diff --git a/gst/gsterror.c b/gst/gsterror.c
index 9ccdd3a30a..1b4f1cc416 100644
--- a/gst/gsterror.c
+++ b/gst/gsterror.c
@@ -161,6 +161,7 @@ _gst_stream_errors_init (void)
   TABLE (t, STREAM, DEMUX, N_("Could not demultiplex stream."));
   TABLE (t, STREAM, MUX, N_("Could not multiplex stream."));
   TABLE (t, STREAM, FORMAT, N_("Stream is of the wrong format."));
+  TABLE (t, STREAM, STOPPED, N_("Streaming stopped."));
 
   return t;
 }
diff --git a/gst/gstplugin.c b/gst/gstplugin.c
index 1066447e5a..57fd70e189 100644
--- a/gst/gstplugin.c
+++ b/gst/gstplugin.c
@@ -846,7 +846,7 @@ gst_plugin_find_feature_by_name (GstPlugin * plugin, const gchar * name)
  *
  * Load the named plugin. Refs the plugin.
  *
- * Returns: whether the plugin was loaded or not
+ * Returns: A reference to a loaded plugin, or NULL on error.
  */
 GstPlugin *
 gst_plugin_load_by_name (const gchar * name)
diff --git a/gst/gstpluginfeature.c b/gst/gstpluginfeature.c
index ac5a27807f..78b47346d7 100644
--- a/gst/gstpluginfeature.c
+++ b/gst/gstpluginfeature.c
@@ -118,9 +118,13 @@ gst_plugin_feature_load (GstPluginFeature * feature)
       gst_registry_lookup_feature (gst_registry_get_default (), feature->name);
 
   if (real_feature == NULL) {
-    g_critical
+    GST_INFO
         ("Loaded plugin containing feature '%s', but feature disappeared.",
         feature->name);
+  } else if (!real_feature->loaded) {
+    GST_INFO ("Tried to load plugin containing feature '%s', but feature was "
+        "not found.", real_feature->name);
+    return NULL;
   }
 
   return real_feature;
diff --git a/tools/gst-inspect.c b/tools/gst-inspect.c
index 0088189959..2baa23c961 100644
--- a/tools/gst-inspect.c
+++ b/tools/gst-inspect.c
@@ -1033,6 +1033,11 @@ print_element_info (GstElementFactory * factory, gboolean print_names)
       GST_ELEMENT_FACTORY (gst_plugin_feature_load (GST_PLUGIN_FEATURE
           (factory)));
 
+  if (!factory) {
+    g_print ("element plugin couldn't be loaded\n");
+    return -1;
+  }
+
   element = gst_element_factory_create (factory, NULL);
   if (!element) {
     g_print ("couldn't construct element for some reason\n");