diff --git a/gst/gst.c b/gst/gst.c
index 42bbab1c82..949c593a84 100644
--- a/gst/gst.c
+++ b/gst/gst.c
@@ -62,7 +62,8 @@ debug_log_handler (const gchar *log_domain,
 }
 
 enum {
-  ARG_INFO_MASK=1,
+  ARG_FATAL_WARNINGS=1,
+  ARG_INFO_MASK,
   ARG_DEBUG_MASK,
   ARG_MASK,
   ARG_MASK_HELP,
@@ -80,6 +81,7 @@ enum {
 /* FIXME: put in the extended mask help */
 static const struct poptOption options[] = {
   {NULL, NUL, POPT_ARG_CALLBACK|POPT_CBFLAG_PRE|POPT_CBFLAG_POST, &init_popt_callback, 0, NULL, NULL},
+  {"gst-fatal-warnings", NUL, POPT_ARG_NONE|POPT_ARGFLAG_STRIP, NULL, ARG_FATAL_WARNINGS, "Make all warnings fatal", NULL},
   {"gst-info-mask",   NUL, POPT_ARG_INT|POPT_ARGFLAG_STRIP,    NULL, ARG_INFO_MASK,   "info bitmask", "MASK"},
   {"gst-debug-mask",  NUL, POPT_ARG_INT|POPT_ARGFLAG_STRIP,    NULL, ARG_DEBUG_MASK,  "debugging bitmask", "MASK"},
   {"gst-mask",        NUL, POPT_ARG_INT|POPT_ARGFLAG_STRIP,    NULL, ARG_MASK,        "bitmask for both info and debugging", "MASK"},
@@ -362,6 +364,7 @@ init_popt_callback (poptContext context, enum poptCallbackReason reason,
                     const struct poptOption *option, const char *arg, void *data) 
 {
   gint val = 0;
+  GLogLevelFlags fatal_mask;
 
   switch (reason) {
   case POPT_CALLBACK_REASON_PRE:
@@ -369,6 +372,11 @@ init_popt_callback (poptContext context, enum poptCallbackReason reason,
     break;
   case POPT_CALLBACK_REASON_OPTION:
     switch (option->val) {
+    case ARG_FATAL_WARNINGS:
+      fatal_mask = g_log_set_always_fatal (G_LOG_FATAL_MASK);
+      fatal_mask |= G_LOG_LEVEL_WARNING | G_LOG_LEVEL_CRITICAL;
+      g_log_set_always_fatal (fatal_mask);
+      break;
     case ARG_INFO_MASK:
       parse_number (arg, &val);
       gst_info_set_categories (val);
diff --git a/gst/parse/parse.l b/gst/parse/parse.l
index 50733d4566..0e69f5892a 100644
--- a/gst/parse/parse.l
+++ b/gst/parse/parse.l
@@ -76,11 +76,6 @@ _string {_char}+|("\""([^\"]|"\\\"")*"\"")
     }
     
     [[:space:]]+ { /* PRINT ("space: [%s]\n", yytext); */ }
-    
-    . {
-        PRINT ("unknown: %s\n", yytext);
-        return *yytext;
-    }
 }
 
 {_lconnection} {