diff --git a/tests/check/elements/asfmux.c b/tests/check/elements/asfmux.c
index 0536da1b68..c2bfeaf4e9 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/asfmux.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/asfmux.c
@@ -128,7 +128,7 @@ setup_asfmux (GstStaticPadTemplate * srctemplate, const gchar * sinkname)
   asfmux = gst_check_setup_element ("asfmux");
 
   mysrcpad = setup_src_pad (asfmux, srctemplate, NULL, sinkname);
-  mysinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (asfmux, &sinktemplate, NULL);
+  mysinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (asfmux, &sinktemplate);
   gst_pad_set_active (mysrcpad, TRUE);
   gst_pad_set_active (mysinkpad, TRUE);
   return asfmux;
diff --git a/tests/check/elements/autoconvert.c b/tests/check/elements/autoconvert.c
index 037795378c..e1fffe00c1 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/autoconvert.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/autoconvert.c
@@ -115,9 +115,9 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_autoconvert_simple)
 
   set_autoconvert_factories (autoconvert);
 
-  test_src_pad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (autoconvert, &src_factory, NULL);
+  test_src_pad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (autoconvert, &src_factory);
   gst_pad_set_active (test_src_pad, TRUE);
-  test_sink_pad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (autoconvert, &sink_factory, NULL);
+  test_sink_pad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (autoconvert, &sink_factory);
   gst_pad_set_active (test_sink_pad, TRUE);
 
   gst_element_set_state (GST_ELEMENT_CAST (autoconvert), GST_STATE_PLAYING);
diff --git a/tests/check/elements/baseaudiovisualizer.c b/tests/check/elements/baseaudiovisualizer.c
index 8b97665a30..7de0095180 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/baseaudiovisualizer.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/baseaudiovisualizer.c
@@ -126,8 +126,8 @@ GST_START_TEST (count_in_out)
 
   /* setup up */
   elem = gst_check_setup_element ("testscope");
-  srcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (elem, &srctemplate, NULL);
-  sinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (elem, &sinktemplate, NULL);
+  srcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (elem, &srctemplate);
+  sinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (elem, &sinktemplate);
   gst_pad_set_active (srcpad, TRUE);
   gst_pad_set_active (sinkpad, TRUE);
   fail_unless (gst_element_set_state (elem,
diff --git a/tests/check/elements/legacyresample.c b/tests/check/elements/legacyresample.c
index 26c572a622..055313b2ea 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/legacyresample.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/legacyresample.c
@@ -71,8 +71,9 @@ setup_legacyresample (int channels, int inrate, int outrate)
           GST_STATE_PAUSED) == GST_STATE_CHANGE_SUCCESS,
       "could not set to paused");
 
-  mysrcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (legacyresample, &srctemplate, caps);
-  gst_pad_set_caps (mysrcpad, caps);
+  mysrcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (legacyresample, &srctemplate);
+  gst_pad_set_active (mysrcpad, TRUE);
+  fail_unless (gst_pad_set_caps (mysrcpad, caps));
   gst_caps_unref (caps);
 
   caps = gst_caps_from_string (RESAMPLE_CAPS_TEMPLATE_STRING);
@@ -81,16 +82,14 @@ setup_legacyresample (int channels, int inrate, int outrate)
       "rate", G_TYPE_INT, outrate, NULL);
   fail_unless (gst_caps_is_fixed (caps));
 
-  mysinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (legacyresample, &sinktemplate, caps);
+  mysinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (legacyresample, &sinktemplate);
+  gst_pad_set_active (mysinkpad, TRUE);
   /* this installs a getcaps func that will always return the caps we set
    * later */
-  gst_pad_set_caps (mysinkpad, caps);
+  fail_unless (gst_pad_set_caps (mysinkpad, caps));
   gst_pad_use_fixed_caps (mysinkpad);
   gst_caps_unref (caps);
 
-  gst_pad_set_active (mysinkpad, TRUE);
-  gst_pad_set_active (mysrcpad, TRUE);
-
   return legacyresample;
 }
 
diff --git a/tests/check/elements/parser.c b/tests/check/elements/parser.c
index 0d5d0baf28..749492c849 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/parser.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/parser.c
@@ -147,10 +147,12 @@ setup_element (const gchar * factory, ElementSetup setup,
   } else {
     element = gst_check_setup_element (factory);
   }
-  srcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (element, src_template, src_caps);
-  sinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (element, sink_template, sink_caps);
+  srcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (element, src_template);
+  sinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (element, sink_template);
   gst_pad_set_active (srcpad, TRUE);
   gst_pad_set_active (sinkpad, TRUE);
+  fail_unless (gst_pad_set_caps (srcpad, src_caps));
+  fail_unless (gst_pad_set_caps (sinkpad, sink_caps));
 
   bus = gst_bus_new ();
   gst_element_set_bus (element, bus);
diff --git a/tests/check/elements/vp8dec.c b/tests/check/elements/vp8dec.c
index 30b010d144..4d7da4487d 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/vp8dec.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/vp8dec.c
@@ -76,10 +76,11 @@ setup_vp8dec (const gchar * src_caps_str)
   gst_element_add_pad (bin, ghostpad);
   gst_object_unref (targetpad);
 
-  srcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (bin, &srctemplate, srccaps);
-  sinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (bin, &sinktemplate, NULL);
+  srcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (bin, &srctemplate);
+  sinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (bin, &sinktemplate);
   gst_pad_set_active (srcpad, TRUE);
   gst_pad_set_active (sinkpad, TRUE);
+  fail_unless (gst_pad_set_caps (srcpad, srccaps));
 
   bus = gst_bus_new ();
   gst_element_set_bus (bin, bus);
diff --git a/tests/check/elements/vp8enc.c b/tests/check/elements/vp8enc.c
index 1008c9ba57..d9c1df69f8 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/vp8enc.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/vp8enc.c
@@ -51,10 +51,11 @@ setup_vp8enc (const gchar * src_caps_str)
 
   vp8enc = gst_check_setup_element ("vp8enc");
   fail_unless (vp8enc != NULL);
-  srcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (vp8enc, &srctemplate, srccaps);
-  sinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (vp8enc, &sinktemplate, NULL);
+  srcpad = gst_check_setup_src_pad (vp8enc, &srctemplate);
+  sinkpad = gst_check_setup_sink_pad (vp8enc, &sinktemplate);
   gst_pad_set_active (srcpad, TRUE);
   gst_pad_set_active (sinkpad, TRUE);
+  fail_unless (gst_pad_set_caps (srcpad, srccaps));
 
   bus = gst_bus_new ();
   gst_element_set_bus (vp8enc, bus);