diff --git a/gst/gstregistrychunks.c b/gst/gstregistrychunks.c
index 29feddc46d..dacacd4392 100644
--- a/gst/gstregistrychunks.c
+++ b/gst/gstregistrychunks.c
@@ -323,11 +323,14 @@ gst_registry_chunks_save_feature (GList ** list, GstPluginFeature * feature)
     if (factory->caps) {
       /* we copy the caps here so we can simplify them before saving. This
        * is a lot faster when loading them later on */
-      GstCaps *copy = gst_caps_copy (factory->caps);
-
-      gst_caps_do_simplify (copy);
-      str = gst_caps_to_string (copy);
-      gst_caps_unref (copy);
+      if (!gst_caps_is_fixed (factory->caps)) {
+        GstCaps *copy = gst_caps_copy (factory->caps);
+        gst_caps_do_simplify (copy);
+        str = gst_caps_to_string (copy);
+        gst_caps_unref (copy);
+      } else {
+        str = gst_caps_to_string (factory->caps);
+      }
       gst_registry_chunks_save_string (list, str);
     } else {
       gst_registry_chunks_save_const_string (list, "");