diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index b24d737c3b..8b871d0edf 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2006-12-09  Jan Schmidt  <thaytan@mad.scientist.com>
+
+	* tests/check/gst/gstbin.c: (GST_START_TEST):
+	It is acceptable to have a refcount of 2 or 3 at this point in the
+	test, because the pipeline might be just posting its state_change
+	message. The next line then waits for that message to appear using
+	bus_poll, so that should be fine too.
+
 2006-12-09  Jan Schmidt  <thaytan@mad.scientist.com>
 
 	* gst/gst.c: (ensure_current_registry_forking):
diff --git a/tests/check/gst/gstbin.c b/tests/check/gst/gstbin.c
index 968c5965e8..5977fd1a0b 100644
--- a/tests/check/gst/gstbin.c
+++ b/tests/check/gst/gstbin.c
@@ -286,7 +286,9 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_message_state_changed_children)
    * preroll */
   ASSERT_OBJECT_REFCOUNT (src, "src", 3);
   ASSERT_OBJECT_REFCOUNT (sink, "sink", 3);
-  ASSERT_OBJECT_REFCOUNT (pipeline, "pipeline", 2);
+  /* 2 or 3 is valid, because the pipeline might still be posting 
+   * its state_change message */
+  ASSERT_OBJECT_REFCOUNT_BETWEEN (pipeline, "pipeline", 2, 3);
 
   pop_messages (bus, 3);
   fail_if ((gst_bus_pop (bus)) != NULL);