diff --git a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegtypes.c b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegtypes.c
index ec3c40be0a..cc95ca6027 100644
--- a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegtypes.c
+++ b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegtypes.c
@@ -61,6 +61,8 @@ gst_ffmpegtypes_typefind (GstBuffer *buffer, gpointer priv)
   if (highest) {
     GstCaps *caps;
     caps = g_hash_table_lookup (global_types, highest->name);
+    /* make sure we still hold a refcount to this caps */
+    gst_caps_ref (caps);
     return caps;
   }