diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c b/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c
index db21faede5..15ab2846f3 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c
@@ -2326,89 +2326,86 @@ static gboolean
 gst_glimage_sink_redisplay (GstGLImageSink * gl_sink)
 {
   GstGLWindow *window;
-  gboolean alive;
   GstBuffer *old_stored_buffer[2], *old_sync;
+  gulong handler_id;
 
   window = gst_gl_context_get_window (gl_sink->context);
   if (!window)
     return FALSE;
 
-  if (gst_gl_window_is_running (window)) {
-    gulong handler_id =
-        g_signal_handler_find (GST_ELEMENT_PARENT (gl_sink), G_SIGNAL_MATCH_ID,
-        gst_gl_image_sink_bin_signals[SIGNAL_BIN_CLIENT_DRAW], 0,
-        NULL, NULL, NULL);
+  handler_id =
+      g_signal_handler_find (GST_ELEMENT_PARENT (gl_sink), G_SIGNAL_MATCH_ID,
+      gst_gl_image_sink_bin_signals[SIGNAL_BIN_CLIENT_DRAW], 0,
+      NULL, NULL, NULL);
 
-    if (G_UNLIKELY (!gl_sink->redisplay_shader) && (!handler_id
-            || !gl_sink->other_context)) {
-      gst_gl_window_send_message (window,
-          GST_GL_WINDOW_CB (gst_glimage_sink_thread_init_redisplay), gl_sink);
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (!gl_sink->redisplay_shader) && (!handler_id
+          || !gl_sink->other_context)) {
+    gst_gl_window_send_message (window,
+        GST_GL_WINDOW_CB (gst_glimage_sink_thread_init_redisplay), gl_sink);
 
-      /* if the shader is still null it means it failed to be useable */
-      if (G_UNLIKELY (!gl_sink->redisplay_shader)) {
-        gst_object_unref (window);
-        return FALSE;
-      }
-
-      gst_gl_window_set_preferred_size (window, GST_VIDEO_SINK_WIDTH (gl_sink),
-          GST_VIDEO_SINK_HEIGHT (gl_sink));
-      gst_gl_window_show (window);
-    }
-
-    /* Recreate the output texture if needed */
-    GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_LOCK (gl_sink);
-    if (gl_sink->window_resized) {
-      gl_sink->window_resized = FALSE;
-      GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_UNLOCK (gl_sink);
-      GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (gl_sink, "Sending reconfigure event on sinkpad.");
-      gst_pad_push_event (GST_BASE_SINK (gl_sink)->sinkpad,
-          gst_event_new_reconfigure ());
-      GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_LOCK (gl_sink);
-    }
-
-    if (gl_sink->output_mode_changed && gl_sink->input_buffer != NULL) {
-      GST_DEBUG ("Recreating output after mode/size change");
-      update_output_format (gl_sink);
-      prepare_next_buffer (gl_sink);
-    }
-
-    if (gl_sink->next_buffer == NULL) {
-      /* Nothing to display yet */
-      GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_UNLOCK (gl_sink);
+    /* if the shader is still null it means it failed to be useable */
+    if (G_UNLIKELY (!gl_sink->redisplay_shader)) {
       gst_object_unref (window);
-      return TRUE;
+      return FALSE;
     }
 
-    /* Avoid to release the texture while drawing */
-    gl_sink->redisplay_texture = gl_sink->next_tex;
-    old_stored_buffer[0] = gl_sink->stored_buffer[0];
-    old_stored_buffer[1] = gl_sink->stored_buffer[1];
-    gl_sink->stored_buffer[0] = gst_buffer_ref (gl_sink->next_buffer);
-    if (gl_sink->next_buffer2)
-      gl_sink->stored_buffer[1] = gst_buffer_ref (gl_sink->next_buffer2);
-    else
-      gl_sink->stored_buffer[1] = NULL;
-
-    old_sync = gl_sink->stored_sync;
-    if (gl_sink->next_sync)
-      gl_sink->stored_sync = gst_buffer_ref (gl_sink->next_sync);
-    else
-      gl_sink->stored_sync = NULL;
-    gl_sink->stored_sync_meta = gl_sink->next_sync_meta;
-    GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_UNLOCK (gl_sink);
-
-    gst_buffer_replace (old_stored_buffer, NULL);
-    gst_buffer_replace (old_stored_buffer + 1, NULL);
-    if (old_sync)
-      gst_buffer_unref (old_sync);
-
-    /* Drawing is asynchronous: gst_gl_window_draw is not blocking
-     * It means that it does not wait for stuff to be executed in other threads
-     */
-    gst_gl_window_draw (window);
+    gst_gl_window_set_preferred_size (window, GST_VIDEO_SINK_WIDTH (gl_sink),
+        GST_VIDEO_SINK_HEIGHT (gl_sink));
+    gst_gl_window_show (window);
   }
-  alive = gst_gl_window_is_running (window);
+
+  /* Recreate the output texture if needed */
+  GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_LOCK (gl_sink);
+  if (gl_sink->window_resized) {
+    gl_sink->window_resized = FALSE;
+    GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_UNLOCK (gl_sink);
+    GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (gl_sink, "Sending reconfigure event on sinkpad.");
+    gst_pad_push_event (GST_BASE_SINK (gl_sink)->sinkpad,
+        gst_event_new_reconfigure ());
+    GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_LOCK (gl_sink);
+  }
+
+  if (gl_sink->output_mode_changed && gl_sink->input_buffer != NULL) {
+    GST_DEBUG ("Recreating output after mode/size change");
+    update_output_format (gl_sink);
+    prepare_next_buffer (gl_sink);
+  }
+
+  if (gl_sink->next_buffer == NULL) {
+    /* Nothing to display yet */
+    GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_UNLOCK (gl_sink);
+    gst_object_unref (window);
+    return TRUE;
+  }
+
+  /* Avoid to release the texture while drawing */
+  gl_sink->redisplay_texture = gl_sink->next_tex;
+  old_stored_buffer[0] = gl_sink->stored_buffer[0];
+  old_stored_buffer[1] = gl_sink->stored_buffer[1];
+  gl_sink->stored_buffer[0] = gst_buffer_ref (gl_sink->next_buffer);
+  if (gl_sink->next_buffer2)
+    gl_sink->stored_buffer[1] = gst_buffer_ref (gl_sink->next_buffer2);
+  else
+    gl_sink->stored_buffer[1] = NULL;
+
+  old_sync = gl_sink->stored_sync;
+  if (gl_sink->next_sync)
+    gl_sink->stored_sync = gst_buffer_ref (gl_sink->next_sync);
+  else
+    gl_sink->stored_sync = NULL;
+  gl_sink->stored_sync_meta = gl_sink->next_sync_meta;
+  GST_GLIMAGE_SINK_UNLOCK (gl_sink);
+
+  gst_buffer_replace (old_stored_buffer, NULL);
+  gst_buffer_replace (old_stored_buffer + 1, NULL);
+  if (old_sync)
+    gst_buffer_unref (old_sync);
+
+  /* Drawing is asynchronous: gst_gl_window_draw is not blocking
+   * It means that it does not wait for stuff to be executed in other threads
+   */
+  gst_gl_window_draw (window);
   gst_object_unref (window);
 
-  return alive;
+  return TRUE;
 }
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglwindow_cocoa.m b/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglwindow_cocoa.m
index 72e10e5fa9..0c005af9d3 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglwindow_cocoa.m
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/cocoa/gstglwindow_cocoa.m
@@ -329,14 +329,12 @@ gst_gl_cocoa_draw_cb (GstGLWindowCocoa *window_cocoa)
   GstGLWindowCocoaPrivate *priv = window_cocoa->priv;
   GstGLWindow *window = GST_GL_WINDOW (window_cocoa);
 
-  if (gst_gl_window_is_running (window)) {
-    if (![priv->internal_win_id isClosed]) {
-     GstGLWindow *window = GST_GL_WINDOW (window_cocoa);
+  if (window_cocoa->priv->internal_win_id && ![priv->internal_win_id isClosed]) {
+   GstGLWindow *window = GST_GL_WINDOW (window_cocoa);
 
-      /* draw opengl scene in the back buffer */
-      if (window->draw)
-        window->draw (window->draw_data);
-    }
+    /* draw opengl scene in the back buffer */
+    if (window->draw)
+      window->draw (window->draw_data);
   }
 }
 
@@ -348,7 +346,7 @@ gst_gl_cocoa_resize_cb (GstGLNSView * view, guint width, guint height)
   GstGLWindow *window = GST_GL_WINDOW (window_cocoa);
   GstGLContext *context = gst_gl_window_get_context (window);
 
-  if (gst_gl_window_is_running (window) && ![window_cocoa->priv->internal_win_id isClosed]) {
+  if (window_cocoa->priv->internal_win_id && ![window_cocoa->priv->internal_win_id isClosed]) {
     const GstGLFuncs *gl;
     NSRect bounds = [view bounds];
     NSRect visibleRect = [view visibleRect];
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.c
index af5b25e9a8..1024b3936e 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglcontext.c
@@ -897,12 +897,8 @@ gst_gl_context_set_window (GstGLContext * context, GstGLWindow * window)
   if (context->priv->alive)
     return FALSE;
 
-  if (window) {
-    if (gst_gl_window_is_running (window))
-      return FALSE;
-
+  if (window)
     g_weak_ref_set (&window->context_ref, context);
-  }
 
   if (context->window)
     gst_object_unref (context->window);
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c
index 57dc931ce9..8e0f880865 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c
@@ -782,22 +782,6 @@ gst_gl_window_set_close_callback (GstGLWindow * window, GstGLWindowCB callback,
   GST_GL_WINDOW_UNLOCK (window);
 }
 
-/**
- * gst_gl_window_is_running:
- * @window: a #GstGLWindow
- *
- * Whether the runloop is running
- *
- * Since: 1.4
- */
-gboolean
-gst_gl_window_is_running (GstGLWindow * window)
-{
-  GstGLWindowPrivate *priv = window->priv;
-  return priv->alive && (!priv->loop
-      || g_main_loop_is_running (window->priv->loop));
-}
-
 /**
  * gst_gl_window_get_display:
  * @window: a #GstGLWindow
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h
index c3a58ceff5..aa20c281fc 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h
@@ -111,9 +111,10 @@ struct _GstGLWindow {
  * GstGLWindowClass:
  * @parent_class: Parent class
  * @get_display: Gets the current windowing system display connection
- * @set_window_handle: Set a window to render into
- * @get_window_handle: Gets the current window that this #GstGLWindow is
- *                     rendering into
+ * @set_window_handle: Set a window handle to render into
+ * @get_window_handle: Gets the current window handle that this #GstGLWindow is
+ *                     rendering into.  This may return a different value to
+ *                     what is passed into @set_window_handle
  * @draw: redraw the window with the specified dimensions
  * @run: run the mainloop
  * @quit: send a quit to the mainloop
@@ -186,8 +187,6 @@ void     gst_gl_window_run                  (GstGLWindow *window);
 GST_EXPORT
 void     gst_gl_window_quit                 (GstGLWindow *window);
 GST_EXPORT
-gboolean gst_gl_window_is_running           (GstGLWindow *window);
-GST_EXPORT
 void     gst_gl_window_send_message         (GstGLWindow *window,
                                              GstGLWindowCB callback,
                                              gpointer data);
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/x11/gstglwindow_x11.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/x11/gstglwindow_x11.c
index 800315a33b..63d1d35551 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/x11/gstglwindow_x11.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/x11/gstglwindow_x11.c
@@ -363,11 +363,10 @@ draw_cb (gpointer data)
 {
   GstGLWindowX11 *window_x11 = data;
   GstGLWindow *window = GST_GL_WINDOW (window_x11);
+  guint width, height;
+  XWindowAttributes attr;
 
-  if (gst_gl_window_is_running (window)) {
-    guint width, height;
-    XWindowAttributes attr;
-
+  if (window_x11->internal_win_id) {
     XGetWindowAttributes (window_x11->device, window_x11->internal_win_id,
         &attr);
     GST_TRACE_OBJECT (window, "window size %ux%u", attr.width, attr.height);