diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index 0b204f9527..dd1f9dcab0 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -118,7 +118,6 @@ enum
 static void gst_element_class_init (GstElementClass * klass);
 static void gst_element_init (GstElement * element);
 static void gst_element_base_class_init (gpointer g_class);
-static void gst_element_base_class_finalize (gpointer g_class);
 
 static void gst_element_constructed (GObject * object);
 static void gst_element_dispose (GObject * object);
@@ -167,7 +166,7 @@ gst_element_get_type (void)
     static const GTypeInfo element_info = {
       sizeof (GstElementClass),
       gst_element_base_class_init,
-      gst_element_base_class_finalize,
+      NULL,                     /* base_class_finalize */
       (GClassInitFunc) gst_element_class_init,
       NULL,
       NULL,
@@ -295,17 +294,6 @@ gst_element_base_class_init (gpointer g_class)
       G_OBJECT_CLASS_NAME (element_class), element_class->elementfactory);
 }
 
-static void
-gst_element_base_class_finalize (gpointer g_class)
-{
-  GstElementClass *klass = GST_ELEMENT_CLASS (g_class);
-
-  g_list_foreach (klass->padtemplates, (GFunc) gst_object_unref, NULL);
-  g_list_free (klass->padtemplates);
-
-  gst_structure_free (klass->metadata);
-}
-
 static void
 gst_element_init (GstElement * element)
 {