diff --git a/gst/Makefile.am b/gst/Makefile.am
index 0322265130..b6cf720e2e 100644
--- a/gst/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst/Makefile.am
@@ -26,10 +26,13 @@ else
 GST_PLUGIN_SRC = gstplugin.c
 endif
 
-# FIXME: might not be needed if debug logging is disabled
+if !GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG
 SUBDIRS_PRINTF = printf
 GST_PRINTF_LA = printf/libgstprintf.la
-
+else
+SUBDIRS_PRINTF =
+GST_PRINTF_LA =
+endif
 
 SUBDIRS = $(SUBDIRS_PARSE) $(SUBDIRS_PRINTF)
 
diff --git a/gst/gst_private.h b/gst/gst_private.h
index e1117c5f2d..61762b25d4 100644
--- a/gst/gst_private.h
+++ b/gst/gst_private.h
@@ -278,6 +278,11 @@ extern GstDebugCategory *_priv_GST_CAT_POLL;
 
 #endif
 
+#ifdef GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG
+/* for _gst_element_error_printf */
+#define __gst_vasprintf __gst_info_fallback_vasprintf
+int __gst_vasprintf (char **result, char const *format, va_list args);
+#endif
 
 /**** objects made opaque until the private bits have been made private ****/
 
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index a46cab5937..587de1b591 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -97,7 +97,9 @@
 #include "gst-i18n-lib.h"
 #include "glib-compat-private.h"
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG
 #include "printf/printf.h"
+#endif
 
 /* Element signals and args */
 enum
diff --git a/gst/gstinfo.c b/gst/gstinfo.c
index 4b35f98f36..93cb188407 100644
--- a/gst/gstinfo.c
+++ b/gst/gstinfo.c
@@ -2047,6 +2047,46 @@ _gst_debug_dump_mem (GstDebugCategory * cat, const gchar * file,
 #endif /* GST_REMOVE_DISABLED */
 #endif /* GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG */
 
+/* Need this for _gst_element_error_printf even if GST_REMOVE_DISABLED is set:
+ * fallback function that cleans up the format string and replaces all pointer
+ * extension formats with plain %p. */
+#ifdef GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG
+#include <glib/gprintf.h>
+int
+__gst_info_fallback_vasprintf (char **result, char const *format, va_list args)
+{
+  gchar *clean_format, *c;
+  gsize len;
+
+  if (format == NULL)
+    return -1;
+
+  clean_format = g_strdup (format);
+  c = clean_format;
+  while ((c = strstr (c, "%p\a"))) {
+    if (c[3] < 'A' || c[3] > 'Z') {
+      c += 3;
+      continue;
+    }
+    len = strlen (c + 4);
+    g_memmove (c + 2, c + 4, len + 1);
+    c += 2;
+  }
+  while ((c = strstr (clean_format, "%P")))     /* old GST_PTR_FORMAT */
+    c[1] = 'p';
+  while ((c = strstr (clean_format, "%Q")))     /* old GST_SEGMENT_FORMAT */
+    c[1] = 'p';
+
+  len = g_vasprintf (result, clean_format, args);
+
+  g_free (clean_format);
+
+  if (*result == NULL)
+    return -1;
+
+  return len;
+}
+#endif
 
 #ifdef GST_ENABLE_FUNC_INSTRUMENTATION
 /* FIXME make this thread specific */