diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/gst/videofilter/gstvideoflip.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/gst/videofilter/gstvideoflip.c
index 5cb7542d43..799513542b 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/gst/videofilter/gstvideoflip.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-good/gst/videofilter/gstvideoflip.c
@@ -1803,19 +1803,15 @@ gst_video_flip_sink_event (GstBaseTransform * trans, GstEvent * event)
         }
 
         if (vf->method == GST_VIDEO_ORIENTATION_AUTO) {
-          /* update the orientation tag as we rotate the video accordingly */
-          if (gst_tag_list_is_writable (taglist)) {
-            gst_tag_list_add (taglist, GST_TAG_MERGE_REPLACE,
-                "image-orientation", "rotate-0", NULL);
-          } else {
-            taglist = gst_tag_list_copy (taglist);
+          /* Update the orientation tag as we rotate the video accordingly.
+           * The event (and so the tag list) can be shared so always copy both. */
+          taglist = gst_tag_list_copy (taglist);
 
-            gst_tag_list_add (taglist, GST_TAG_MERGE_REPLACE,
-                "image-orientation", "rotate-0", NULL);
+          gst_tag_list_add (taglist, GST_TAG_MERGE_REPLACE,
+              "image-orientation", "rotate-0", NULL);
 
-            gst_event_unref (event);
-            event = gst_event_new_tag (taglist);
-          }
+          gst_event_unref (event);
+          event = gst_event_new_tag (taglist);
         }
       } else {
         // no orientation in tag