diff --git a/gst/gst.c b/gst/gst.c
index 83b82d1a06..6973ad40c9 100644
--- a/gst/gst.c
+++ b/gst/gst.c
@@ -990,6 +990,7 @@ gst_deinit (void)
   gst_object_unref (clock);
 
   _priv_gst_registry_cleanup ();
+  _priv_gst_allocator_cleanup ();
 
 #ifndef GST_DISABLE_TRACE
   _priv_gst_alloc_trace_deinit ();
diff --git a/gst/gst_private.h b/gst/gst_private.h
index ba24b6a36a..1060934ab9 100644
--- a/gst/gst_private.h
+++ b/gst/gst_private.h
@@ -127,6 +127,9 @@ G_GNUC_INTERNAL  void  _priv_gst_context_initialize (void);
 G_GNUC_INTERNAL  void  _priv_gst_toc_initialize (void);
 G_GNUC_INTERNAL  void  _priv_gst_date_time_initialize (void);
 
+/* cleanup functions called from gst_deinit(). */
+G_GNUC_INTERNAL  void  _priv_gst_allocator_cleanup (void);
+
 /* Private registry functions */
 G_GNUC_INTERNAL
 gboolean _priv_gst_registry_remove_cache_plugins (GstRegistry *registry);
diff --git a/gst/gstallocator.c b/gst/gstallocator.c
index c6763e1c28..df983d922e 100644
--- a/gst/gstallocator.c
+++ b/gst/gstallocator.c
@@ -536,7 +536,11 @@ default_free (GstAllocator * allocator, GstMemory * mem)
 static void
 gst_allocator_sysmem_finalize (GObject * obj)
 {
-  g_warning ("The default memory allocator was freed!");
+  /* Don't raise warnings if we are shutting down */
+  if (_default_allocator)
+    g_warning ("The default memory allocator was freed!");
+
+  ((GObjectClass *) gst_allocator_sysmem_parent_class)->finalize (obj);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -573,7 +577,8 @@ void
 _priv_gst_allocator_initialize (void)
 {
   g_rw_lock_init (&lock);
-  allocators = g_hash_table_new (g_str_hash, g_str_equal);
+  allocators = g_hash_table_new_full (g_str_hash, g_str_equal, NULL,
+      gst_object_unref);
 
 #ifdef HAVE_GETPAGESIZE
 #ifdef MEMORY_ALIGNMENT_PAGESIZE
@@ -592,6 +597,18 @@ _priv_gst_allocator_initialize (void)
   _default_allocator = gst_object_ref (_sysmem_allocator);
 }
 
+void
+_priv_gst_allocator_cleanup (void)
+{
+  gst_object_unref (_sysmem_allocator);
+  _sysmem_allocator = NULL;
+
+  gst_object_unref (_default_allocator);
+  _default_allocator = NULL;
+
+  g_clear_pointer (&allocators, g_hash_table_unref);
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_memory_new_wrapped:
  * @flags: #GstMemoryFlags