diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-internal.h b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-internal.h
index f5c2cecafb..aee26fd926 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-internal.h
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/gst-validate-internal.h
@@ -74,6 +74,9 @@ G_GNUC_INTERNAL gboolean is_tty (void);
 
 /* MediaDescriptor structures */
 
+typedef struct _GstValidateMediaFileNode GstValidateMediaFileNode;
+typedef struct _GstValidateMediaTagNode GstValidateMediaTagNode;
+
 typedef struct
 {
   /* Children */
@@ -170,4 +173,11 @@ typedef struct
   gchar *str_close;
 } GstValidateSegmentNode;
 
+void gst_validate_filenode_free (GstValidateMediaFileNode *
+    filenode);
+gboolean gst_validate_tag_node_compare (GstValidateMediaTagNode *
+    tnode, const GstTagList * tlist);
+
+GstValidateMediaFileNode * gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *self);
+
 #endif
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor-parser.c b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor-parser.c
index 153fe9294f..a71ca24a1f 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor-parser.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor-parser.c
@@ -230,7 +230,9 @@ on_start_element_cb (GMarkupParseContext * context,
     const gchar ** attribute_values, gpointer user_data, GError ** error)
 {
   GstValidateMediaFileNode
-      * filenode = GST_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR (user_data)->filenode;
+      * filenode =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (GST_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR
+      (user_data));
 
   GstValidateMediaDescriptorParserPrivate *priv =
       GST_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_PARSER (user_data)->priv;
@@ -468,12 +470,13 @@ gboolean
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_PARSER (parser),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser), FALSE);
 
   caps = gst_pad_query_caps (pad, NULL);
-  for (tmp = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser)->filenode->streams; tmp;
-      tmp = tmp->next) {
+  for (tmp =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+              *) parser)->streams; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
     GstValidateMediaStreamNode *streamnode = (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *)
         tmp->data;
 
@@ -499,11 +502,12 @@ gboolean
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_PARSER (parser),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser), FALSE);
 
-  for (tmp = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser)->filenode->streams; tmp;
-      tmp = tmp->next) {
+  for (tmp =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+              *) parser)->streams; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
     GstValidateMediaStreamNode *streamnode = (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *)
         tmp->data;
 
@@ -523,11 +527,13 @@ gboolean
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_PARSER (parser),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser), FALSE);
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_STRUCTURE (taglist), FALSE);
 
-  tagsnode = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser)->filenode->tags;
+  tagsnode =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+          *) parser)->tags;
 
   for (tmptag = tagsnode->tags; tmptag; tmptag = tmptag->next) {
     if (gst_validate_tag_node_compare ((GstValidateMediaTagNode *)
@@ -549,10 +555,12 @@ gboolean
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_PARSER (parser),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser), FALSE);
 
-  tagsnode = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) parser)->filenode->tags;
+  tagsnode =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+          *) parser)->tags;
   for (tmptag = tagsnode->tags; tmptag; tmptag = tmptag->next) {
     gchar *tag = NULL;
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor-writer.c b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor-writer.c
index 08d7398f75..95b3512743 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor-writer.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor-writer.c
@@ -125,7 +125,9 @@ serialize_filenode (GstValidateMediaDescriptorWriter * writer)
   GList *tmp, *tmp2;
   GstValidateMediaTagsNode *tagsnode;
   GstValidateMediaFileNode
-      * filenode = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode;
+      * filenode =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+          *) writer);
 
   tmpstr = g_markup_printf_escaped ("<file duration=\"%" G_GUINT64_FORMAT
       "\" frame-detection=\"%i\" skip-parsers=\"%i\" uri=\"%s\" seekable=\"%s\">\n",
@@ -197,9 +199,10 @@ static
 {
   GList *tmp;
 
-  for (tmp = md->filenode->streams; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
-    GstValidateMediaStreamNode
-        * streamnode = (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *) tmp->data;
+  for (tmp = gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (md)->streams; tmp;
+      tmp = tmp->next) {
+    GstValidateMediaStreamNode *streamnode =
+        (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *) tmp->data;
 
     if (streamnode->pad == pad) {
       return streamnode;
@@ -221,7 +224,9 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_new (GstValidateRunner * runner,
       g_object_new (GST_TYPE_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_WRITER,
       "validate-runner", runner, NULL);
 
-  fnode = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode;
+  fnode =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+          *) writer);
   fnode->uri = g_strdup (uri);
   fnode->duration = duration;
   fnode->seekable = seekable;
@@ -271,8 +276,8 @@ static gboolean
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_WRITER (writer),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer), FALSE);
 
   snode = g_slice_new0 (GstValidateMediaStreamNode);
   snode->frames = NULL;
@@ -314,9 +319,10 @@ static gboolean
 
   snode->str_close = g_markup_printf_escaped ("</stream>");
 
-  ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->streams =
-      g_list_prepend (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->
-      filenode->streams, snode);
+  gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *)
+      writer)->streams =
+      g_list_prepend (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->streams, snode);
 
   if (gst_discoverer_stream_info_get_tags (info)) {
     gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_add_tags (writer, snode->id,
@@ -398,8 +404,9 @@ _find_stream_id (GstPad * pad, GstEvent ** event,
     const gchar *stream_id;
 
     gst_event_parse_stream_start (*event, &stream_id);
-    for (tmp = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->streams; tmp;
-        tmp = tmp->next) {
+    for (tmp =
+        gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+                *) writer)->streams; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
       GstValidateMediaStreamNode *subnode =
           (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *) tmp->data;
       if (g_strcmp0 (subnode->id, stream_id) == 0) {
@@ -614,7 +621,9 @@ _run_frame_analysis (GstValidateMediaDescriptorWriter * writer,
 
   g_main_loop_run (writer->priv->loop);
 
-  filenode = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode;
+  filenode =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+          *) writer);
   /* Segment are always prepended, let's reorder them. */
   for (tmp = filenode->streams; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
     GstValidateMediaStreamNode
@@ -714,7 +723,8 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_new_discover (GstValidateRunner * runner,
       gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_add_taglist (writer, tags);
 
     if (GST_IS_DISCOVERER_CONTAINER_INFO (streaminfo)) {
-      ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->caps =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+              *) writer)->caps =
           gst_discoverer_stream_info_get_caps (GST_DISCOVERER_STREAM_INFO
           (streaminfo));
 
@@ -728,7 +738,8 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_new_discover (GstValidateRunner * runner,
       if (!GST_IS_DISCOVERER_AUDIO_INFO (info)
           && !GST_IS_DISCOVERER_AUDIO_INFO (info)
           && gst_discoverer_stream_info_get_next (streaminfo)) {
-        ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->caps =
+        gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+                *) writer)->caps =
             gst_discoverer_stream_info_get_caps (streaminfo);
         streaminfo = gst_discoverer_stream_info_get_next (streaminfo);
       }
@@ -743,8 +754,11 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_new_discover (GstValidateRunner * runner,
   }
 
   media_descriptor = (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer;
-  if (streams == NULL && media_descriptor->filenode->caps)
-    writer->priv->raw_caps = gst_caps_copy (media_descriptor->filenode->caps);
+  if (streams == NULL
+      && gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (media_descriptor)->caps)
+    writer->priv->raw_caps =
+        gst_caps_copy (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node
+        (media_descriptor)->caps);
 
   gst_discoverer_stream_info_list_free (streams);
 
@@ -774,11 +788,12 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_add_tags (GstValidateMediaDescriptorWriter
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_WRITER (writer),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer), FALSE);
 
-  for (tmp = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->streams; tmp;
-      tmp = tmp->next) {
+  for (tmp =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+              *) writer)->streams; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
     GstValidateMediaStreamNode *subnode =
         (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *) tmp->data;
     if (g_strcmp0 (subnode->id, stream_id) == 0) {
@@ -836,14 +851,15 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_add_pad (GstValidateMediaDescriptorWriter *
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_WRITER (writer),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer), FALSE);
 
   caps = gst_pad_get_current_caps (pad);
-  for (tmp = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->streams; tmp;
-      tmp = tmp->next) {
-    GstValidateMediaStreamNode
-        * streamnode = (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *) tmp->data;
+  for (tmp =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+              *) writer)->streams; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
+    GstValidateMediaStreamNode *streamnode =
+        (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *) tmp->data;
 
     if (streamnode->pad == pad) {
       goto done;
@@ -865,9 +881,10 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_add_pad (GstValidateMediaDescriptorWriter *
 
   snode->str_close = g_markup_printf_escaped ("</stream>");
 
-  ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->streams =
-      g_list_prepend (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->
-      filenode->streams, snode);
+  gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *)
+      writer)->streams =
+      g_list_prepend (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->streams, snode);
 
 done:
   if (caps != NULL)
@@ -888,16 +905,20 @@ gboolean
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_WRITER (writer),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer), FALSE);
 
-  if (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->tags == NULL) {
+  if (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+              *) writer)->tags == NULL) {
     tagsnode = g_slice_new0 (GstValidateMediaTagsNode);
     tagsnode->str_open = g_markup_printf_escaped ("<tags>");
     tagsnode->str_close = g_markup_printf_escaped ("</tags>");
-    ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->tags = tagsnode;
+    gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *)
+        writer)->tags = tagsnode;
   } else {
-    tagsnode = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode->tags;
+    tagsnode =
+        gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+            *) writer)->tags;
     for (tmptag = tagsnode->tags; tmptag; tmptag = tmptag->next) {
       if (gst_validate_tag_node_compare ((GstValidateMediaTagNode *)
               tmptag->data, taglist)) {
@@ -934,10 +955,12 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_add_frame (GstValidateMediaDescriptorWriter
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_WRITER (writer),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer), FALSE);
 
-  filenode = ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode;
+  filenode =
+      gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node ((GstValidateMediaDescriptor
+          *) writer);
   filenode->frame_detection = TRUE;
   filenode->skip_parsers =
       FLAG_IS_SET (writer,
@@ -1004,8 +1027,8 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_write (GstValidateMediaDescriptorWriter *
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_WRITER (writer),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer), FALSE);
 
   serialized = serialize_filenode (writer);
 
@@ -1025,8 +1048,8 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_writer_serialize (GstValidateMediaDescriptorWriter
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR_WRITER (writer),
       FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (((GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer)->filenode,
-      FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (
+          (GstValidateMediaDescriptor *) writer), FALSE);
 
   return serialize_filenode (writer);
 }
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor.c b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor.c
index f8f41be7ce..962bb9a30f 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor.c
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@
 
 struct _GstValidateMediaDescriptorPrivate
 {
-  gpointer dummy;
+  GstValidateMediaFileNode *filenode;
 };
 
 G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GstValidateMediaDescriptor,
@@ -148,8 +148,8 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_dispose (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 static void
 gst_validate_media_descriptor_finalize (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 {
-  if (self->filenode)
-    gst_validate_filenode_free (self->filenode);
+  if (self->priv->filenode)
+    gst_validate_filenode_free (self->priv->filenode);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (gst_validate_media_descriptor_parent_class)->finalize
       (G_OBJECT (self));
@@ -158,7 +158,8 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_finalize (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 static void
 gst_validate_media_descriptor_init (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 {
-  self->filenode = g_slice_new0 (GstValidateMediaFileNode);
+  self->priv = gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_instance_private (self);
+  self->priv->filenode = g_slice_new0 (GstValidateMediaFileNode);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -533,7 +534,7 @@ compare_streams (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * ref,
 {
   GstCaps *rcaps, *ccaps;
 
-  if (!stream_id_is_equal (ref->filenode->uri, rstream->id, cstream->id))
+  if (!stream_id_is_equal (ref->priv->filenode->uri, rstream->id, cstream->id))
     return FALSE;
 
   rcaps = caps_cleanup_parsing_fields (rstream->caps);
@@ -567,7 +568,7 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptors_compare (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * ref,
 {
   GList *rstream_list;
   GstValidateMediaFileNode
-      * rfilenode = ref->filenode, *cfilenode = compared->filenode;
+      * rfilenode = ref->priv->filenode, *cfilenode = compared->priv->filenode;
 
   if (rfilenode->duration != cfilenode->duration) {
     GST_VALIDATE_REPORT (ref, FILE_DURATION_INCORRECT,
@@ -619,9 +620,9 @@ gboolean
 gst_validate_media_descriptor_detects_frames (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR (self), FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (self->filenode, FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (self->priv->filenode, FALSE);
 
-  return self->filenode->frame_detection;
+  return self->priv->filenode->frame_detection;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -636,9 +637,9 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_buffers (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self,
   GstCaps *pad_caps = gst_pad_get_current_caps (pad);
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR (self), FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (self->filenode, FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (self->priv->filenode, FALSE);
 
-  for (tmpstream = self->filenode->streams;
+  for (tmpstream = self->priv->filenode->streams;
       tmpstream; tmpstream = tmpstream->next) {
     GstValidateMediaStreamNode
         * streamnode = (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *) tmpstream->data;
@@ -686,7 +687,7 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_has_frame_info (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 {
   GList *tmpstream;
 
-  for (tmpstream = self->filenode->streams;
+  for (tmpstream = self->priv->filenode->streams;
       tmpstream; tmpstream = tmpstream->next) {
     GstValidateMediaStreamNode
         * streamnode = (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *) tmpstream->data;
@@ -702,18 +703,18 @@ GstClockTime
 gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_duration (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR (self), FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (self->filenode, FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (self->priv->filenode, FALSE);
 
-  return self->filenode->duration;
+  return self->priv->filenode->duration;
 }
 
 gboolean
 gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_seekable (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_VALIDATE_MEDIA_DESCRIPTOR (self), FALSE);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (self->filenode, FALSE);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (self->priv->filenode, FALSE);
 
-  return self->filenode->seekable;
+  return self->priv->filenode->seekable;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -724,7 +725,7 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_pads (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 {
   GList *ret = NULL, *tmp;
 
-  for (tmp = self->filenode->streams; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
+  for (tmp = self->priv->filenode->streams; tmp; tmp = tmp->next) {
     GstValidateMediaStreamNode
         * snode = (GstValidateMediaStreamNode *) tmp->data;
     ret = g_list_append (ret, gst_pad_new (snode->padname, GST_PAD_UNKNOWN));
@@ -732,3 +733,10 @@ gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_pads (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
 
   return ret;
 }
+
+
+GstValidateMediaFileNode *
+gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_file_node (GstValidateMediaDescriptor * self)
+{
+  return self->priv->filenode;
+}
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor.h b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor.h
index 34b571eb4c..d272dcca86 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor.h
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/gst/validate/media-descriptor.h
@@ -33,16 +33,6 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
 
 #define GST_VALIDATE_UNKNOWN_BOOL - 1
 
-typedef struct _GstValidateMediaFileNode GstValidateMediaFileNode;
-typedef struct _GstValidateMediaTagNode GstValidateMediaTagNode;
-
-GST_VALIDATE_API
-void gst_validate_filenode_free (GstValidateMediaFileNode *
-    filenode);
-GST_VALIDATE_API
-gboolean gst_validate_tag_node_compare (GstValidateMediaTagNode *
-    tnode, const GstTagList * tlist);
-
 GST_VALIDATE_API
 GType gst_validate_media_descriptor_get_type (void);
 
@@ -66,8 +56,6 @@ typedef struct
 {
   GstObject parent;
 
-  GstValidateMediaFileNode *filenode;
-
   GMutex lock;
 
   /*< private >*/