diff --git a/gst/gstevent.c b/gst/gstevent.c
index 841b9c34ac..8d624a1b97 100644
--- a/gst/gstevent.c
+++ b/gst/gstevent.c
@@ -251,6 +251,8 @@ _gst_event_copy (GstEvent * event)
     GST_EVENT_STRUCTURE (copy) = gst_structure_copy (s);
     gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (GST_EVENT_STRUCTURE (copy),
         &copy->event.mini_object.refcount);
+  } else {
+    GST_EVENT_STRUCTURE (copy) = NULL;
   }
   return GST_EVENT_CAST (copy);
 }
@@ -268,20 +270,6 @@ gst_event_init (GstEventImpl * event, gsize size, GstEventType type)
   GST_EVENT_SEQNUM (event) = gst_util_seqnum_next ();
 }
 
-static GstEvent *
-gst_event_new (GstEventType type)
-{
-  GstEventImpl *event;
-
-  event = g_slice_new0 (GstEventImpl);
-
-  GST_CAT_DEBUG (GST_CAT_EVENT, "creating new event %p %s %d", event,
-      gst_event_type_get_name (type), type);
-
-  gst_event_init (event, sizeof (GstEventImpl), type);
-
-  return GST_EVENT_CAST (event);
-}
 
 /**
  * gst_event_new_custom:
@@ -305,23 +293,30 @@ gst_event_new (GstEventType type)
 GstEvent *
 gst_event_new_custom (GstEventType type, GstStructure * structure)
 {
-  GstEvent *event;
+  GstEventImpl *event;
+
+  event = g_slice_new0 (GstEventImpl);
+
+  GST_CAT_DEBUG (GST_CAT_EVENT, "creating new event %p %s %d", event,
+      gst_event_type_get_name (type), type);
 
-  /* structure must not have a parent */
-  event = gst_event_new (type);
   if (structure) {
+    /* structure must not have a parent */
     if (!gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (structure,
-            &event->mini_object.refcount))
+            &event->event.mini_object.refcount))
       goto had_parent;
 
-    GST_EVENT_STRUCTURE (event) = structure;
   }
-  return event;
+  gst_event_init (event, sizeof (GstEventImpl), type);
+
+  GST_EVENT_STRUCTURE (event) = structure;
+
+  return GST_EVENT_CAST (event);
 
   /* ERRORS */
 had_parent:
   {
-    gst_event_unref (event);
+    g_slice_free1 (GST_MINI_OBJECT_SIZE (event), event);
     g_warning ("structure is already owned by another object");
     return NULL;
   }
@@ -484,7 +479,7 @@ gst_event_set_seqnum (GstEvent * event, guint32 seqnum)
 GstEvent *
 gst_event_new_flush_start (void)
 {
-  return gst_event_new (GST_EVENT_FLUSH_START);
+  return gst_event_new_custom (GST_EVENT_FLUSH_START, NULL);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -562,7 +557,7 @@ gst_event_parse_flush_stop (GstEvent * event, gboolean * reset_time)
 GstEvent *
 gst_event_new_eos (void)
 {
-  return gst_event_new (GST_EVENT_EOS);
+  return gst_event_new_custom (GST_EVENT_EOS, NULL);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -1605,5 +1600,5 @@ gst_event_parse_sink_message (GstEvent * event, GstMessage ** msg)
 GstEvent *
 gst_event_new_stream_start (void)
 {
-  return gst_event_new (GST_EVENT_STREAM_START);
+  return gst_event_new_custom (GST_EVENT_STREAM_START, NULL);
 }
diff --git a/gst/gstmessage.c b/gst/gstmessage.c
index 9c28a3afbe..a0390b786f 100644
--- a/gst/gstmessage.c
+++ b/gst/gstmessage.c
@@ -200,6 +200,10 @@ _gst_message_free (GstMessage * message)
   g_slice_free1 (GST_MINI_OBJECT_SIZE (message), message);
 }
 
+static void
+gst_message_init (GstMessageImpl * message, gsize size, GstMessageType type,
+    GstObject * src);
+
 static GstMessage *
 _gst_message_copy (GstMessage * message)
 {
@@ -212,31 +216,45 @@ _gst_message_copy (GstMessage * message)
 
   copy = g_slice_new0 (GstMessageImpl);
 
-  gst_mini_object_init (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (copy),
-      _gst_message_type, sizeof (GstMessageImpl));
+  gst_message_init (copy, sizeof (GstMessageImpl), GST_MESSAGE_TYPE (message),
+      GST_MESSAGE_SRC (message));
 
-  copy->message.mini_object.copy =
-      (GstMiniObjectCopyFunction) _gst_message_copy;
-  copy->message.mini_object.free =
-      (GstMiniObjectFreeFunction) _gst_message_free;
-
-  GST_MESSAGE_TYPE (copy) = GST_MESSAGE_TYPE (message);
   GST_MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP (copy) = GST_MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP (message);
   GST_MESSAGE_SEQNUM (copy) = GST_MESSAGE_SEQNUM (message);
-  if (GST_MESSAGE_SRC (message)) {
-    GST_MESSAGE_SRC (copy) = gst_object_ref (GST_MESSAGE_SRC (message));
-  }
 
   structure = GST_MESSAGE_STRUCTURE (message);
   if (structure) {
-    copy->structure = gst_structure_copy (structure);
-    gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (copy->structure,
+    GST_MESSAGE_STRUCTURE (copy) = gst_structure_copy (structure);
+    gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (GST_MESSAGE_STRUCTURE (copy),
         &copy->message.mini_object.refcount);
+  } else {
+    GST_MESSAGE_STRUCTURE (copy) = NULL;
   }
 
   return GST_MESSAGE_CAST (copy);
 }
 
+static void
+gst_message_init (GstMessageImpl * message, gsize size, GstMessageType type,
+    GstObject * src)
+{
+  gst_mini_object_init (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (message), _gst_message_type,
+      size);
+
+  message->message.mini_object.copy =
+      (GstMiniObjectCopyFunction) _gst_message_copy;
+  message->message.mini_object.free =
+      (GstMiniObjectFreeFunction) _gst_message_free;
+
+  GST_MESSAGE_TYPE (message) = type;
+  if (src)
+    gst_object_ref (src);
+  GST_MESSAGE_SRC (message) = src;
+  GST_MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP (message) = GST_CLOCK_TIME_NONE;
+  GST_MESSAGE_SEQNUM (message) = gst_util_seqnum_next ();
+}
+
+
 /**
  * gst_message_new_custom:
  * @type: The #GstMessageType to distinguish messages
@@ -260,32 +278,29 @@ gst_message_new_custom (GstMessageType type, GstObject * src,
 
   message = g_slice_new0 (GstMessageImpl);
 
-  gst_mini_object_init (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (message),
-      _gst_message_type, sizeof (GstMessageImpl));
-
-  message->message.mini_object.copy =
-      (GstMiniObjectCopyFunction) _gst_message_copy;
-  message->message.mini_object.free =
-      (GstMiniObjectFreeFunction) _gst_message_free;
-
   GST_CAT_LOG (GST_CAT_MESSAGE, "source %s: creating new message %p %s",
       (src ? GST_OBJECT_NAME (src) : "NULL"), message,
       gst_message_type_get_name (type));
 
-  GST_MESSAGE_TYPE (message) = type;
-  if (src)
-    gst_object_ref (src);
-  GST_MESSAGE_SRC (message) = src;
-  GST_MESSAGE_TIMESTAMP (message) = GST_CLOCK_TIME_NONE;
-  GST_MESSAGE_SEQNUM (message) = gst_util_seqnum_next ();
-
   if (structure) {
-    gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (structure,
-        &message->message.mini_object.refcount);
+    /* structure must not have a parent */
+    if (!gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (structure,
+            &message->message.mini_object.refcount))
+      goto had_parent;
   }
-  message->structure = structure;
+  gst_message_init (message, sizeof (GstMessageImpl), type, src);
+
+  GST_MESSAGE_STRUCTURE (message) = structure;
 
   return GST_MESSAGE_CAST (message);
+
+  /* ERRORS */
+had_parent:
+  {
+    g_slice_free1 (GST_MINI_OBJECT_SIZE (message), message);
+    g_warning ("structure is already owned by another object");
+    return NULL;
+  }
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/gst/gstquery.c b/gst/gstquery.c
index b617b9e272..f076361f6b 100644
--- a/gst/gstquery.c
+++ b/gst/gstquery.c
@@ -339,41 +339,25 @@ _gst_query_free (GstQuery * query)
   g_slice_free1 (GST_MINI_OBJECT_SIZE (query), query);
 }
 
-static GstQuery *gst_query_new (GstQueryType type, GstStructure * structure);
-
 static GstQuery *
 _gst_query_copy (GstQuery * query)
 {
   GstQuery *copy;
 
-  copy = gst_query_new (query->type, GST_QUERY_STRUCTURE (query));
+  copy = gst_query_new_custom (query->type, GST_QUERY_STRUCTURE (query));
 
   return copy;
 }
 
-static GstQuery *
-gst_query_new (GstQueryType type, GstStructure * structure)
+static void
+gst_query_init (GstQueryImpl * query, gsize size, GstQueryType type)
 {
-  GstQueryImpl *query;
-
-  query = g_slice_new0 (GstQueryImpl);
-
-  gst_mini_object_init (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (query),
-      _gst_query_type, sizeof (GstQueryImpl));
+  gst_mini_object_init (GST_MINI_OBJECT_CAST (query), _gst_query_type, size);
 
   query->query.mini_object.copy = (GstMiniObjectCopyFunction) _gst_query_copy;
   query->query.mini_object.free = (GstMiniObjectFreeFunction) _gst_query_free;
 
-  GST_DEBUG ("creating new query %p %s", query, gst_query_type_get_name (type));
-
-  GST_QUERY_TYPE (query) = type;
-  query->structure = structure;
-
-  if (structure)
-    gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (structure,
-        &query->query.mini_object.refcount);
-
-  return GST_QUERY_CAST (query);
+  GST_EVENT_TYPE (query) = type;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -398,7 +382,7 @@ gst_query_new_position (GstFormat format)
       GST_QUARK (FORMAT), GST_TYPE_FORMAT, format,
       GST_QUARK (CURRENT), G_TYPE_INT64, G_GINT64_CONSTANT (-1), NULL);
 
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_POSITION, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_POSITION, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -477,7 +461,7 @@ gst_query_new_duration (GstFormat format)
       GST_QUARK (FORMAT), GST_TYPE_FORMAT, format,
       GST_QUARK (DURATION), G_TYPE_INT64, G_GINT64_CONSTANT (-1), NULL);
 
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_DURATION, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_DURATION, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -557,7 +541,7 @@ gst_query_new_latency (void)
       GST_QUARK (MIN_LATENCY), G_TYPE_UINT64, G_GUINT64_CONSTANT (0),
       GST_QUARK (MAX_LATENCY), G_TYPE_UINT64, G_GUINT64_CONSTANT (-1), NULL);
 
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_LATENCY, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_LATENCY, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -647,7 +631,7 @@ gst_query_new_convert (GstFormat src_format, gint64 value,
       GST_QUARK (DEST_FORMAT), GST_TYPE_FORMAT, dest_format,
       GST_QUARK (DEST_VALUE), G_TYPE_INT64, G_GINT64_CONSTANT (-1), NULL);
 
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_CONVERT, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_CONVERT, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -741,7 +725,7 @@ gst_query_new_segment (GstFormat format)
       GST_QUARK (START_VALUE), G_TYPE_INT64, G_GINT64_CONSTANT (-1),
       GST_QUARK (STOP_VALUE), G_TYPE_INT64, G_GINT64_CONSTANT (-1), NULL);
 
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_SEGMENT, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_SEGMENT, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -835,10 +819,31 @@ gst_query_parse_segment (GstQuery * query, gdouble * rate, GstFormat * format,
 GstQuery *
 gst_query_new_custom (GstQueryType type, GstStructure * structure)
 {
-  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_query_type_get_details (type) != NULL, NULL);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (structure != NULL, NULL);
+  GstQueryImpl *query;
 
-  return gst_query_new (type, structure);
+  query = g_slice_new0 (GstQueryImpl);
+
+  GST_DEBUG ("creating new query %p %s", query, gst_query_type_get_name (type));
+
+  if (structure) {
+    /* structure must not have a parent */
+    if (!gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (structure,
+            &query->query.mini_object.refcount))
+      goto had_parent;
+  }
+  gst_query_init (query, sizeof (GstQueryImpl), type);
+
+  GST_QUERY_STRUCTURE (query) = structure;
+
+  return GST_QUERY_CAST (query);
+
+  /* ERRORS */
+had_parent:
+  {
+    g_slice_free1 (GST_MINI_OBJECT_SIZE (query), query);
+    g_warning ("structure is already owned by another object");
+    return NULL;
+  }
 }
 
 /**
@@ -901,7 +906,7 @@ gst_query_new_seeking (GstFormat format)
       GST_QUARK (SEGMENT_START), G_TYPE_INT64, G_GINT64_CONSTANT (-1),
       GST_QUARK (SEGMENT_END), G_TYPE_INT64, G_GINT64_CONSTANT (-1), NULL);
 
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_SEEKING, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_SEEKING, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -1014,7 +1019,7 @@ gst_query_new_formats (void)
   GstStructure *structure;
 
   structure = gst_structure_new_id_empty (GST_QUARK (QUERY_FORMATS));
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_FORMATS, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_FORMATS, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -1193,7 +1198,7 @@ gst_query_new_buffering (GstFormat format)
       GST_QUARK (START_VALUE), G_TYPE_INT64, G_GINT64_CONSTANT (-1),
       GST_QUARK (STOP_VALUE), G_TYPE_INT64, G_GINT64_CONSTANT (-1), NULL);
 
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_BUFFERING, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_BUFFERING, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -1527,7 +1532,7 @@ gst_query_new_uri (void)
   structure = gst_structure_new_id (GST_QUARK (QUERY_URI),
       GST_QUARK (URI), G_TYPE_STRING, NULL, NULL);
 
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_URI, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_URI, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -1606,7 +1611,7 @@ gst_query_new_allocation (GstCaps * caps, gboolean need_pool)
       GST_QUARK (ALIGN), G_TYPE_UINT, 0,
       GST_QUARK (POOL), GST_TYPE_BUFFER_POOL, NULL, NULL);
 
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_ALLOCATION, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_ALLOCATION, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -1913,7 +1918,7 @@ gst_query_new_scheduling (void)
       GST_QUARK (MINSIZE), G_TYPE_INT, 1,
       GST_QUARK (MAXSIZE), G_TYPE_INT, -1,
       GST_QUARK (ALIGN), G_TYPE_INT, 0, NULL);
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_SCHEDULING, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_SCHEDULING, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -2096,7 +2101,7 @@ gst_query_new_accept_caps (GstCaps * caps)
   structure = gst_structure_new_id (GST_QUARK (QUERY_ACCEPT_CAPS),
       GST_QUARK (CAPS), GST_TYPE_CAPS, caps,
       GST_QUARK (RESULT), G_TYPE_BOOLEAN, FALSE, NULL);
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_ACCEPT_CAPS, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_ACCEPT_CAPS, structure);
 
   return query;
 }
@@ -2179,7 +2184,7 @@ gst_query_new_caps (GstCaps * filter)
   structure = gst_structure_new_id (GST_QUARK (QUERY_CAPS),
       GST_QUARK (FILTER), GST_TYPE_CAPS, filter,
       GST_QUARK (CAPS), GST_TYPE_CAPS, NULL, NULL);
-  query = gst_query_new (GST_QUERY_CAPS, structure);
+  query = gst_query_new_custom (GST_QUERY_CAPS, structure);
 
   return query;
 }