diff --git a/gst/gstghostpad.c b/gst/gstghostpad.c
index 6b7fcf4705..13a113ad20 100644
--- a/gst/gstghostpad.c
+++ b/gst/gstghostpad.c
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ gst_proxy_pad_query_default (GstPad * pad, GstObject * parent, GstQuery * query)
 /**
  * gst_proyx_pad_iterate_internal_links_default:
  * @pad: the #GstPad to get the internal links of.
+ * @parent: the parent of @pad or NULL
  *
  * Invoke the default iterate internal links function of the proxy pad.
  *
@@ -243,7 +244,7 @@ gst_proxy_pad_query_default (GstPad * pad, GstObject * parent, GstQuery * query)
  * Since: 0.10.36
  */
 GstIterator *
-gst_proxy_pad_iterate_internal_links_default (GstPad * pad)
+gst_proxy_pad_iterate_internal_links_default (GstPad * pad, GstObject * parent)
 {
   GstIterator *res = NULL;
   GstPad *internal;
diff --git a/gst/gstghostpad.h b/gst/gstghostpad.h
index ab1c3a19cc..fa8950c629 100644
--- a/gst/gstghostpad.h
+++ b/gst/gstghostpad.h
@@ -65,7 +65,7 @@ GstProxyPad*     gst_proxy_pad_get_internal     (GstProxyPad *pad);
 gboolean            gst_proxy_pad_event_default                  (GstPad *pad, GstEvent *event);
 gboolean            gst_proxy_pad_query_default                  (GstPad *pad, GstObject *parent,
                                                                   GstQuery *query);
-GstIterator*        gst_proxy_pad_iterate_internal_links_default (GstPad *pad);
+GstIterator*        gst_proxy_pad_iterate_internal_links_default (GstPad *pad, GstObject *parent);
 GstFlowReturn       gst_proxy_pad_chain_default                  (GstPad *pad, GstBuffer *buffer);
 GstFlowReturn       gst_proxy_pad_chain_list_default             (GstPad *pad, GstBufferList *list);
 GstFlowReturn       gst_proxy_pad_getrange_default               (GstPad *pad, guint64 offset, guint size, GstBuffer **buffer);
diff --git a/gst/gstpad.c b/gst/gstpad.c
index a415288ead..fc2c5b6924 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.c
+++ b/gst/gstpad.c
@@ -2390,6 +2390,7 @@ no_peer:
 /**
  * gst_pad_iterate_internal_links_default:
  * @pad: the #GstPad to get the internal links of.
+ * @parent: the parent of @pad or NULL
  *
  * Iterate the list of pads to which the given pad is linked to inside of
  * the parent element.
@@ -2404,39 +2405,40 @@ no_peer:
  * Since: 0.10.21
  */
 GstIterator *
-gst_pad_iterate_internal_links_default (GstPad * pad)
+gst_pad_iterate_internal_links_default (GstPad * pad, GstObject * parent)
 {
   GstIterator *res;
   GList **padlist;
   guint32 *cookie;
   GMutex *lock;
   gpointer owner;
+  GstElement *eparent;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_PAD (pad), NULL);
 
-  {
-    GstElement *parent;
-
+  if (parent != NULL && GST_IS_ELEMENT (parent)) {
+    eparent = GST_ELEMENT_CAST (gst_object_ref (parent));
+  } else {
     GST_OBJECT_LOCK (pad);
-    parent = GST_PAD_PARENT (pad);
-    if (!parent || !GST_IS_ELEMENT (parent))
+    eparent = GST_PAD_PARENT (pad);
+    if (!eparent || !GST_IS_ELEMENT (eparent))
       goto no_parent;
 
-    gst_object_ref (parent);
+    gst_object_ref (eparent);
     GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (pad);
-
-    if (pad->direction == GST_PAD_SRC)
-      padlist = &parent->sinkpads;
-    else
-      padlist = &parent->srcpads;
-
-    GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (pad, "Making iterator");
-
-    cookie = &parent->pads_cookie;
-    owner = parent;
-    lock = GST_OBJECT_GET_LOCK (parent);
   }
 
+  if (pad->direction == GST_PAD_SRC)
+    padlist = &eparent->sinkpads;
+  else
+    padlist = &eparent->srcpads;
+
+  GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (pad, "Making iterator");
+
+  cookie = &eparent->pads_cookie;
+  owner = eparent;
+  lock = GST_OBJECT_GET_LOCK (eparent);
+
   res = gst_iterator_new_list (GST_TYPE_PAD,
       lock, cookie, padlist, (GObject *) owner, NULL);
 
@@ -2484,7 +2486,7 @@ gst_pad_iterate_internal_links (GstPad * pad)
   GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (pad);
 
   if (GST_PAD_ITERINTLINKFUNC (pad))
-    res = GST_PAD_ITERINTLINKFUNC (pad) (pad);
+    res = GST_PAD_ITERINTLINKFUNC (pad) (pad, parent);
 
   RELEASE_PARENT (parent);
 
diff --git a/gst/gstpad.h b/gst/gstpad.h
index f377631f61..749b14dc22 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.h
+++ b/gst/gstpad.h
@@ -353,6 +353,9 @@ typedef gboolean		(*GstPadEventFunction)		(GstPad *pad, GstEvent *event);
 /**
  * GstPadIterIntLinkFunction:
  * @pad: The #GstPad to query.
+ * @parent: the parent of @pad. If the #GST_PAD_FLAG_NEED_PARENT flag is set,
+ *          @parent is guaranteed to be not-NULL and remain valid during the
+ *          execution of this function.
  *
  * The signature of the internal pad link iterator function.
  *
@@ -363,7 +366,7 @@ typedef gboolean		(*GstPadEventFunction)		(GstPad *pad, GstEvent *event);
  *
  * Since 0.10.21
  */
-typedef GstIterator*           (*GstPadIterIntLinkFunction)    (GstPad *pad);
+typedef GstIterator*           (*GstPadIterIntLinkFunction)    (GstPad *pad, GstObject *parent);
 
 /* generic query function */
 /**
@@ -876,7 +879,7 @@ gboolean		gst_pad_stop_task			(GstPad *pad);
 void                    gst_pad_set_iterate_internal_links_function (GstPad * pad,
                                                                  GstPadIterIntLinkFunction iterintlink);
 GstIterator *           gst_pad_iterate_internal_links          (GstPad * pad);
-GstIterator *           gst_pad_iterate_internal_links_default  (GstPad * pad);
+GstIterator *           gst_pad_iterate_internal_links_default  (GstPad * pad, GstObject *parent);
 
 
 /* generic query function */
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstinputselector.c b/plugins/elements/gstinputselector.c
index 2bade08ce9..1b9c439079 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstinputselector.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstinputselector.c
@@ -181,7 +181,8 @@ static void gst_selector_pad_reset (GstSelectorPad * pad);
 static gboolean gst_selector_pad_event (GstPad * pad, GstEvent * event);
 static gboolean gst_selector_pad_query (GstPad * pad, GstObject * parent,
     GstQuery * query);
-static GstIterator *gst_selector_pad_iterate_linked_pads (GstPad * pad);
+static GstIterator *gst_selector_pad_iterate_linked_pads (GstPad * pad,
+    GstObject * parent);
 static GstFlowReturn gst_selector_pad_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buf);
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstSelectorPad, gst_selector_pad, GST_TYPE_PAD);
@@ -330,14 +331,14 @@ gst_selector_pad_reset (GstSelectorPad * pad)
 /* strictly get the linked pad from the sinkpad. If the pad is active we return
  * the srcpad else we return NULL */
 static GstIterator *
-gst_selector_pad_iterate_linked_pads (GstPad * pad)
+gst_selector_pad_iterate_linked_pads (GstPad * pad, GstObject * parent)
 {
   GstInputSelector *sel;
   GstPad *otherpad;
   GstIterator *it = NULL;
   GValue val = { 0, };
 
-  sel = GST_INPUT_SELECTOR (GST_PAD_PARENT (pad));
+  sel = GST_INPUT_SELECTOR (parent);
 
   otherpad = gst_input_selector_get_linked_pad (sel, pad, TRUE);
   if (otherpad) {
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.c b/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.c
index ca1c45bedc..3a14394d22 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.c
@@ -575,12 +575,12 @@ gst_multi_queue_get_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id,
 }
 
 static GstIterator *
-gst_multi_queue_iterate_internal_links (GstPad * pad)
+gst_multi_queue_iterate_internal_links (GstPad * pad, GstObject * parent)
 {
   GstIterator *it = NULL;
   GstPad *opad;
   GstSingleQueue *squeue;
-  GstMultiQueue *mq = GST_MULTI_QUEUE (GST_PAD_PARENT (pad));
+  GstMultiQueue *mq = GST_MULTI_QUEUE (parent);
   GValue val = { 0, };
 
   GST_MULTI_QUEUE_MUTEX_LOCK (mq);