diff --git a/ext/gio/gstgiobasesink.c b/ext/gio/gstgiobasesink.c
index 6a878717a1..7ddd970628 100644
--- a/ext/gio/gstgiobasesink.c
+++ b/ext/gio/gstgiobasesink.c
@@ -134,10 +134,11 @@ static gboolean
 gst_gio_base_sink_stop (GstBaseSink * base_sink)
 {
   GstGioBaseSink *sink = GST_GIO_BASE_SINK (base_sink);
+  GstGioBaseSinkClass *klass = GST_GIO_BASE_SINK_GET_CLASS (sink);
   gboolean success;
   GError *err = NULL;
 
-  if (G_IS_OUTPUT_STREAM (sink->stream)) {
+  if (klass->close_on_stop && G_IS_OUTPUT_STREAM (sink->stream)) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (sink, "closing stream");
 
     /* FIXME: can block but unfortunately we can't use async operations
@@ -155,6 +156,9 @@ gst_gio_base_sink_stop (GstBaseSink * base_sink)
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (sink, "g_outut_stream_close succeeded");
     }
 
+    g_object_unref (sink->stream);
+    sink->stream = NULL;
+  } else {
     g_object_unref (sink->stream);
     sink->stream = NULL;
   }
diff --git a/ext/gio/gstgiobasesink.h b/ext/gio/gstgiobasesink.h
index 9a14225499..7f13a854b9 100644
--- a/ext/gio/gstgiobasesink.h
+++ b/ext/gio/gstgiobasesink.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ struct _GstGioBaseSinkClass
   GstBaseSinkClass parent_class;
 
   GOutputStream * (*get_stream) (GstGioBaseSink *bsink);
+  gboolean close_on_stop;
 };
 
 GType gst_gio_base_sink_get_type (void);
diff --git a/ext/gio/gstgiobasesrc.c b/ext/gio/gstgiobasesrc.c
index cfeab575b8..f67015270f 100644
--- a/ext/gio/gstgiobasesrc.c
+++ b/ext/gio/gstgiobasesrc.c
@@ -145,10 +145,11 @@ static gboolean
 gst_gio_base_src_stop (GstBaseSrc * base_src)
 {
   GstGioBaseSrc *src = GST_GIO_BASE_SRC (base_src);
+  GstGioBaseSrcClass *klass = GST_GIO_BASE_SRC_GET_CLASS (src);
   gboolean success;
   GError *err = NULL;
 
-  if (G_IS_INPUT_STREAM (src->stream)) {
+  if (klass->close_on_stop && G_IS_INPUT_STREAM (src->stream)) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src, "closing stream");
 
     /* FIXME: can block but unfortunately we can't use async operations
@@ -166,6 +167,9 @@ gst_gio_base_src_stop (GstBaseSrc * base_src)
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src, "g_input_stream_close succeeded");
     }
 
+    g_object_unref (src->stream);
+    src->stream = NULL;
+  } else {
     g_object_unref (src->stream);
     src->stream = NULL;
   }
diff --git a/ext/gio/gstgiobasesrc.h b/ext/gio/gstgiobasesrc.h
index d1eea70142..7a14859cbd 100644
--- a/ext/gio/gstgiobasesrc.h
+++ b/ext/gio/gstgiobasesrc.h
@@ -62,6 +62,7 @@ struct _GstGioBaseSrcClass
   GstBaseSrcClass parent_class;
 
   GInputStream * (*get_stream) (GstGioBaseSrc *bsrc);
+  gboolean close_on_stop;
 };
 
 GType gst_gio_base_src_get_type (void);
diff --git a/ext/gio/gstgiosink.c b/ext/gio/gstgiosink.c
index cf8cea5b99..57d1024942 100644
--- a/ext/gio/gstgiosink.c
+++ b/ext/gio/gstgiosink.c
@@ -126,6 +126,7 @@ gst_gio_sink_class_init (GstGioSinkClass * klass)
 
   gstgiobasesink_class->get_stream =
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_gio_sink_get_stream);
+  gstgiobasesink_class->close_on_stop = TRUE;
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/ext/gio/gstgiosrc.c b/ext/gio/gstgiosrc.c
index e4e39cb7b9..ce944be6b7 100644
--- a/ext/gio/gstgiosrc.c
+++ b/ext/gio/gstgiosrc.c
@@ -129,6 +129,7 @@ gst_gio_src_class_init (GstGioSrcClass * klass)
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_gio_src_check_get_range);
 
   gstgiobasesrc_class->get_stream = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_gio_src_get_stream);
+  gstgiobasesrc_class->close_on_stop = TRUE;
 }
 
 static void