diff --git a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegdec.c b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegdec.c
index 131a252fc9..c330dc1252 100644
--- a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegdec.c
+++ b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegdec.c
@@ -2548,6 +2548,16 @@ gst_ffmpegdec_register (GstPlugin * plugin)
       goto next;
     }
 
+    /* No decoders depending on external libraries (we don't build them, but
+     * people who build against an external ffmpeg might have them.
+     * We have native gstreamer plugins for all of those libraries anyway. */
+    if (!strncmp (in_plugin->name, "lib", 3)) {
+      GST_DEBUG
+          ("Not using external library decoder %s. Use the gstreamer-native ones instead.",
+          in_plugin->name);
+      goto next;
+    }
+
     GST_DEBUG ("Trying plugin %s [%s]", in_plugin->name, in_plugin->long_name);
 
     /* no codecs for which we're GUARANTEED to have better alternatives */
diff --git a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegenc.c b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegenc.c
index 2e3fb64ac6..0c6c6b4593 100644
--- a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegenc.c
+++ b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegenc.c
@@ -1005,6 +1005,16 @@ gst_ffmpegenc_register (GstPlugin * plugin)
       goto next;
     }
 
+    /* No encoders depending on external libraries (we don't build them, but
+     * people who build against an external ffmpeg might have them.
+     * We have native gstreamer plugins for all of those libraries anyway. */
+    if (!strncmp (in_plugin->name, "lib", 3)) {
+      GST_DEBUG
+          ("Not using external library encoder %s. Use the gstreamer-native ones instead.",
+          in_plugin->name);
+      goto next;
+    }
+
     /* only encoders */
     if (!in_plugin->encode) {
       goto next;