diff --git a/gst/gsttracer.c b/gst/gsttracer.c
index bfa59ebcb5..f8a8ab9d57 100644
--- a/gst/gsttracer.c
+++ b/gst/gsttracer.c
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@
 
 #include "gst_private.h"
 #include "gstenumtypes.h"
-#include "gstquark.h"
 #include "gstregistry.h"
 #include "gsttracer.h"
 #include "gsttracerfactory.h"
@@ -124,14 +123,14 @@ gst_tracer_get_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id,
 }
 
 static void
-gst_tracer_invoke (GstTracer * self, GstTracerHookId id, guint64 ts,
-    GstStructure * s)
+gst_tracer_invoke (GstTracer * self, GstTracerHookId hid,
+    GstTracerMessageId mid, va_list var_args)
 {
   GstTracerClass *klass = GST_TRACER_GET_CLASS (self);
 
   g_return_if_fail (klass->invoke);
 
-  klass->invoke (self, id, ts, s);
+  klass->invoke (self, hid, mid, var_args);
 }
 
 /* tracing modules */
@@ -193,9 +192,9 @@ gst_tracer_register (GstPlugin * plugin, const gchar * name, GType type)
 
 /* tracing helpers */
 
-static gboolean tracer_enabled = FALSE;
-
-static GList *tracers[GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_LAST] = { NULL, };
+gboolean _priv_tracer_enabled = FALSE;
+/* TODO(ensonic): use GPtrArray ? */
+GList *_priv_tracers[GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_LAST] = { NULL, };
 
 /* Initialize the debugging system */
 void
@@ -235,7 +234,7 @@ _priv_gst_tracer_init (void)
             j = 0;
             while (mask && (j < GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_LAST)) {
               if (mask & 1) {
-                tracers[j] = g_list_prepend (tracers[j],
+                _priv_tracers[j] = g_list_prepend (_priv_tracers[j],
                     gst_object_ref (tracer));
                 GST_WARNING_OBJECT (tracer, "added tracer to hook %d", j);
               }
@@ -243,7 +242,7 @@ _priv_gst_tracer_init (void)
               j++;
             }
 
-            tracer_enabled = TRUE;
+            _priv_tracer_enabled = TRUE;
           } else {
             GST_WARNING_OBJECT (tracer,
                 "tracer with zero mask won't have any effect");
@@ -270,64 +269,26 @@ _priv_gst_tracer_deinit (void)
 
   /* shutdown tracers for final reports */
   for (i = 0; i < GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_LAST; i++) {
-    for (node = tracers[i]; node; node = g_list_next (node)) {
+    for (node = _priv_tracers[i]; node; node = g_list_next (node)) {
       gst_object_unref (node->data);
     }
-    g_list_free (tracers[i]);
-    tracers[i] = NULL;
+    g_list_free (_priv_tracers[i]);
+    _priv_tracers[i] = NULL;
   }
+  _priv_tracer_enabled = FALSE;
 }
 
-gboolean
-gst_tracer_is_enabled (GstTracerHookId id)
-{
-  return tracer_enabled && (tracers[id] != NULL);
-}
-
-static void
-dispatch (GstTracerHookId id, guint64 ts, GstStructure * s)
+void
+gst_tracer_dispatch (GstTracerHookId hid, GstTracerMessageId mid, ...)
 {
+  va_list var_args;
   GList *node;
-  for (node = tracers[id]; node; node = g_list_next (node)) {
-    gst_tracer_invoke (node->data, id, ts, s);
+
+  for (node = _priv_tracers[hid]; node; node = g_list_next (node)) {
+    va_start (var_args, mid);
+    gst_tracer_invoke (node->data, hid, mid, var_args);
+    va_end (var_args);
   }
 }
 
-/* tracing hooks */
-void
-gst_tracer_push_pre (guint64 ts, GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
-{
-  dispatch (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS, ts,
-      gst_structure_new_id (GST_QUARK (PUSH_BUFFER_PRE),
-          GST_QUARK (PAD), GST_TYPE_PAD, pad,
-          GST_QUARK (BUFFER), GST_TYPE_BUFFER, buffer, NULL));
-}
-
-void
-gst_tracer_push_post (guint64 ts, GstPad * pad, GstFlowReturn res)
-{
-  dispatch (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS, ts,
-      gst_structure_new_id (GST_QUARK (PUSH_BUFFER_POST),
-          GST_QUARK (PAD), GST_TYPE_PAD, pad,
-          GST_QUARK (RETURN), G_TYPE_INT, res, NULL));
-}
-
-void
-gst_tracer_push_list_pre (guint64 ts, GstPad * pad, GstBufferList * list)
-{
-  dispatch (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS, ts,
-      gst_structure_new_id (GST_QUARK (PUSH_BUFFER_LIST_PRE),
-          GST_QUARK (PAD), GST_TYPE_PAD, pad,
-          GST_QUARK (LIST), GST_TYPE_BUFFER_LIST, list, NULL));
-}
-
-void
-gst_tracer_push_list_post (guint64 ts, GstPad * pad, GstFlowReturn res)
-{
-  dispatch (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS, ts,
-      gst_structure_new_id (GST_QUARK (PUSH_BUFFER_LIST_POST),
-          GST_QUARK (PAD), GST_TYPE_PAD, pad,
-          GST_QUARK (RETURN), G_TYPE_INT, res, NULL));
-}
-
 #endif /* GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG */
diff --git a/gst/gsttracer.h b/gst/gsttracer.h
index d3da6e5b93..56570771f8 100644
--- a/gst/gsttracer.h
+++ b/gst/gsttracer.h
@@ -60,6 +60,15 @@ typedef enum
   GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_LAST
 } GstTracerHookId;
 
+typedef enum
+{
+  GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_PRE = 0,
+  GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_POST,
+  GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_LIST_PRE,
+  GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_LIST_POST,
+  GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_LAST
+} GstTracerMessageId;
+
 /* tracing plugins */
 
 typedef struct _GstTracer GstTracer;
@@ -81,8 +90,8 @@ struct _GstTracer {
   gpointer _gst_reserved[GST_PADDING];
 };
 
-typedef void (*GstTracerInvokeFunction) (GstTracer * self, GstTracerHookId id,
-    guint64 ts, GstStructure *s);
+typedef void (*GstTracerInvokeFunction) (GstTracer * self, GstTracerHookId hid,
+    GstTracerMessageId mid, va_list var_args);
 
 struct _GstTracerClass {
   GstObjectClass parent_class;
@@ -102,32 +111,46 @@ void _priv_gst_tracer_init (void);
 void _priv_gst_tracer_deinit (void);
 
 gboolean gst_tracer_register (GstPlugin * plugin, const gchar * name, GType type);
+void gst_tracer_dispatch (GstTracerHookId hid, GstTracerMessageId mid, ...);
 
-gboolean gst_tracer_is_enabled (GstTracerHookId id);
+extern gboolean _priv_tracer_enabled;
+extern GList *_priv_tracers[GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_LAST];
 
-void gst_tracer_push_pre (guint64 ts, GstPad *pad, GstBuffer *buffer);
-void gst_tracer_push_post (guint64 ts, GstPad *pad, GstFlowReturn res);
-void gst_tracer_push_list_pre (guint64 ts, GstPad * pad, GstBufferList * list);
-void gst_tracer_push_list_post (guint64 ts, GstPad * pad, GstFlowReturn res);
+#define GST_TRACER_IS_ENABLED(id) \
+  (_priv_tracer_enabled && (_priv_tracers[id] != NULL))
+
+/* tracing hooks */
 
 #define GST_TRACER_PAD_PUSH_PRE(pad, buffer) G_STMT_START{ \
-  if (gst_tracer_is_enabled (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS)) \
-    gst_tracer_push_pre (gst_util_get_timestamp (), pad, buffer); \
+  if (GST_TRACER_IS_ENABLED(GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS)) { \
+    gst_tracer_dispatch (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS, \
+        GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_PRE, gst_util_get_timestamp (), \
+        pad, buffer); \
+  } \
 }G_STMT_END
 
 #define GST_TRACER_PAD_PUSH_POST(pad, res) G_STMT_START{ \
-  if (gst_tracer_is_enabled (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS)) \
-    gst_tracer_push_post (gst_util_get_timestamp (), pad, res); \
+  if (GST_TRACER_IS_ENABLED(GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS)) { \
+    gst_tracer_dispatch (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS, \
+        GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_POST, gst_util_get_timestamp (), \
+        pad, res); \
+  } \
 }G_STMT_END
 
 #define GST_TRACER_PAD_PUSH_LIST_PRE(pad, list) G_STMT_START{ \
-  if (gst_tracer_is_enabled (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS)) \
-    gst_tracer_push_list_pre (gst_util_get_timestamp (), pad, list); \
+  if (GST_TRACER_IS_ENABLED(GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS)) { \
+    gst_tracer_dispatch (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS, \
+        GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_LIST_PRE, gst_util_get_timestamp (), \
+        pad, list); \
+  } \
 }G_STMT_END
 
 #define GST_TRACER_PAD_PUSH_LIST_POST(pad, res) G_STMT_START{ \
-  if (gst_tracer_is_enabled (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS)) \
-    gst_tracer_push_list_post (gst_util_get_timestamp (), pad, res); \
+  if (GST_TRACER_IS_ENABLED(GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS)) { \
+    gst_tracer_dispatch (GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS, \
+        GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_LIST_POST, gst_util_get_timestamp (), \
+        pad, res); \
+  } \
 }G_STMT_END
 
 #else /* !GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG */
diff --git a/plugins/tracers/gstlog.c b/plugins/tracers/gstlog.c
index edcadd0d51..b32c042afb 100644
--- a/plugins/tracers/gstlog.c
+++ b/plugins/tracers/gstlog.c
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GstLogTracer, gst_log_tracer, GST_TYPE_TRACER,
     _do_init);
 
 static void gst_log_tracer_invoke (GstTracer * self, GstTracerHookId id,
-    guint64 ts, GstStructure * s);
+    GstTracerMessageId mid, va_list var_args);
 
 static void
 gst_log_tracer_class_init (GstLogTracerClass * klass)
@@ -52,17 +52,16 @@ gst_log_tracer_init (GstLogTracer * self)
 }
 
 static void
-gst_log_tracer_invoke (GstTracer * self, GstTracerHookId id, guint64 ts,
-    GstStructure * s)
+gst_log_tracer_invoke (GstTracer * self, GstTracerHookId hid,
+    GstTracerMessageId mid, va_list var_args)
 {
-  gchar *str = gst_structure_to_string (s);
-  /* TODO(ensonic): log to different categories depending on 'id'
+  guint64 ts = va_arg (var_args, guint64);
+  /* TODO(ensonic): log to different categories depending on 'hid'/'mid'
    * GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_BUFFERS  -> GST_CAT_BUFFER
    * GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_EVENTS   -> GST_CAT_EVENT
    * GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_MESSAGES -> GST_CAT_MESSAGE
    * GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_QUERIES  -> ?
    * GST_TRACER_HOOK_ID_TOPLOGY  -> ?
    */
-  GST_TRACE ("%s", str);
-  g_free (str);
+  GST_TRACE ("[%d,%d] %" GST_TIME_FORMAT, hid, mid, GST_TIME_ARGS (ts));
 }
diff --git a/plugins/tracers/gststats.c b/plugins/tracers/gststats.c
index c652001224..70ea02f0ce 100644
--- a/plugins/tracers/gststats.c
+++ b/plugins/tracers/gststats.c
@@ -30,26 +30,12 @@
 GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_STATIC (gst_stats_debug);
 #define GST_CAT_DEFAULT gst_stats_debug
 
-/* TODO(ensonic): the quark table from gst/gstquark.{c,h} is not exported
- * - we need a tracer specific quark table
- * - or we add a GQuark gst_quark_get (GstQuarkId id); there for external use
- */
-enum _FuncEnum
-{
-  PUSH_BUFFER_PRE,
-  PUSH_BUFFER_POST,
-  N_FUNCS
-};
-
 static GQuark data_quark;
-static GQuark funcs[N_FUNCS];
 G_LOCK_DEFINE (_stats);
 
 #define _do_init \
     GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_INIT (gst_stats_debug, "stats", 0, "stats tracer"); \
-    data_quark = g_quark_from_static_string ("gststats:data"); \
-    funcs[PUSH_BUFFER_PRE] = g_quark_from_static_string ("push_buffer::pre"); \
-    funcs[PUSH_BUFFER_POST] = g_quark_from_static_string ("push_buffer::post");
+    data_quark = g_quark_from_static_string ("gststats:data");
 #define gst_stats_tracer_parent_class parent_class
 G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GstStatsTracer, gst_stats_tracer, GST_TYPE_TRACER,
     _do_init);
@@ -453,7 +439,7 @@ do_element_stats (GstStatsTracer * self, GstPad * pad, GstClockTime elapsed1,
 
 static void gst_stats_tracer_finalize (GObject * obj);
 static void gst_stats_tracer_invoke (GstTracer * obj, GstTracerHookId id,
-    guint64 ts, GstStructure * s);
+    GstTracerMessageId mid, va_list var_args);
 
 static void
 gst_stats_tracer_class_init (GstStatsTracerClass * klass)
@@ -477,43 +463,43 @@ gst_stats_tracer_init (GstStatsTracer * self)
 }
 
 static void
-do_push_buffer_pre (GstStatsTracer * self, guint64 ts, GstStructure * s)
+do_push_buffer_pre (GstStatsTracer * self, va_list var_args)
 {
-  GstPad *pad;
-  GstBuffer *buffer;
-  GstPadStats *stats;
-
-  gst_structure_get (s,
-      "pad", GST_TYPE_PAD, &pad, "buffer", GST_TYPE_BUFFER, &buffer, NULL);
-  stats = get_pad_stats (self, pad);
+  guint64 ts = va_arg (var_args, guint64);
+  GstPad *pad = va_arg (var_args, GstPad *);
+  GstBuffer *buffer = va_arg (var_args, GstBuffer *);
+  GstPadStats *stats = get_pad_stats (self, pad);
 
   do_pad_stats (self, pad, stats, buffer, ts);
   do_transmission_stats (self, pad, buffer, ts);
 }
 
 static void
-do_push_buffer_post (GstStatsTracer * self, guint64 ts, GstStructure * s)
+do_push_buffer_post (GstStatsTracer * self, va_list var_args)
 {
-  GstPad *pad;
-  GstPadStats *stats;
-
-  gst_structure_get (s, "pad", GST_TYPE_PAD, &pad, NULL);
-  stats = get_pad_stats (self, pad);
+  guint64 ts = va_arg (var_args, guint64);
+  GstPad *pad = va_arg (var_args, GstPad *);
+  GstPadStats *stats = get_pad_stats (self, pad);
 
   do_element_stats (self, pad, stats->last_ts, ts);
 }
 
 static void
-gst_stats_tracer_invoke (GstTracer * obj, GstTracerHookId id, guint64 ts,
-    GstStructure * s)
+gst_stats_tracer_invoke (GstTracer * obj, GstTracerHookId hid,
+    GstTracerMessageId mid, va_list var_args)
 {
   GstStatsTracer *self = GST_STATS_TRACER_CAST (obj);
-  GQuark func = gst_structure_get_name_id (s);
 
-  if (func == funcs[PUSH_BUFFER_PRE])
-    do_push_buffer_pre (self, ts, s);
-  else if (func == funcs[PUSH_BUFFER_POST])
-    do_push_buffer_post (self, ts, s);
+  switch (mid) {
+    case GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_PRE:
+      do_push_buffer_pre (self, var_args);
+      break;
+    case GST_TRACER_MESSAGE_ID_PAD_PUSH_POST:
+      do_push_buffer_post (self, var_args);
+      break;
+    default:
+      break;
+  }
 }
 
 static void