diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstdmabuf.c b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstdmabuf.c
index 7dbceffe11..785a07634a 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstdmabuf.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstdmabuf.c
@@ -106,16 +106,9 @@ gst_dmabuf_allocator_new (void)
 GstMemory *
 gst_dmabuf_allocator_alloc (GstAllocator * allocator, gint fd, gsize size)
 {
-  GstFdAllocator *alloc = GST_FD_ALLOCATOR_CAST (allocator);
-  GstFdAllocatorClass *klass = GST_FD_ALLOCATOR_GET_CLASS (alloc);
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_DMABUF_ALLOCATOR (allocator), NULL);
 
-  if (!GST_IS_DMABUF_ALLOCATOR (allocator)) {
-    GST_WARNING ("it isn't the correct allocator for dmabuf");
-    return NULL;
-  }
-
-  GST_DEBUG ("alloc from allocator %p", allocator);
-  return klass->alloc (alloc, fd, size, GST_FD_MEMORY_FLAG_NONE);
+  return gst_fd_allocator_alloc (allocator, fd, size, GST_FD_MEMORY_FLAG_NONE);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstfdmemory.c b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstfdmemory.c
index 2a0e4f4a9a..95f544f859 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstfdmemory.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstfdmemory.c
@@ -177,13 +177,75 @@ gst_fd_mem_share (GstMemory * gmem, gssize offset, gssize size)
 #endif
 }
 
-static GstMemory *
-gst_fd_allocator_alloc (GstFdAllocator * allocator, gint fd, gsize size,
+G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstFdAllocator, gst_fd_allocator, GST_TYPE_ALLOCATOR);
+
+static void
+gst_fd_allocator_class_init (GstFdAllocatorClass * klass)
+{
+  GstAllocatorClass *allocator_class;
+
+  allocator_class = (GstAllocatorClass *) klass;
+
+  allocator_class->alloc = NULL;
+  allocator_class->free = gst_fd_mem_free;
+
+}
+
+static void
+gst_fd_allocator_init (GstFdAllocator * allocator)
+{
+  GstAllocator *alloc = GST_ALLOCATOR_CAST (allocator);
+
+  alloc->mem_type = GST_ALLOCATOR_FD;
+
+  alloc->mem_map = gst_fd_mem_map;
+  alloc->mem_unmap = gst_fd_mem_unmap;
+  alloc->mem_share = gst_fd_mem_share;
+
+  GST_OBJECT_FLAG_SET (allocator, GST_ALLOCATOR_FLAG_CUSTOM_ALLOC);
+}
+
+/**
+ * gst_fd_allocator_new:
+ *
+ * Return a new fd allocator.
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer full): a new fd allocator, or NULL if the allocator
+ *    isn't available. Use gst_object_unref() to release the allocator after
+ *    usage
+ *
+ * Since: 1.6
+ */
+GstAllocator *
+gst_fd_allocator_new (void)
+{
+  return g_object_new (GST_TYPE_FD_ALLOCATOR, NULL);
+}
+
+/**
+ * gst_fd_allocator_alloc:
+ * @allocator: (allow-none): allocator to be used for this memory
+ * @fd: file descriptor
+ * @size: memory size
+ * @flags: extra #GstFdMemoryFlags
+ *
+ * Return a %GstMemory that wraps a generic file descriptor.
+ *
+ * Returns: (transfer full): a GstMemory based on @allocator.
+ * When the buffer will be released the allocator will close the @fd.
+ * The memory is only mmapped on gst_buffer_mmap() request.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.6
+ */
+GstMemory *
+gst_fd_allocator_alloc (GstAllocator * allocator, gint fd, gsize size,
     GstFdMemoryFlags flags)
 {
 #ifdef HAVE_MMAP
   GstFdMemory *mem;
 
+  g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_FD_ALLOCATOR (allocator), NULL);
+
   mem = g_slice_new0 (GstFdMemory);
   gst_memory_init (GST_MEMORY_CAST (mem), 0, GST_ALLOCATOR_CAST (allocator),
       NULL, size, 0, 0, size);
@@ -201,33 +263,6 @@ gst_fd_allocator_alloc (GstFdAllocator * allocator, gint fd, gsize size,
 #endif
 }
 
-G_DEFINE_ABSTRACT_TYPE (GstFdAllocator, gst_fd_allocator, GST_TYPE_ALLOCATOR);
-
-static void
-gst_fd_allocator_class_init (GstFdAllocatorClass * klass)
-{
-  GstAllocatorClass *allocator_class;
-
-  allocator_class = (GstAllocatorClass *) klass;
-
-  allocator_class->alloc = NULL;
-  allocator_class->free = gst_fd_mem_free;
-
-  klass->alloc = gst_fd_allocator_alloc;
-}
-
-static void
-gst_fd_allocator_init (GstFdAllocator * allocator)
-{
-  GstAllocator *alloc = GST_ALLOCATOR_CAST (allocator);
-
-  alloc->mem_map = gst_fd_mem_map;
-  alloc->mem_unmap = gst_fd_mem_unmap;
-  alloc->mem_share = gst_fd_mem_share;
-
-  GST_OBJECT_FLAG_SET (allocator, GST_ALLOCATOR_FLAG_CUSTOM_ALLOC);
-}
-
 /**
  * gst_is_fd_memory:
  * @mem: #GstMemory
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstfdmemory.h b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstfdmemory.h
index fdcc677e1b..178698b2f4 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstfdmemory.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/allocators/gstfdmemory.h
@@ -28,6 +28,8 @@ G_BEGIN_DECLS
 typedef struct _GstFdAllocator GstFdAllocator;
 typedef struct _GstFdAllocatorClass GstFdAllocatorClass;
 
+#define GST_ALLOCATOR_FD "fd"
+
 #define GST_TYPE_FD_ALLOCATOR              (gst_fd_allocator_get_type())
 #define GST_IS_FD_ALLOCATOR(obj)           (G_TYPE_CHECK_INSTANCE_TYPE ((obj), GST_TYPE_FD_ALLOCATOR))
 #define GST_IS_FD_ALLOCATOR_CLASS(klass)   (G_TYPE_CHECK_CLASS_TYPE ((klass), GST_TYPE_FD_ALLOCATOR))
@@ -68,16 +70,16 @@ struct _GstFdAllocator
 struct _GstFdAllocatorClass
 {
   GstAllocatorClass parent_class;
-
-  /*< protected >*/
-  GstMemory * (*alloc)  (GstFdAllocator *alloc, gint fd,
-                         gsize size, GstFdMemoryFlags flags);
 };
 
 GType gst_fd_allocator_get_type (void);
 
-gboolean     gst_is_fd_memory                    (GstMemory *mem);
-gint         gst_fd_memory_get_fd                (GstMemory *mem);
+GstAllocator *  gst_fd_allocator_new    (void);
+GstMemory *     gst_fd_allocator_alloc  (GstAllocator * allocator, gint fd,
+                                         gsize size, GstFdMemoryFlags flags);
+
+gboolean        gst_is_fd_memory        (GstMemory *mem);
+gint            gst_fd_memory_get_fd    (GstMemory *mem);
 
 G_END_DECLS