diff --git a/gst/gstcontext.c b/gst/gstcontext.c
index b790df89c7..953f3ea103 100644
--- a/gst/gstcontext.c
+++ b/gst/gstcontext.c
@@ -63,6 +63,7 @@ struct _GstContext
 {
   GstMiniObject mini_object;
 
+  gchar *context_type;
   GstStructure *structure;
   gboolean persistent;
 };
@@ -119,6 +120,8 @@ _gst_context_copy (GstContext * context)
 
   gst_context_init (copy);
 
+  copy->context_type = g_strdup (context->context_type);
+
   structure = GST_CONTEXT_STRUCTURE (context);
   GST_CONTEXT_STRUCTURE (copy) = gst_structure_copy (structure);
   gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (GST_CONTEXT_STRUCTURE (copy),
@@ -148,11 +151,13 @@ gst_context_init (GstContext * context)
  * Since: 1.2
  */
 GstContext *
-gst_context_new (gboolean persistent)
+gst_context_new (const gchar * context_type, gboolean persistent)
 {
   GstContext *context;
   GstStructure *structure;
 
+  g_return_val_if_fail (context_type != NULL, NULL);
+
   context = g_slice_new0 (GstContext);
 
   GST_CAT_LOG (GST_CAT_CONTEXT, "creating new context %p", context);
@@ -161,12 +166,31 @@ gst_context_new (gboolean persistent)
   gst_structure_set_parent_refcount (structure, &context->mini_object.refcount);
   gst_context_init (context);
 
+  context->context_type = g_strdup (context_type);
   GST_CONTEXT_STRUCTURE (context) = structure;
   context->persistent = persistent;
 
   return context;
 }
 
+/**
+ * gst_context_get_context_type:
+ * @context: The #GstContext.
+ *
+ * Get the type of @context.
+ *
+ * Returns: The type of the context.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.2
+ */
+const gchar *
+gst_context_get_context_type (const GstContext * context)
+{
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_CONTEXT (context), NULL);
+
+  return context->context_type;
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_context_get_structure:
  * @context: The #GstContext.
diff --git a/gst/gstcontext.h b/gst/gstcontext.h
index a1d2afa420..7ee3324b2e 100644
--- a/gst/gstcontext.h
+++ b/gst/gstcontext.h
@@ -144,10 +144,12 @@ gst_context_replace (GstContext **old_context, GstContext *new_context)
   return gst_mini_object_replace ((GstMiniObject **) old_context, (GstMiniObject *) new_context);
 }
 
-GstContext *          gst_context_new                      (gboolean persistent) G_GNUC_MALLOC;
+GstContext *          gst_context_new                      (const gchar * context_type,
+                                                            gboolean persistent) G_GNUC_MALLOC;
 
-const GstStructure *  gst_context_get_structure            (const GstContext *context);
-GstStructure *        gst_context_writable_structure       (GstContext *context);
+const gchar *         gst_context_get_context_type         (const GstContext * context);
+const GstStructure *  gst_context_get_structure            (const GstContext * context);
+GstStructure *        gst_context_writable_structure       (GstContext * context);
 
 gboolean              gst_context_is_persistent            (const GstContext * context);
 
diff --git a/gst/gstinfo.c b/gst/gstinfo.c
index ea2876da42..550121709e 100644
--- a/gst/gstinfo.c
+++ b/gst/gstinfo.c
@@ -709,17 +709,15 @@ gst_debug_print_object (gpointer ptr)
   if (GST_IS_CONTEXT (object)) {
     GstContext *context = GST_CONTEXT_CAST (object);
     gchar *s, *ret;
+    const gchar *type;
     const GstStructure *structure;
 
+    type = gst_context_get_context_type (context);
     structure = gst_context_get_structure (context);
 
-    if (structure) {
-      s = gst_info_structure_to_string (structure);
-    } else {
-      s = g_strdup ("(NULL)");
-    }
+    s = gst_info_structure_to_string (structure);
 
-    ret = g_strdup_printf ("context '%s'", s);
+    ret = g_strdup_printf ("context '%s'='%s'", type, s);
     g_free (s);
     return ret;
   }