diff --git a/sys/nvcodec/gstnvdec.c b/sys/nvcodec/gstnvdec.c
index 4bf4abefa0..6a4d10238a 100644
--- a/sys/nvcodec/gstnvdec.c
+++ b/sys/nvcodec/gstnvdec.c
@@ -1413,6 +1413,9 @@ gst_nvdec_subclass_register (GstPlugin * plugin, GType type,
   cdata->codec_type = codec_type;
   cdata->codec = g_strdup (codec);
   cdata->cuda_device_id = device_id;
+  /* class data will be leaked if the element never gets instantiated */
+  GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_SET (sink_caps, GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_MAY_BE_LEAKED);
+  GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_SET (src_caps, GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_MAY_BE_LEAKED);
 
   g_type_query (type, &type_query);
   memset (&type_info, 0, sizeof (type_info));
diff --git a/sys/nvcodec/gstnvh264enc.c b/sys/nvcodec/gstnvh264enc.c
index 242e3b6242..b1bceeb477 100644
--- a/sys/nvcodec/gstnvh264enc.c
+++ b/sys/nvcodec/gstnvh264enc.c
@@ -643,6 +643,9 @@ gst_nv_h264_enc_register (GstPlugin * plugin, guint device_id, guint rank,
   cdata->sink_caps = gst_caps_ref (sink_caps);
   cdata->src_caps = gst_caps_ref (src_caps);
   type_info.class_data = cdata;
+  /* class data will be leaked if the element never gets instantiated */
+  GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_SET (sink_caps, GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_MAY_BE_LEAKED);
+  GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_SET (src_caps, GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_MAY_BE_LEAKED);
 
   type_name = g_strdup ("GstNvH264Enc");
   feature_name = g_strdup ("nvh264enc");
diff --git a/sys/nvcodec/gstnvh265enc.c b/sys/nvcodec/gstnvh265enc.c
index 4a1e716e0a..5d7d032dfe 100644
--- a/sys/nvcodec/gstnvh265enc.c
+++ b/sys/nvcodec/gstnvh265enc.c
@@ -798,6 +798,9 @@ gst_nv_h265_enc_register (GstPlugin * plugin, guint device_id, guint rank,
   cdata->sink_caps = gst_caps_ref (sink_caps);
   cdata->src_caps = gst_caps_ref (src_caps);
   type_info.class_data = cdata;
+  /* class data will be leaked if the element never gets instantiated */
+  GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_SET (sink_caps, GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_MAY_BE_LEAKED);
+  GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_SET (src_caps, GST_MINI_OBJECT_FLAG_MAY_BE_LEAKED);
 
   type_name = g_strdup ("GstNvH265Enc");
   feature_name = g_strdup ("nvh265enc");