diff --git a/gst/aacparse/gstaacparse.c b/gst/aacparse/gstaacparse.c
index 6db4b61978..3f15a627af 100644
--- a/gst/aacparse/gstaacparse.c
+++ b/gst/aacparse/gstaacparse.c
@@ -200,6 +200,7 @@ gst_aacparse_finalize (GObject * object)
 /**
  * gst_aacparse_set_src_caps:
  * @aacparse: #GstAacParse.
+ * @sink_caps: (proposed) caps of sink pad
  *
  * Set source pad caps according to current knowledge about the
  * audio stream.
@@ -207,13 +208,12 @@ gst_aacparse_finalize (GObject * object)
  * Returns: TRUE if caps were successfully set.
  */
 static gboolean
-gst_aacparse_set_src_caps (GstAacParse * aacparse)
+gst_aacparse_set_src_caps (GstAacParse * aacparse, GstCaps * sink_caps)
 {
   GstStructure *s;
-  GstCaps *sink_caps, *src_caps = NULL;
+  GstCaps *src_caps = NULL;
   gboolean res = FALSE;
 
-  sink_caps = GST_PAD_CAPS (GST_BASE_PARSE (aacparse)->sinkpad);
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (aacparse, "sink caps: %" GST_PTR_FORMAT, sink_caps);
   if (sink_caps)
     src_caps = gst_caps_copy (sink_caps);
@@ -282,6 +282,10 @@ gst_aacparse_sink_setcaps (GstBaseParse * parse, GstCaps * caps)
 
       GST_DEBUG ("codec_data: object_type=%d, sample_rate=%d, channels=%d",
           aacparse->object_type, aacparse->sample_rate, aacparse->channels);
+
+      /* arrange for metadata and get out of the way */
+      gst_aacparse_set_src_caps (aacparse, caps);
+      gst_base_parse_set_passthrough (parse, TRUE);
     } else
       return FALSE;
   }
@@ -680,7 +684,8 @@ gst_aacparse_parse_frame (GstBaseParse * parse, GstBuffer * buffer)
   aacparse->bytecount += GST_BUFFER_SIZE (buffer);
 
   if (!aacparse->src_caps_set) {
-    if (!gst_aacparse_set_src_caps (aacparse)) {
+    if (!gst_aacparse_set_src_caps (aacparse,
+            GST_PAD_CAPS (GST_BASE_PARSE (aacparse)->sinkpad))) {
       /* If linking fails, we need to return appropriate error */
       ret = GST_FLOW_NOT_LINKED;
     }
@@ -713,6 +718,7 @@ gst_aacparse_start (GstBaseParse * parse)
   aacparse->ts = 0;
   aacparse->sync = FALSE;
   aacparse->eos = FALSE;
+  gst_base_parse_set_passthrough (parse, FALSE);
   return TRUE;
 }
 
diff --git a/gst/aacparse/gstbaseparse.c b/gst/aacparse/gstbaseparse.c
index cdd8b1822c..333485f9a7 100644
--- a/gst/aacparse/gstbaseparse.c
+++ b/gst/aacparse/gstbaseparse.c
@@ -201,6 +201,7 @@ struct _GstBaseParsePrivate
   GstFormat duration_fmt;
 
   guint min_frame_size;
+  gboolean passthrough;
 
   gboolean discont;
   gboolean flushing;
@@ -405,6 +406,7 @@ gst_base_parse_init (GstBaseParse * parse, GstBaseParseClass * bclass)
   parse->priv->pad_mode = GST_ACTIVATE_NONE;
   parse->priv->duration = -1;
   parse->priv->min_frame_size = 1;
+  parse->priv->passthrough = FALSE;
   parse->priv->discont = FALSE;
   parse->priv->flushing = FALSE;
   parse->priv->offset = 0;
@@ -919,7 +921,11 @@ gst_base_parse_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
   if (G_LIKELY (buffer)) {
     GST_LOG_OBJECT (parse, "buffer size: %d, offset = %lld",
         GST_BUFFER_SIZE (buffer), GST_BUFFER_OFFSET (buffer));
-    gst_adapter_push (parse->adapter, buffer);
+    if (G_UNLIKELY (parse->priv->passthrough)) {
+      buffer = gst_buffer_make_metadata_writable (buffer);
+      return gst_base_parse_push_buffer (parse, buffer);
+    } else
+      gst_adapter_push (parse->adapter, buffer);
   }
 
   /* Parse and push as many frames as possible */
@@ -1410,6 +1416,30 @@ gst_base_parse_set_min_frame_size (GstBaseParse * parse, guint min_size)
   GST_BASE_PARSE_UNLOCK (parse);
 }
 
+/**
+ * gst_base_transform_set_passthrough:
+ * @trans: the #GstBaseTransform to set
+ * @passthrough: boolean indicating passthrough mode.
+ *
+ * Set passthrough mode for this filter by default. This is mostly
+ * useful for filters that do not care about negotiation.
+ *
+ * Always TRUE for filters which don't implement either a transform
+ * or transform_ip method.
+ *
+ * MT safe.
+ */
+void
+gst_base_parse_set_passthrough (GstBaseParse * parse, gboolean passthrough)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (parse != NULL);
+
+  GST_BASE_PARSE_LOCK (parse);
+  parse->priv->passthrough = passthrough;
+  GST_LOG_OBJECT (parse, "set passthrough: %d", passthrough);
+  GST_BASE_PARSE_UNLOCK (parse);
+}
+
 
 /**
  * gst_base_parse_get_querytypes:
diff --git a/gst/aacparse/gstbaseparse.h b/gst/aacparse/gstbaseparse.h
index 9d53f07b22..6363f1c687 100644
--- a/gst/aacparse/gstbaseparse.h
+++ b/gst/aacparse/gstbaseparse.h
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ void gst_base_parse_set_duration (GstBaseParse *parse,
 
 void gst_base_parse_set_min_frame_size (GstBaseParse *parse,
                                         guint min_size);
+void gst_base_parse_set_passthrough (GstBaseParse * parse, gboolean passthrough);
 
 G_END_DECLS