diff --git a/gst/elements/gstidentity.c b/gst/elements/gstidentity.c
index 4e209a1ce4..a9126b671d 100644
--- a/gst/elements/gstidentity.c
+++ b/gst/elements/gstidentity.c
@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@ gst_identity_init (GstIdentity *identity)
   gst_element_add_pad (GST_ELEMENT (identity), identity->srcpad);
 
   identity->loop_based = FALSE;
-  identity->sleep_time = 10000;
+//  identity->sleep_time = 10000;
+  identity->sleep_time = 0;
 }
 
 static void 
@@ -125,7 +126,8 @@ gst_identity_chain (GstPad *pad, GstBuffer *buf)
   
   gst_pad_push (identity->srcpad, buf);
 
-  usleep (identity->sleep_time);
+  if (identity->sleep_time)
+    usleep (identity->sleep_time);
 }
 
 static void 
diff --git a/gst/gstbin.c b/gst/gstbin.c
index 22cfcdea63..33f9846c42 100644
--- a/gst/gstbin.c
+++ b/gst/gstbin.c
@@ -273,6 +273,7 @@ gst_bin_add (GstBin *bin,
   // then check to see if the element's name is already taken in the bin
   g_return_if_fail (gst_object_check_uniqueness (bin->children, GST_ELEMENT_NAME(element)) == TRUE);
 
+  // set the element's parent and add the element to the bin's list of children
   gst_object_set_parent (GST_OBJECT (element), GST_OBJECT (bin));
   bin->children = g_list_append (bin->children, element);
   bin->numchildren++;
@@ -285,10 +286,6 @@ gst_bin_add (GstBin *bin,
 
   GST_INFO_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_PARENTAGE, bin, "added child \"%s\"", GST_ELEMENT_NAME (element));
 
-  /* we know we have at least one child, we just added one... */
-//  if (GST_STATE(element) < GST_STATE_READY)
-//    gst_bin_change_state_norecurse(bin,GST_STATE_READY);
-
   gtk_signal_emit (GTK_OBJECT (bin), gst_bin_signals[OBJECT_ADDED], element);
 }
 
diff --git a/gst/gstscheduler.c b/gst/gstscheduler.c
index e425c15a9c..efd2a94942 100644
--- a/gst/gstscheduler.c
+++ b/gst/gstscheduler.c
@@ -775,9 +775,6 @@ void gst_bin_schedule_func(GstBin *bin) {
 
 /*************** INCREMENTAL SCHEDULING CODE STARTS HERE ***************/
 
-//static GstSchedule realsched;
-//static GstSchedule *sched = &realsched;
-
 
 static void	gst_schedule_class_init	(GstScheduleClass *klass);
 static void	gst_schedule_init	(GstSchedule *schedule);
@@ -898,6 +895,10 @@ gst_schedule_chain_add_element (GstScheduleChain *chain, GstElement *element)
 {
   GST_INFO (GST_CAT_SCHEDULING, "adding element \"%s\" to chain", GST_ELEMENT_NAME (element));
 
+  // set the sched pointer for the element
+  element->sched = chain->sched;
+
+  // add the element to the list of 'disabled' elements
   chain->disabled = g_list_prepend (chain->disabled, element);
   chain->num_elements++;
 }
@@ -950,6 +951,9 @@ gst_schedule_chain_remove_element (GstScheduleChain *chain, GstElement *element)
   // if there are no more elements in the chain, destroy the chain
   if (chain->num_elements == 0)
     gst_schedule_chain_destroy(chain);
+
+  // unset the sched pointer for the element
+  element->sched = NULL;
 }
 
 void
@@ -1128,11 +1132,19 @@ gst_schedule_add_element (GstSchedule *sched, GstElement *element)
   g_return_if_fail (element != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT(element));
 
+  // if it's already in this schedule, don't bother doing anything
+  if (GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(element) == sched) return;
+
   GST_INFO (GST_CAT_SCHEDULING, "adding element \"%s\" to schedule",
     GST_ELEMENT_NAME(element));
 
+  // if the element already has a different scheduler, remove the element from it
+  if (GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(element)) {
+    gst_schedule_remove_element(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(element),element);
+  }
+
   // set the sched pointer in the element itself
-  gst_element_set_sched (element, sched);
+  GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(element) = sched;
 
   // only deal with elements after this point, not bins
   if (GST_IS_BIN (element)) return;
@@ -1209,9 +1221,6 @@ gst_schedule_remove_element (GstSchedule *sched, GstElement *element)
     // find what chain the element is in
     chain = gst_schedule_find_chain(sched, element);
 
-    // disable the element, i.e. remove from chain's active list
-    gst_schedule_chain_disable_element (chain, element);
-
     // remove it from its chain
     gst_schedule_chain_remove_element (chain, element);
 
@@ -1220,7 +1229,7 @@ gst_schedule_remove_element (GstSchedule *sched, GstElement *element)
     sched->num_elements--;
 
     // unset the scheduler pointer in the element
-    gst_element_set_sched (element, NULL);
+    GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(element) = NULL;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/gst/gstthread.c b/gst/gstthread.c
index a4090ffede..7d2c541eaa 100644
--- a/gst/gstthread.c
+++ b/gst/gstthread.c
@@ -139,9 +139,9 @@ gst_thread_init (GstThread *thread)
 
   // default is to create a thread
   GST_FLAG_SET (thread, GST_THREAD_CREATE);
-  
+
   thread->lock = g_mutex_new();
-  
+
   thread->cond = g_cond_new();
 
   GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(thread) = gst_schedule_new(GST_ELEMENT(thread));
@@ -407,7 +407,7 @@ gst_thread_signal_thread (GstThread *thread, gboolean spinning)
 {
   // set the spinning state
   if (spinning) GST_FLAG_SET(thread,GST_THREAD_STATE_SPINNING);
-  else GST_FLAG_SET (thread, GST_THREAD_STATE_SPINNING);
+  else GST_FLAG_UNSET (thread, GST_THREAD_STATE_SPINNING);
 
   GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_THREAD, "sync-main: locking\n");
   g_mutex_lock(thread->lock);
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstidentity.c b/plugins/elements/gstidentity.c
index 4e209a1ce4..a9126b671d 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstidentity.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstidentity.c
@@ -108,7 +108,8 @@ gst_identity_init (GstIdentity *identity)
   gst_element_add_pad (GST_ELEMENT (identity), identity->srcpad);
 
   identity->loop_based = FALSE;
-  identity->sleep_time = 10000;
+//  identity->sleep_time = 10000;
+  identity->sleep_time = 0;
 }
 
 static void 
@@ -125,7 +126,8 @@ gst_identity_chain (GstPad *pad, GstBuffer *buf)
   
   gst_pad_push (identity->srcpad, buf);
 
-  usleep (identity->sleep_time);
+  if (identity->sleep_time)
+    usleep (identity->sleep_time);
 }
 
 static void 
diff --git a/tests/threadlock.c b/tests/threadlock.c
index f6a4e05387..83b62aa6bc 100644
--- a/tests/threadlock.c
+++ b/tests/threadlock.c
@@ -28,18 +28,24 @@ int main(int argc,char *argv[]) {
 
   fprintf(stderr,"\nSWITCHING to READY:\n");
   gst_element_set_state (thread, GST_STATE_READY);
+  fprintf(stderr,"\nPIPELINE sched:\n");
   gst_schedule_show(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(pipeline));
+  fprintf(stderr,"\nTHREAD sched:\n");
   gst_schedule_show(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(thread));
 
-/*
   fprintf(stderr,"\nSWITCHING to PLAYING:\n");
   gst_element_set_state (thread, GST_STATE_PLAYING);
   gst_schedule_show(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(pipeline));
   gst_schedule_show(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(thread));
 
+fprintf(stderr,"sleeping...\n");
+sleep(1);
+fprintf(stderr,"done sleeping...\n");
+
   fprintf(stderr,"\nSWITCHING to READY:\n");
   gst_element_set_state (thread, GST_STATE_READY);
   gst_schedule_show(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(pipeline));
   gst_schedule_show(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(thread));
-*/
+
+sleep(1);
 }