diff --git a/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c b/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c
index e23f572485..7484079c54 100644
--- a/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c
+++ b/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c
@@ -134,6 +134,7 @@ struct _GstPlaySink
   gboolean mute;
   gchar *font_desc;             /* font description */
   guint connection_speed;       /* connection speed in bits/sec (0 = unknown) */
+  gint count;
 };
 
 struct _GstPlaySinkClass
@@ -1603,6 +1604,7 @@ gst_play_sink_request_pad (GstPlaySink * playsink, GstPlaySinkType type)
   GstPad *res = NULL;
   gboolean created = FALSE;
   gboolean raw = FALSE;
+  gboolean activate = TRUE;
 
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (playsink, "request pad type %d", type);
 
@@ -1658,6 +1660,19 @@ gst_play_sink_request_pad (GstPlaySink * playsink, GstPlaySinkType type)
       }
       res = playsink->text_pad;
       break;
+    case GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_FLUSHING:
+    {
+      gchar *padname;
+
+      /* we need a unique padname for the flushing pad. */
+      padname = g_strdup_printf ("flushing_%d", playsink->count);
+      res = gst_ghost_pad_new_no_target (padname, GST_PAD_SINK);
+      g_free (padname);
+      playsink->count++;
+      activate = FALSE;
+      created = TRUE;
+      break;
+    }
     default:
       res = NULL;
       break;
@@ -1665,8 +1680,12 @@ gst_play_sink_request_pad (GstPlaySink * playsink, GstPlaySinkType type)
   GST_PLAY_SINK_UNLOCK (playsink);
 
   if (created && res) {
+    /* we have to add the pad when it's active or we get an error when the
+     * element is 'running' */
     gst_pad_set_active (res, TRUE);
     gst_element_add_pad (GST_ELEMENT_CAST (playsink), res);
+    if (!activate)
+      gst_pad_set_active (res, activate);
   }
 
   return res;
@@ -1686,6 +1705,9 @@ gst_play_sink_release_pad (GstPlaySink * playsink, GstPad * pad)
     res = &playsink->audio_pad;
   } else if (pad == playsink->text_pad) {
     res = &playsink->text_pad;
+  } else {
+    /* try to release the given pad anyway, these could be the FLUSHING pads. */
+    res = &pad;
   }
   GST_PLAY_SINK_UNLOCK (playsink);
 
diff --git a/gst/playback/gstplaysink.h b/gst/playback/gstplaysink.h
index 5bdda290bd..50585441c6 100644
--- a/gst/playback/gstplaysink.h
+++ b/gst/playback/gstplaysink.h
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
  * @GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_VIDEO_RAW: a raw video pad
  * @GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_TEXT: a raw text pad
  * @GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_LAST: the last type
+ * @GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_FLUSHING: a flushing pad, used when shutting down
  *
  * Types of pads that can be requested from the sinks.
  */
@@ -54,7 +55,8 @@ typedef enum {
   GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_VIDEO     = 2,
   GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_VIDEO_RAW = 3,
   GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_TEXT      = 4,
-  GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_LAST      = 5
+  GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_LAST      = 5,
+  GST_PLAY_SINK_TYPE_FLUSHING  = 6
 } GstPlaySinkType;
 
 typedef struct _GstPlaySink GstPlaySink;