diff --git a/gst/gstbuffer.h b/gst/gstbuffer.h
index 87adab746d..e4d45c74ab 100644
--- a/gst/gstbuffer.h
+++ b/gst/gstbuffer.h
@@ -342,8 +342,6 @@ G_INLINE_FUNC GstBuffer * gst_buffer_ref (GstBuffer * buf);
 static inline GstBuffer *
 gst_buffer_ref (GstBuffer * buf)
 {
-  /* not using a macro here because gcc-4.1 will complain
-   * if the return value isn't used (because of the cast) */
   return (GstBuffer *) gst_mini_object_ref (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (buf));
 }
 
@@ -355,7 +353,15 @@ gst_buffer_ref (GstBuffer * buf)
  * will be freed. If GST_BUFFER_MALLOCDATA() is non-NULL, this pointer will
  * also be freed at this time.
  */
-#define		gst_buffer_unref(buf)		gst_mini_object_unref (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (buf))
+#ifdef _FOOL_GTK_DOC_
+G_INLINE_FUNC void gst_buffer_unref (GstBuffer * buf);
+#endif
+
+static inline void
+gst_buffer_unref (GstBuffer * buf)
+{
+  gst_mini_object_unref (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (buf));
+}
 
 /* copy buffer */
 /**
@@ -365,7 +371,16 @@ gst_buffer_ref (GstBuffer * buf)
  * Create a copy of the given buffer. This will also make a newly allocated
  * copy of the data the source buffer contains.
  */
-#define		gst_buffer_copy(buf)		GST_BUFFER_CAST (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (buf)))
+#ifdef _FOOL_GTK_DOC_
+G_INLINE_FUNC GstBuffer * gst_buffer_copy (const GstBuffer * buf);
+#endif
+
+static inline GstBuffer *
+gst_buffer_copy (const GstBuffer * buf)
+{
+  return GST_BUFFER (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (buf)));
+}
+
 
 /**
  * GstBufferCopyFlags:
diff --git a/gst/gstevent.h b/gst/gstevent.h
index a3b907a832..4593542dac 100644
--- a/gst/gstevent.h
+++ b/gst/gstevent.h
@@ -350,8 +350,6 @@ G_INLINE_FUNC GstEvent * gst_event_ref (GstEvent * event);
 static inline GstEvent *
 gst_event_ref (GstEvent * ev)
 {
-  /* not using a macro here because gcc-4.1 will complain
-   * if the return value isn't used (because of the cast) */
   return (GstEvent *) gst_mini_object_ref (GST_MINI_OBJECT (ev));
 }
 
@@ -361,7 +359,15 @@ gst_event_ref (GstEvent * ev)
  *
  * Decrease the refcount of an event, freeing it if the refcount reaches 0.
  */
-#define         gst_event_unref(ev)		gst_mini_object_unref (GST_MINI_OBJECT (ev))
+#ifdef _FOOL_GTK_DOC_
+G_INLINE_FUNC void gst_event_unref (GstEvent * event);
+#endif
+
+static inline void
+gst_event_unref (GstEvent * ev)
+{
+  gst_mini_object_unref (GST_MINI_OBJECT (ev));
+}
 
 /* copy event */
 /**
@@ -370,7 +376,16 @@ gst_event_ref (GstEvent * ev)
  *
  * Copy the event using the event specific copy function.
  */
-#define         gst_event_copy(ev)		GST_EVENT_CAST (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT (ev)))
+#ifdef _FOOL_GTK_DOC_
+G_INLINE_FUNC void gst_event_copy (GstEvent * event);
+#endif
+
+static inline GstEvent *
+gst_event_copy (const GstEvent * ev)
+{
+  return GST_EVENT_CAST (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT (ev)));
+}
+
 
 /* custom event */
 GstEvent*	gst_event_new_custom		(GstEventType type, GstStructure *structure);
diff --git a/gst/gstmessage.h b/gst/gstmessage.h
index b1b5b5ca91..ac01453a5c 100644
--- a/gst/gstmessage.h
+++ b/gst/gstmessage.h
@@ -260,8 +260,6 @@ G_INLINE_FUNC GstMessage * gst_message_ref (GstMessage * msg);
 static inline GstMessage *
 gst_message_ref (GstMessage * msg)
 {
-  /* not using a macro here because gcc-4.1 will complain
-   * if the return value isn't used (because of the cast) */
   return (GstMessage *) gst_mini_object_ref (GST_MINI_OBJECT (msg));
 }
 
@@ -272,7 +270,16 @@ gst_message_ref (GstMessage * msg)
  * Convenience macro to decrease the reference count of the message, possibly
  * freeing it.
  */
-#define         gst_message_unref(msg)		gst_mini_object_unref (GST_MINI_OBJECT (msg))
+#ifdef _FOOL_GTK_DOC_
+G_INLINE_FUNC void gst_message_unref (GstMessage * msg);
+#endif
+
+static inline void
+gst_message_unref (GstMessage * msg)
+{
+  gst_mini_object_unref (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (msg));
+}
+
 /* copy message */
 /**
  * gst_message_copy:
@@ -282,7 +289,16 @@ gst_message_ref (GstMessage * msg)
  *
  * MT safe
  */
-#define         gst_message_copy(msg)		GST_MESSAGE (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT (msg)))
+#ifdef _FOOL_GTK_DOC_
+G_INLINE_FUNC GstMessage * gst_message_copy (const GstMessage * msg);
+#endif
+
+static inline GstMessage *
+gst_message_copy (const GstMessage * msg)
+{
+  return GST_MESSAGE (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (msg)));
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_message_make_writable:
  * @msg: the message to make writable
diff --git a/gst/gstquery.h b/gst/gstquery.h
index cd942342bf..61cdb55c50 100644
--- a/gst/gstquery.h
+++ b/gst/gstquery.h
@@ -190,7 +190,16 @@ GstIterator*    gst_query_type_iterate_definitions (void);
  *
  * Increases the refcount of the given query by one.
  */
-#define         gst_query_ref(q)		GST_QUERY (gst_mini_object_ref (GST_MINI_OBJECT (q)))
+#ifdef _FOOL_GTK_DOC_
+G_INLINE_FUNC GstQuery * gst_query_ref (GstQuery * q);
+#endif
+
+static inline GstQuery *
+gst_query_ref (GstQuery * q)
+{
+  return GST_QUERY (gst_mini_object_ref (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (q)));
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_query_unref:
  * @q: a #GstQuery to decrease the refcount of.
@@ -198,7 +207,15 @@ GstIterator*    gst_query_type_iterate_definitions (void);
  * Decreases the refcount of the query. If the refcount reaches 0, the query
  * will be freed.
  */
-#define         gst_query_unref(q)		gst_mini_object_unref (GST_MINI_OBJECT (q))
+#ifdef _FOOL_GTK_DOC_
+G_INLINE_FUNC void gst_query_unref (GstQuery * q);
+#endif
+
+static inline void
+gst_query_unref (GstQuery * q)
+{
+  gst_mini_object_unref (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (q));
+}
 
 /* copy query */
 /**
@@ -208,7 +225,16 @@ GstIterator*    gst_query_type_iterate_definitions (void);
  * Copies the given query using the copy function of the parent #GstData
  * structure.
  */
-#define         gst_query_copy(q)		GST_QUERY (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT (q)))
+#ifdef _FOOL_GTK_DOC_
+G_INLINE_FUNC GstQuery * gst_query_copy (const GstQuery * q);
+#endif
+
+static inline GstQuery *
+gst_query_copy (const GstQuery * q)
+{
+  return GST_QUERY (gst_mini_object_copy (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (q)));
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_query_make_writable:
  * @q: a #GstQuery to make writable