diff --git a/gst/autodetect/gstautoaudiosink.c b/gst/autodetect/gstautoaudiosink.c
index 7d7975c3db..189698c89a 100644
--- a/gst/autodetect/gstautoaudiosink.c
+++ b/gst/autodetect/gstautoaudiosink.c
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ gst_auto_audio_sink_find_best (GstAutoAudioSink * sink)
   GSList *errors = NULL;
   GstBus *bus = gst_bus_new ();
   GstPad *el_pad = NULL;
-  GstCaps *el_caps = NULL, *intersect = NULL;
+  GstCaps *el_caps = NULL;
   gboolean no_match = TRUE;
 
   list = gst_registry_feature_filter (gst_registry_get_default (),
@@ -273,10 +273,8 @@ gst_auto_audio_sink_find_best (GstAutoAudioSink * sink)
         GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (sink,
             "Checking caps: %" GST_PTR_FORMAT " vs. %" GST_PTR_FORMAT,
             sink->filter_caps, el_caps);
-        intersect = gst_caps_intersect (sink->filter_caps, el_caps);
-        no_match = gst_caps_is_empty (intersect);
+        no_match = !gst_caps_can_intersect (sink->filter_caps, el_caps);
         gst_caps_unref (el_caps);
-        gst_caps_unref (intersect);
 
         if (no_match) {
           GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (sink, "Incompatible caps");
diff --git a/gst/autodetect/gstautoaudiosrc.c b/gst/autodetect/gstautoaudiosrc.c
index 076f6ff439..203857bcb4 100644
--- a/gst/autodetect/gstautoaudiosrc.c
+++ b/gst/autodetect/gstautoaudiosrc.c
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ gst_auto_audio_src_find_best (GstAutoAudioSrc * src)
   GSList *errors = NULL;
   GstBus *bus = gst_bus_new ();
   GstPad *el_pad = NULL;
-  GstCaps *el_caps = NULL, *intersect = NULL;
+  GstCaps *el_caps = NULL;
   gboolean no_match = TRUE;
 
   list = gst_registry_feature_filter (gst_registry_get_default (),
@@ -274,10 +274,8 @@ gst_auto_audio_src_find_best (GstAutoAudioSrc * src)
         GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src,
             "Checking caps: %" GST_PTR_FORMAT " vs. %" GST_PTR_FORMAT,
             src->filter_caps, el_caps);
-        intersect = gst_caps_intersect (src->filter_caps, el_caps);
-        no_match = gst_caps_is_empty (intersect);
+        no_match = !gst_caps_can_intersect (src->filter_caps, el_caps);
         gst_caps_unref (el_caps);
-        gst_caps_unref (intersect);
 
         if (no_match) {
           GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src, "Incompatible caps");
diff --git a/gst/autodetect/gstautovideosink.c b/gst/autodetect/gstautovideosink.c
index d0292fd5ce..3f32ec8945 100644
--- a/gst/autodetect/gstautovideosink.c
+++ b/gst/autodetect/gstautovideosink.c
@@ -243,7 +243,7 @@ gst_auto_video_sink_find_best (GstAutoVideoSink * sink)
   GSList *errors = NULL;
   GstBus *bus = gst_bus_new ();
   GstPad *el_pad = NULL;
-  GstCaps *el_caps = NULL, *intersect = NULL;
+  GstCaps *el_caps = NULL;
   gboolean no_match = TRUE;
 
   list = gst_registry_feature_filter (gst_registry_get_default (),
@@ -270,10 +270,8 @@ gst_auto_video_sink_find_best (GstAutoVideoSink * sink)
         GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (sink,
             "Checking caps: %" GST_PTR_FORMAT " vs. %" GST_PTR_FORMAT,
             sink->filter_caps, el_caps);
-        intersect = gst_caps_intersect (sink->filter_caps, el_caps);
-        no_match = gst_caps_is_empty (intersect);
+        no_match = !gst_caps_can_intersect (sink->filter_caps, el_caps);
         gst_caps_unref (el_caps);
-        gst_caps_unref (intersect);
 
         if (no_match) {
           GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (sink, "Incompatible caps");
diff --git a/gst/autodetect/gstautovideosrc.c b/gst/autodetect/gstautovideosrc.c
index 3fa19c69e1..94c8411bd2 100644
--- a/gst/autodetect/gstautovideosrc.c
+++ b/gst/autodetect/gstautovideosrc.c
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ gst_auto_video_src_find_best (GstAutoVideoSrc * src)
   GSList *errors = NULL;
   GstBus *bus = gst_bus_new ();
   GstPad *el_pad = NULL;
-  GstCaps *el_caps = NULL, *intersect = NULL;
+  GstCaps *el_caps = NULL;
   gboolean no_match = TRUE;
 
   list = gst_registry_feature_filter (gst_registry_get_default (),
@@ -271,10 +271,8 @@ gst_auto_video_src_find_best (GstAutoVideoSrc * src)
         GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src,
             "Checking caps: %" GST_PTR_FORMAT " vs. %" GST_PTR_FORMAT,
             src->filter_caps, el_caps);
-        intersect = gst_caps_intersect (src->filter_caps, el_caps);
-        no_match = gst_caps_is_empty (intersect);
+        no_match = !gst_caps_can_intersect (src->filter_caps, el_caps);
         gst_caps_unref (el_caps);
-        gst_caps_unref (intersect);
 
         if (no_match) {
           GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src, "Incompatible caps");