diff --git a/gst/elements/gstidentity.c b/gst/elements/gstidentity.c
index 1e92dc5094..2787fc0100 100644
--- a/gst/elements/gstidentity.c
+++ b/gst/elements/gstidentity.c
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ gst_identity_loop (GstElement *element)
   
   do {
     buf = gst_pad_pull (identity->sinkpad);
-    g_print("identity: ******* (%s:%s)i \n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(identity->sinkpad));
+    if (!identity->silent)
+      g_print("identity: ******* (%s:%s)i \n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(identity->sinkpad));
 
     gst_pad_push (identity->srcpad, buf);
 
diff --git a/gst/gstpad.c b/gst/gstpad.c
index 16cae99d10..56dea94740 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.c
+++ b/gst/gstpad.c
@@ -1304,6 +1304,7 @@ gst_pad_renegotiate (GstPad *pad)
     GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_NEGOTIATION, "pads aggreed on caps :)\n");
 
   newcaps = GST_PAD_CAPS (pad);
+    g_return_val_if_fail(newcaps != NULL, FALSE);	// FIXME is this valid?
 
     /* here we have some sort of aggreement of the caps */
     GST_PAD_CAPS (currentpad) = gst_caps_ref (newcaps);
diff --git a/gst/gstthread.c b/gst/gstthread.c
index 8f91ff32d7..e4fc66e2fc 100644
--- a/gst/gstthread.c
+++ b/gst/gstthread.c
@@ -552,8 +552,11 @@ gst_thread_main_loop (void *arg)
           // PLAYING is coming up, so we can now start spinning
           while (GST_FLAG_IS_SET (thread, GST_THREAD_STATE_SPINNING)) {
             if (!gst_bin_iterate (GST_BIN (thread))) {
-              GST_FLAG_UNSET (thread, GST_THREAD_STATE_SPINNING);
-              THR_DEBUG_MAIN("removed spinning state due to failed iteration!\n");
+//              GST_FLAG_UNSET (thread, GST_THREAD_STATE_SPINNING);
+//              THR_DEBUG_MAIN("removed spinning state due to failed iteration!\n");
+              // FIXME FIXME FIXME this is ugly!
+              THR_DEBUG_MAIN("iteration failed, something very wrong, spinning to let parent sync\n");
+              while (GST_FLAG_IS_SET(thread, GST_THREAD_STATE_SPINNING)) ;
             }
           }
           g_mutex_lock(thread->lock);
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstidentity.c b/plugins/elements/gstidentity.c
index 1e92dc5094..2787fc0100 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstidentity.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstidentity.c
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ gst_identity_loop (GstElement *element)
   
   do {
     buf = gst_pad_pull (identity->sinkpad);
-    g_print("identity: ******* (%s:%s)i \n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(identity->sinkpad));
+    if (!identity->silent)
+      g_print("identity: ******* (%s:%s)i \n",GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(identity->sinkpad));
 
     gst_pad_push (identity->srcpad, buf);
 
diff --git a/tools/gstreamer-inspect.c b/tools/gstreamer-inspect.c
index 81103f5239..50b3c6531b 100644
--- a/tools/gstreamer-inspect.c
+++ b/tools/gstreamer-inspect.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ void print_prop(GstPropsEntry *prop,gboolean showname,gchar *pfx) {
       printf("String: %s\n",prop->data.string_data.string);
       break;
     case GST_PROPS_FOURCC_ID:
-      printf("FourCC: %c%c%c%c\n",
+      printf("FourCC: '%c%c%c%c'\n",
              prop->data.fourcc_data & 0xff,prop->data.fourcc_data>>8 & 0xff,
              prop->data.fourcc_data>>16 & 0xff,prop->data.fourcc_data>>24 & 0xff);
       break;