diff --git a/gst/gststructure.c b/gst/gststructure.c
index 2d512b6ea3..77ebc49d24 100644
--- a/gst/gststructure.c
+++ b/gst/gststructure.c
@@ -657,18 +657,19 @@ gst_structure_set_field (GstStructure * structure, GstStructureField * field)
     s = g_value_get_string (&field->value);
     /* only check for NULL strings in taglists, as they are allowed in message
      * structs, e.g. error message debug strings */
-    if (G_UNLIKELY (s == NULL && IS_TAGLIST (structure))) {
-      g_warning ("Trying to set NULL string on field '%s' on taglist. "
-          "Please file a bug.", g_quark_to_string (field->name));
-      g_value_unset (&field->value);
-      return;
-    } else if (G_UNLIKELY (s != NULL && *s == '\0')) {
-      /* empty strings never make sense */
-      g_warning ("Trying to set empty string on %s field '%s'. Please file a "
-          "bug.", IS_TAGLIST (structure) ? "taglist" : "structure",
-          g_quark_to_string (field->name));
-      g_value_unset (&field->value);
-      return;
+    if (G_UNLIKELY (IS_TAGLIST (structure) && (s == NULL || *s == '\0'))) {
+      if (s == NULL) {
+        g_warning ("Trying to set NULL string on field '%s' on taglist. "
+            "Please file a bug.", g_quark_to_string (field->name));
+        g_value_unset (&field->value);
+        return;
+      } else {
+        /* empty strings never make sense */
+        g_warning ("Trying to set empty string on taglist field '%s'. "
+            "Please file a bug.", g_quark_to_string (field->name));
+        g_value_unset (&field->value);
+        return;
+      }
     } else if (G_UNLIKELY (s != NULL && !g_utf8_validate (s, -1, NULL))) {
       g_warning ("Trying to set string on %s field '%s', but string is not "
           "valid UTF-8. Please file a bug.",
@@ -1602,7 +1603,7 @@ priv_gst_structure_append_to_gstring (const GstStructure * structure,
     g_string_append_len (s, "=(", 2);
     g_string_append (s, gst_structure_to_abbr (type));
     g_string_append_c (s, ')');
-    g_string_append (s, GST_STR_NULL (t));
+    g_string_append (s, t == NULL ? "NULL" : t);
     g_free (t);
   }
 
@@ -1653,7 +1654,8 @@ gst_structure_to_string (const GstStructure * structure)
  * THIS FUNCTION MODIFIES THE STRING AND DETECTS INSIDE A NONTERMINATED STRING
  */
 static gboolean
-gst_structure_parse_string (gchar * s, gchar ** end, gchar ** next)
+gst_structure_parse_string (gchar * s, gchar ** end, gchar ** next,
+    gboolean unescape)
 {
   gchar *w;
 
@@ -1669,21 +1671,32 @@ gst_structure_parse_string (gchar * s, gchar ** end, gchar ** next)
     return ret;
   }
 
-  w = s;
-  s++;
-  while (*s != '"') {
-    if (*s == 0)
-      return FALSE;
-
-    if (*s == '\\') {
+  if (unescape) {
+    w = s;
+    s++;
+    while (*s != '"') {
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (*s == 0))
+        return FALSE;
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (*s == '\\'))
+        s++;
+      *w = *s;
+      w++;
       s++;
     }
-
-    *w = *s;
-    w++;
     s++;
+  } else {
+    /* Find the closing quotes */
+    s++;
+    while (*s != '"') {
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (*s == 0))
+        return FALSE;
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (*s == '\\'))
+        s++;
+      s++;
+    }
+    s++;
+    w = s;
   }
-  s++;
 
   *end = w;
   *next = s;
@@ -1931,11 +1944,7 @@ gst_structure_parse_value (gchar * str,
     ret = gst_structure_parse_array (s, &s, value, type);
   } else {
     value_s = s;
-    if (G_UNLIKELY (!gst_structure_parse_string (s, &value_end, &s)))
-      return FALSE;
 
-    c = *value_end;
-    *value_end = '\0';
     if (G_UNLIKELY (type == G_TYPE_INVALID)) {
       GType try_types[] =
           { G_TYPE_INT, G_TYPE_DOUBLE, GST_TYPE_FRACTION, G_TYPE_BOOLEAN,
@@ -1943,6 +1952,12 @@ gst_structure_parse_value (gchar * str,
       };
       int i;
 
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (!gst_structure_parse_string (s, &value_end, &s, TRUE)))
+        return FALSE;
+      /* Set NULL terminator for deserialization */
+      c = *value_end;
+      *value_end = '\0';
+
       for (i = 0; i < G_N_ELEMENTS (try_types); i++) {
         g_value_init (value, try_types[i]);
         ret = gst_value_deserialize (value, value_s);
@@ -1953,6 +1968,13 @@ gst_structure_parse_value (gchar * str,
     } else {
       g_value_init (value, type);
 
+      if (G_UNLIKELY (!gst_structure_parse_string (s, &value_end, &s,
+                  (type != G_TYPE_STRING))))
+        return FALSE;
+      /* Set NULL terminator for deserialization */
+      c = *value_end;
+      *value_end = '\0';
+
       ret = gst_value_deserialize (value, value_s);
       if (G_UNLIKELY (!ret))
         g_value_unset (value);
@@ -1999,7 +2021,7 @@ gst_structure_from_string (const gchar * string, gchar ** end)
     r++;
 
   name = r;
-  if (G_UNLIKELY (!gst_structure_parse_string (r, &w, &r))) {
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (!gst_structure_parse_string (r, &w, &r, TRUE))) {
     GST_WARNING ("Failed to parse structure string");
     goto error;
   }
diff --git a/gst/gstvalue.c b/gst/gstvalue.c
index bbcfa1d4ac..358fa82030 100644
--- a/gst/gstvalue.c
+++ b/gst/gstvalue.c
@@ -1803,8 +1803,10 @@ gst_value_deserialize_float (GValue * dest, const gchar * s)
 static gint
 gst_value_compare_string (const GValue * value1, const GValue * value2)
 {
-  if (!value1->data[0].v_pointer || !value2->data[0].v_pointer) {
-    return GST_VALUE_UNORDERED;
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (!value1->data[0].v_pointer || !value2->data[0].v_pointer)) {
+    /* if only one is NULL, no match - otherwise both NULL == EQUAL */
+    if (value1->data[0].v_pointer != value2->data[0].v_pointer)
+      return GST_VALUE_UNORDERED;
   } else {
     int x = strcmp (value1->data[0].v_pointer, value2->data[0].v_pointer);
 
@@ -1812,8 +1814,9 @@ gst_value_compare_string (const GValue * value1, const GValue * value2)
       return GST_VALUE_LESS_THAN;
     if (x > 0)
       return GST_VALUE_GREATER_THAN;
-    return GST_VALUE_EQUAL;
   }
+
+  return GST_VALUE_EQUAL;
 }
 
 static int
@@ -1822,9 +1825,13 @@ gst_string_measure_wrapping (const gchar * s)
   int len;
   gboolean wrap = FALSE;
 
-  if (s == NULL)
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (s == NULL))
     return -1;
 
+  /* Special case: the actual string NULL needs wrapping */
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (strcmp (s, "NULL") == 0))
+    return 4;
+
   len = 0;
   while (*s) {
     if (GST_ASCII_IS_STRING (*s)) {
@@ -1839,7 +1846,9 @@ gst_string_measure_wrapping (const gchar * s)
     s++;
   }
 
-  return wrap ? len : -1;
+  /* Wrap the string if we found something that needs
+   * wrapping, or the empty string (len == 0) */
+  return (wrap || len == 0) ? len : -1;
 }
 
 static gchar *
@@ -1866,6 +1875,7 @@ gst_string_wrap_inner (const gchar * s, int len)
   *e++ = '\"';
   *e = 0;
 
+  g_assert (e - d <= len + 3);
   return d;
 }
 
@@ -1875,7 +1885,7 @@ gst_string_wrap (const gchar * s)
 {
   int len = gst_string_measure_wrapping (s);
 
-  if (len < 0)
+  if (G_LIKELY (len < 0))
     return g_strdup (s);
 
   return gst_string_wrap_inner (s, len);
@@ -1888,7 +1898,7 @@ gst_string_take_and_wrap (gchar * s)
   gchar *out;
   int len = gst_string_measure_wrapping (s);
 
-  if (len < 0)
+  if (G_LIKELY (len < 0))
     return s;
 
   out = gst_string_wrap_inner (s, len);
@@ -1991,14 +2001,16 @@ gst_value_serialize_string (const GValue * value)
 static gboolean
 gst_value_deserialize_string (GValue * dest, const gchar * s)
 {
-  if (*s != '"') {
+  if (G_UNLIKELY (strcmp (s, "NULL") == 0)) {
+    g_value_set_string (dest, NULL);
+    return TRUE;
+  } else if (G_LIKELY (*s != '"')) {
     if (!g_utf8_validate (s, -1, NULL))
       return FALSE;
     g_value_set_string (dest, s);
     return TRUE;
   } else {
     gchar *str = gst_string_unwrap (s);
-
     if (G_UNLIKELY (!str))
       return FALSE;
     g_value_take_string (dest, str);
diff --git a/tests/check/gst/gststructure.c b/tests/check/gst/gststructure.c
index bd126cf22b..ecc264e5e1 100644
--- a/tests/check/gst/gststructure.c
+++ b/tests/check/gst/gststructure.c
@@ -213,6 +213,40 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_complete_structure)
 
 GST_END_TEST;
 
+GST_START_TEST (test_string_properties)
+{
+  GstCaps *caps1, *caps2;
+  GstStructure *st1, *st2;
+  gchar *str, *res1, *res2;
+
+  /* test escaping/unescaping */
+  st1 = gst_structure_new ("RandomStructure", "prop1", G_TYPE_STRING, "foo",
+      "prop2", G_TYPE_STRING, "", "prop3", G_TYPE_STRING, NULL,
+      "prop4", G_TYPE_STRING, "NULL", NULL);
+  str = gst_structure_to_string (st1);
+  st2 = gst_structure_from_string (str, NULL);
+  g_free (str);
+
+  fail_unless (st2 != NULL);
+
+  /* need to put stuctures into caps to compare */
+  caps1 = gst_caps_new_empty ();
+  gst_caps_append_structure (caps1, st1);
+  caps2 = gst_caps_new_empty ();
+  gst_caps_append_structure (caps2, st2);
+  res1 = gst_caps_to_string (caps1);
+  res2 = gst_caps_to_string (caps2);
+  fail_unless (gst_caps_is_equal (caps1, caps2),
+      "Structures did not match:\n\tStructure 1: %s\n\tStructure 2: %s\n",
+      res1, res2);
+  gst_caps_unref (caps1);
+  gst_caps_unref (caps2);
+  g_free (res1);
+  g_free (res2);
+}
+
+GST_END_TEST;
+
 GST_START_TEST (test_structure_new)
 {
   GstStructure *s;
@@ -421,18 +455,6 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_structure_nested_from_and_to_string)
 
 GST_END_TEST;
 
-GST_START_TEST (test_empty_string_fields)
-{
-  GstStructure *s;
-
-  s = gst_structure_empty_new ("con/struct");
-  ASSERT_WARNING (gst_structure_set (s, "layout", G_TYPE_STRING, "", NULL));
-  gst_structure_set (s, "debug-string", G_TYPE_STRING, NULL, NULL);
-  gst_structure_free (s);
-}
-
-GST_END_TEST;
-
 GST_START_TEST (test_vararg_getters)
 {
   GstStructure *s;
@@ -546,13 +568,13 @@ gst_structure_suite (void)
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_from_string);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_to_string);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_to_from_string);
+  tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_string_properties);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_complete_structure);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_structure_new);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_fixate);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_fixate_frac_list);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_structure_nested);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_structure_nested_from_and_to_string);
-  tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_empty_string_fields);
   tcase_add_test (tc_chain, test_vararg_getters);
   return s;
 }
diff --git a/tests/check/gst/gstvalue.c b/tests/check/gst/gstvalue.c
index 73cebe10bc..acdfa22ff0 100644
--- a/tests/check/gst/gstvalue.c
+++ b/tests/check/gst/gstvalue.c
@@ -428,7 +428,8 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_string)
   gchar *try[] = {
     "Dude",
     "Hi, I'm a string",
-    "tüüüt!"
+    "tüüüt!",
+    "\"\""                      /* Empty string */
   };
   gchar *tmp;
   GValue v = { 0, };
@@ -465,7 +466,8 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_deserialize_string)
     {
     "", ""},                    /* empty strings */
     {
-    "\"\"", ""},                /* FAILURES */
+    "\"\"", ""},                /* quoted empty string -> empty string */
+        /* Expected FAILURES: */
     {
     "\"", NULL},                /* missing second quote */
     {
@@ -538,6 +540,12 @@ GST_START_TEST (test_value_compare)
   fail_unless (gst_value_compare (&value1, &value2) == GST_VALUE_LESS_THAN);
   fail_unless (gst_value_compare (&value2, &value1) == GST_VALUE_GREATER_THAN);
   fail_unless (gst_value_compare (&value1, &value1) == GST_VALUE_EQUAL);
+  /* Test some NULL string comparisons */
+  g_value_set_string (&value2, NULL);
+  fail_unless (gst_value_compare (&value1, &value2) == GST_VALUE_UNORDERED);
+  fail_unless (gst_value_compare (&value2, &value1) == GST_VALUE_UNORDERED);
+  fail_unless (gst_value_compare (&value2, &value2) == GST_VALUE_EQUAL);
+
   g_value_unset (&value1);
   g_value_unset (&value2);