diff --git a/gst/camerabin/gstcamerabin.c b/gst/camerabin/gstcamerabin.c
index 7070903b40..99b1b54d18 100644
--- a/gst/camerabin/gstcamerabin.c
+++ b/gst/camerabin/gstcamerabin.c
@@ -3851,8 +3851,12 @@ gst_camerabin_change_state (GstElement * element, GstStateChange transition)
     case GST_STATE_CHANGE_PAUSED_TO_READY:
       /* all processing should stop and those elements could have their state
        * locked, so set them explicitly here */
-      gst_element_set_state (camera->imgbin, GST_STATE_READY);
-      gst_element_set_state (camera->vidbin, GST_STATE_READY);
+      if (GST_STATE (camera->imgbin) != GST_STATE_NULL) {
+        gst_element_set_state (camera->imgbin, GST_STATE_READY);
+      }
+      if (GST_STATE (camera->vidbin) != GST_STATE_NULL) {
+        gst_element_set_state (camera->vidbin, GST_STATE_READY);
+      }
       break;
     case GST_STATE_CHANGE_READY_TO_NULL:
       gst_element_set_locked_state (camera->imgbin, FALSE);