diff --git a/gst/gstpad.c b/gst/gstpad.c
index 229f3dd0cc..47cace990e 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.c
+++ b/gst/gstpad.c
@@ -863,11 +863,12 @@ gst_pad_new (const gchar * name, GstPadDirection direction)
 GstPad *
 gst_pad_new_from_template (GstPadTemplate * templ, const gchar * name)
 {
-  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_PAD_TEMPLATE (templ), NULL);
   GType pad_type =
       GST_PAD_TEMPLATE_GTYPE (templ) ==
       G_TYPE_NONE ? GST_TYPE_PAD : GST_PAD_TEMPLATE_GTYPE (templ);
 
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_PAD_TEMPLATE (templ), NULL);
+
   return g_object_new (pad_type,
       "name", name, "direction", templ->direction, "template", templ, NULL);
 }