diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 9546703920..772f969072 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2005-10-18  Wim Taymans  <wim@fluendo.com>
+
+	* gst/gstbin.c: (gst_bin_class_init), (gst_bin_get_state_func),
+	(gst_bin_recalc_func):
+	* gst/gstelement.c: (gst_element_set_clock),
+	(gst_element_abort_state), (gst_element_lost_state):
+	Cleanups, prepare for state change fixes.
+
 2005-10-18  Wim Taymans  <wim@fluendo.com>
 
 	* gst/gstbin.h:
diff --git a/gst/gstbin.c b/gst/gstbin.c
index 63ea14422e..765c8403eb 100644
--- a/gst/gstbin.c
+++ b/gst/gstbin.c
@@ -104,6 +104,7 @@ static xmlNodePtr gst_bin_save_thyself (GstObject * object, xmlNodePtr parent);
 static void gst_bin_restore_thyself (GstObject * object, xmlNodePtr self);
 #endif
 
+static void gst_bin_recalc_func (GstBin * child, gpointer data);
 static gint bin_element_is_sink (GstElement * child, GstBin * bin);
 
 /* Bin signals and properties */
@@ -224,6 +225,7 @@ gst_bin_class_init (GstBinClass * klass)
   GObjectClass *gobject_class;
   GstObjectClass *gstobject_class;
   GstElementClass *gstelement_class;
+  GError *err;
 
   gobject_class = (GObjectClass *) klass;
   gstobject_class = (GstObjectClass *) klass;
@@ -277,6 +279,14 @@ gst_bin_class_init (GstBinClass * klass)
 
   klass->add_element = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_bin_add_func);
   klass->remove_element = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_bin_remove_func);
+
+  GST_DEBUG ("creating bin thread pool");
+  err = NULL;
+  klass->pool =
+      g_thread_pool_new ((GFunc) gst_bin_recalc_func, NULL, 1, FALSE, &err);
+  if (err != NULL) {
+    g_critical ("could alloc threadpool %s", err->message);
+  }
 }
 
 static void
@@ -916,13 +926,16 @@ gst_bin_get_state_func (GstElement * element, GstState * state,
     GstState * pending, GstClockTime timeout)
 {
   GstBin *bin = GST_BIN (element);
+  GstStateChangeReturn ret;
 
-  GST_CAT_INFO_OBJECT (GST_CAT_STATES, element, "getting state");
+  GST_CAT_INFO_OBJECT (GST_CAT_STATES, bin, "getting state");
 
   /* do a non forced recalculation of the state */
   gst_bin_recalc_state (bin, FALSE);
 
-  return parent_class->get_state (element, state, pending, timeout);
+  ret = parent_class->get_state (element, state, pending, timeout);
+
+  return ret;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1560,6 +1573,17 @@ gst_bin_send_event (GstElement * element, GstEvent * event)
   return res;
 }
 
+static void
+gst_bin_recalc_func (GstBin * bin, gpointer data)
+{
+  GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (bin, "doing state recalc");
+  GST_STATE_LOCK (bin);
+  gst_bin_recalc_state (bin, FALSE);
+  GST_STATE_UNLOCK (bin);
+  GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (bin, "state recalc done");
+  gst_object_unref (bin);
+}
+
 static GstBusSyncReply
 bin_bus_handler (GstBus * bus, GstMessage * message, GstBin * bin)
 {
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index f4978cc6df..f9366e9588 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -397,6 +397,8 @@ gst_element_set_clock (GstElement * element, GstClock * clock)
 
   oclass = GST_ELEMENT_GET_CLASS (element);
 
+  GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (element, "setting clock %p", clock);
+
   if (oclass->set_clock)
     oclass->set_clock (element, clock);
 
@@ -1748,23 +1750,35 @@ gst_element_abort_state (GstElement * element)
 {
   GstState pending;
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG
+  GstState old_state;
+#endif
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT (element));
 
   pending = GST_STATE_PENDING (element);
 
-  if (pending != GST_STATE_VOID_PENDING &&
-      GST_STATE_RETURN (element) != GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE) {
+  if (pending == GST_STATE_VOID_PENDING ||
+      GST_STATE_RETURN (element) == GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE)
+    goto nothing_aborted;
+
 #ifndef GST_DISABLE_GST_DEBUG
-    GstState old_state = GST_STATE (element);
+  old_state = GST_STATE (element);
+
+  GST_CAT_INFO_OBJECT (GST_CAT_STATES, element,
+      "aborting state from %s to %s", gst_element_state_get_name (old_state),
+      gst_element_state_get_name (pending));
 #endif
-    GST_CAT_INFO_OBJECT (GST_CAT_STATES, element,
-        "aborting state from %s to %s", gst_element_state_get_name (old_state),
-        gst_element_state_get_name (pending));
 
-    /* flag error */
-    GST_STATE_RETURN (element) = GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE;
+  /* flag error */
+  GST_STATE_RETURN (element) = GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE;
 
-    GST_STATE_BROADCAST (element);
+  GST_STATE_BROADCAST (element);
+
+  return;
+
+nothing_aborted:
+  {
+    return;
   }
 }
 
@@ -1888,25 +1902,33 @@ gst_element_commit_state (GstElement * element)
 void
 gst_element_lost_state (GstElement * element)
 {
+  GstState current_state;
+  GstMessage *message;
+
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT (element));
 
-  if (GST_STATE_PENDING (element) == GST_STATE_VOID_PENDING &&
-      GST_STATE_RETURN (element) != GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE) {
-    GstState current_state;
-    GstMessage *message;
+  if (GST_STATE_PENDING (element) != GST_STATE_VOID_PENDING ||
+      GST_STATE_RETURN (element) == GST_STATE_CHANGE_FAILURE)
+    goto nothing_lost;
 
-    current_state = GST_STATE (element);
+  current_state = GST_STATE (element);
 
-    GST_CAT_DEBUG_OBJECT (GST_CAT_STATES, element,
-        "lost state of %s", gst_element_state_get_name (current_state));
+  GST_CAT_DEBUG_OBJECT (GST_CAT_STATES, element,
+      "lost state of %s", gst_element_state_get_name (current_state));
 
-    GST_STATE_NEXT (element) = current_state;
-    GST_STATE_PENDING (element) = current_state;
-    GST_STATE_RETURN (element) = GST_STATE_CHANGE_ASYNC;
+  GST_STATE_NEXT (element) = current_state;
+  GST_STATE_PENDING (element) = current_state;
+  GST_STATE_RETURN (element) = GST_STATE_CHANGE_ASYNC;
 
-    message = gst_message_new_state_changed (GST_OBJECT (element),
-        FALSE, current_state, current_state, current_state);
-    gst_element_post_message (element, message);
+  message = gst_message_new_state_changed (GST_OBJECT (element),
+      FALSE, current_state, current_state, current_state);
+  gst_element_post_message (element, message);
+
+  return;
+
+nothing_lost:
+  {
+    return;
   }
 }