diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 3060ac97fe..a6984a4ff5 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2005-11-16  Wim Taymans  <wim@fluendo.com>
+
+	* gst/base/gstbasetransform.c:
+	(gst_base_transform_prepare_output_buf),
+	(gst_base_transform_event):
+	Check if the caps are NULL, this can happen if the element
+	is shutting down and the pad caps are set to NULL.
+
 2005-11-16  Thomas Vander Stichele  <thomas at apestaart dot org>
 
 	* gst/elements/gsttee.c: (gst_tee_init):
diff --git a/gst/base/gstbasetransform.c b/gst/base/gstbasetransform.c
index 12d2323e72..b3889c3b2e 100644
--- a/gst/base/gstbasetransform.c
+++ b/gst/base/gstbasetransform.c
@@ -812,7 +812,8 @@ gst_base_transform_prepare_output_buf (GstBaseTransform * trans,
   /* out_caps is the caps of the src pad gathered through the GST_PAD_CAPS 
      macro. If a set_caps occurs during this function this caps will become
      invalid. We want to keep them during preparation of the output buffer. */
-  gst_caps_ref (out_caps);
+  if (out_caps)
+    gst_caps_ref (out_caps);
 
   /* see if the subclass wants to alloc a buffer */
   if (bclass->prepare_output_buffer) {
@@ -873,7 +874,8 @@ gst_base_transform_prepare_output_buf (GstBaseTransform * trans,
   }
 
 done:
-  gst_caps_unref (out_caps);
+  if (out_caps)
+    gst_caps_unref (out_caps);
   trans->delay_configure = FALSE;
 
   return ret;
diff --git a/libs/gst/base/gstbasetransform.c b/libs/gst/base/gstbasetransform.c
index 12d2323e72..b3889c3b2e 100644
--- a/libs/gst/base/gstbasetransform.c
+++ b/libs/gst/base/gstbasetransform.c
@@ -812,7 +812,8 @@ gst_base_transform_prepare_output_buf (GstBaseTransform * trans,
   /* out_caps is the caps of the src pad gathered through the GST_PAD_CAPS 
      macro. If a set_caps occurs during this function this caps will become
      invalid. We want to keep them during preparation of the output buffer. */
-  gst_caps_ref (out_caps);
+  if (out_caps)
+    gst_caps_ref (out_caps);
 
   /* see if the subclass wants to alloc a buffer */
   if (bclass->prepare_output_buffer) {
@@ -873,7 +874,8 @@ gst_base_transform_prepare_output_buf (GstBaseTransform * trans,
   }
 
 done:
-  gst_caps_unref (out_caps);
+  if (out_caps)
+    gst_caps_unref (out_caps);
   trans->delay_configure = FALSE;
 
   return ret;