diff --git a/ext/pango/gstbasetextoverlay.c b/ext/pango/gstbasetextoverlay.c
index 0642c78b0e..824bb38bd9 100644
--- a/ext/pango/gstbasetextoverlay.c
+++ b/ext/pango/gstbasetextoverlay.c
@@ -2702,6 +2702,8 @@ gst_base_text_overlay_text_chain (GstPad * pad, GstObject * parent,
   }
 
   if (in_seg) {
+    /* about to change metadata */
+    buffer = gst_buffer_make_writable (buffer);
     if (GST_BUFFER_TIMESTAMP_IS_VALID (buffer))
       GST_BUFFER_TIMESTAMP (buffer) = clip_start;
     if (GST_BUFFER_DURATION_IS_VALID (buffer))
diff --git a/tests/check/elements/textoverlay.c b/tests/check/elements/textoverlay.c
index 359eca879f..a39bd6cc4f 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/textoverlay.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/textoverlay.c
@@ -894,7 +894,7 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_video_waits_for_text)
   fail_unless_equals_int (g_list_length (buffers), 1);
 
   /* text should still be stuck in textoverlay */
-  ASSERT_BUFFER_REFCOUNT (tbuf, "tbuf", 2);
+  ASSERT_MINI_OBJECT_REFCOUNT (gst_buffer_peek_memory (tbuf, 0), "tbuf-mem", 2);
 
   /* there should be no text rendered */
   outbuffer = GST_BUFFER_CAST (buffers->data);
@@ -917,7 +917,7 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_video_waits_for_text)
   fail_unless_equals_int (g_list_length (buffers), 2);
 
   /* text should still be stuck in textoverlay */
-  ASSERT_BUFFER_REFCOUNT (tbuf, "tbuf", 2);
+  ASSERT_MINI_OBJECT_REFCOUNT (gst_buffer_peek_memory (tbuf, 0), "tbuf-mem", 2);
 
   /* there should be text rendered */
   outbuffer = GST_BUFFER_CAST (buffers->next->data);
@@ -945,7 +945,7 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_video_waits_for_text)
   fail_unless (gst_pad_push (myvideosrcpad, inbuffer) == GST_FLOW_OK);
 
   /* but the text should no longer be stuck in textoverlay */
-  ASSERT_BUFFER_REFCOUNT (tbuf, "tbuf", 1);
+  ASSERT_MINI_OBJECT_REFCOUNT (gst_buffer_peek_memory (tbuf, 0), "tbuf-mem", 1);
 
   /* video buffer should have gone through after newsegment event */
   fail_unless_equals_int (g_list_length (buffers), 3);