diff --git a/gst/gstbin.c b/gst/gstbin.c
index 465ac6d148..30a3b0eb5b 100644
--- a/gst/gstbin.c
+++ b/gst/gstbin.c
@@ -1045,7 +1045,7 @@ gst_bin_add_func (GstBin * bin, GstElement * element)
 {
   gchar *elem_name;
   GstIterator *it;
-  gboolean is_sink, is_source;
+  gboolean is_sink, is_source, provides_clock;
   GstMessage *clock_message = NULL, *async_message = NULL;
   GstStateChangeReturn ret;
 
@@ -1060,6 +1060,8 @@ gst_bin_add_func (GstBin * bin, GstElement * element)
   elem_name = g_strdup (GST_ELEMENT_NAME (element));
   is_sink = GST_OBJECT_FLAG_IS_SET (element, GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_SINK);
   is_source = GST_OBJECT_FLAG_IS_SET (element, GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_SOURCE);
+  provides_clock =
+      GST_OBJECT_FLAG_IS_SET (element, GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_PROVIDE_CLOCK);
   GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (element);
 
   GST_OBJECT_LOCK (bin);
@@ -1087,7 +1089,7 @@ gst_bin_add_func (GstBin * bin, GstElement * element)
         elem_name);
     GST_OBJECT_FLAG_SET (bin, GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_SOURCE);
   }
-  if (gst_element_provides_clock (element)) {
+  if (provides_clock) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (bin, "element \"%s\" can provide a clock", elem_name);
     clock_message =
         gst_message_new_clock_provide (GST_OBJECT_CAST (element), NULL, TRUE);
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index e17d7cd375..086a160dc1 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -326,54 +326,6 @@ gst_element_release_request_pad (GstElement * element, GstPad * pad)
     gst_element_remove_pad (element, pad);
 }
 
-/**
- * gst_element_requires_clock:
- * @element: a #GstElement to query
- *
- * Query if the element requires a clock.
- *
- * Returns: %TRUE if the element requires a clock
- *
- * MT safe.
- */
-gboolean
-gst_element_requires_clock (GstElement * element)
-{
-  gboolean result;
-
-  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT (element), FALSE);
-
-  result = (GST_ELEMENT_GET_CLASS (element)->set_clock != NULL);
-
-  return result;
-}
-
-/**
- * gst_element_provides_clock:
- * @element: a #GstElement to query
- *
- * Query if the element provides a clock. A #GstClock provided by an
- * element can be used as the global #GstClock for the pipeline.
- * An element that can provide a clock is only required to do so in the PAUSED
- * state, this means when it is fully negotiated and has allocated the resources
- * to operate the clock.
- *
- * Returns: %TRUE if the element provides a clock
- *
- * MT safe.
- */
-gboolean
-gst_element_provides_clock (GstElement * element)
-{
-  gboolean result;
-
-  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT (element), FALSE);
-
-  result = (GST_ELEMENT_GET_CLASS (element)->provide_clock != NULL);
-
-  return result;
-}
-
 /**
  * gst_element_provide_clock:
  * @element: a #GstElement to query
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.h b/gst/gstelement.h
index 3c4241f6c7..396eced882 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.h
+++ b/gst/gstelement.h
@@ -330,6 +330,8 @@ typedef enum
   GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_LOCKED_STATE   = (GST_OBJECT_FLAG_LAST << 1),
   GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_SINK           = (GST_OBJECT_FLAG_LAST << 2),
   GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_SOURCE         = (GST_OBJECT_FLAG_LAST << 3),
+  GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_PROVIDE_CLOCK  = (GST_OBJECT_FLAG_LAST << 4),
+  GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_REQUIRE_CLOCK  = (GST_OBJECT_FLAG_LAST << 5),
   /* padding */
   GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_LAST           = (GST_OBJECT_FLAG_LAST << 16)
 } GstElementFlags;
@@ -725,8 +727,6 @@ GType                   gst_element_get_type            (void);
 #define                 gst_element_set_parent(elem,parent)     gst_object_set_parent(GST_OBJECT_CAST(elem),parent)
 
 /* clocking */
-gboolean                gst_element_requires_clock      (GstElement *element);
-gboolean                gst_element_provides_clock      (GstElement *element);
 GstClock*               gst_element_provide_clock       (GstElement *element);
 GstClock*               gst_element_get_clock           (GstElement *element);
 gboolean                gst_element_set_clock           (GstElement *element, GstClock *clock);
diff --git a/tools/gst-inspect.c b/tools/gst-inspect.c
index 69dfe9fb1c..89d9685db9 100644
--- a/tools/gst-inspect.c
+++ b/tools/gst-inspect.c
@@ -662,9 +662,14 @@ print_implementation_info (GstElement * element)
 static void
 print_clocking_info (GstElement * element)
 {
-  if (!gst_element_requires_clock (element) &&
-      !(gst_element_provides_clock (element) &&
-          gst_element_get_clock (element))) {
+  gboolean requires_clock, provides_clock;
+
+  requires_clock =
+      GST_OBJECT_FLAG_IS_SET (element, GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_REQUIRE_CLOCK);
+  provides_clock =
+      GST_OBJECT_FLAG_IS_SET (element, GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_PROVIDE_CLOCK);
+
+  if (!requires_clock && !provides_clock) {
     n_print ("\n");
     n_print ("Element has no clocking capabilities.");
     return;
@@ -672,17 +677,18 @@ print_clocking_info (GstElement * element)
 
   n_print ("\n");
   n_print ("Clocking Interaction:\n");
-  if (gst_element_requires_clock (element)) {
+  if (requires_clock) {
     n_print ("  element requires a clock\n");
   }
 
-  if (gst_element_provides_clock (element)) {
+  if (provides_clock) {
     GstClock *clock;
 
     clock = gst_element_get_clock (element);
-    if (clock)
+    if (clock) {
       n_print ("  element provides a clock: %s\n", GST_OBJECT_NAME (clock));
-    else
+      gst_object_unref (clock);
+    } else
       n_print ("  element is supposed to provide a clock but returned NULL\n");
   }
 }