gstinfo.c b/gst/gstinfo.c
index 45f9fa19ea..16582e0136 100644
--- a/gst/gstinfo.c
+++ b/gst/gstinfo.c
@@ -1742,27 +1742,20 @@ _gst_debug_category_new (const gchar * name, guint color,
   return cat;
 }
 
+#ifndef GST_REMOVE_DEPRECATED
 /**
  * gst_debug_category_free:
  * @category: #GstDebugCategory to free.
  *
  * Removes and frees the category and all associated resources.
+ *
+ * Deprecated: This function can easily cause memory corruption, don't use it.
  */
 void
 gst_debug_category_free (GstDebugCategory * category)
 {
-  if (category == NULL)
-    return;
-
-  /* remove from category list */
-  g_mutex_lock (&__cat_mutex);
-  __categories = g_slist_remove (__categories, category);
-  g_mutex_unlock (&__cat_mutex);
-
-  g_free ((gpointer) category->name);
-  g_free ((gpointer) category->description);
-  g_slice_free (GstDebugCategory, category);
 }
+#endif
 
 /**
  * gst_debug_category_set_threshold:
@@ -2304,10 +2297,12 @@ gst_debug_unset_threshold_for_name (const gchar * name)
 {
 }
 
+#ifndef GST_REMOVE_DEPRECATED
 void
 gst_debug_category_free (GstDebugCategory * category)
 {
 }
+#endif
 
 void
 gst_debug_category_set_threshold (GstDebugCategory * category,
diff --git a/gst/gstinfo.h b/gst/gstinfo.h
index 257564ab36..74d7406d71 100644
--- a/gst/gstinfo.h
+++ b/gst/gstinfo.h
@@ -446,8 +446,7 @@ void            gst_debug_set_threshold_from_string  (const gchar * list, gboole
 GST_API
 void            gst_debug_unset_threshold_for_name   (const gchar * name);
 
-
-GST_API
+GST_DEPRECATED
 void            gst_debug_category_free              (GstDebugCategory *	category);
 
 GST_API
@@ -1492,7 +1491,9 @@ GST_TRACE (const char *format, ...)
 
 #define GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_INIT(var,name,color,desc)	G_STMT_START{ }G_STMT_END
 #define GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_GET(var,name)		G_STMT_START{ }G_STMT_END
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_DEPRECATED
 #define gst_debug_category_free(category)		G_STMT_START{ }G_STMT_END
+#endif
 #define gst_debug_category_set_threshold(category,level) G_STMT_START{ }G_STMT_END
 #define gst_debug_category_reset_threshold(category)	G_STMT_START{ }G_STMT_END
 #define gst_debug_category_get_threshold(category)	(GST_LEVEL_NONE)
diff --git a/tests/check/gst/gstinfo.c b/tests/check/gst/gstinfo.c
index 41d5cc52ce..b31c962e4c 100644
--- a/tests/check/gst/gstinfo.c
+++ b/tests/check/gst/gstinfo.c
@@ -480,9 +480,6 @@ GST_START_TEST (info_post_gst_init_category_registration)
     fail_unless_equals_int (gst_debug_category_get_threshold (cats[0xb10]),
         GST_LEVEL_LOG);
   }
-
-  for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (cats); ++i)
-    gst_debug_category_free (cats[i]);
 }
 
 GST_END_TEST;