diff --git a/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c b/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c
index c01e29f457..ac7517eb56 100644
--- a/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c
+++ b/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c
@@ -60,8 +60,7 @@ static void gst_ladspa_set_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id,
 static void gst_ladspa_get_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id,
     GValue * value, GParamSpec * pspec);
 
-static gboolean gst_ladspa_setup (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc,
-    guint sample_rate);
+static gboolean gst_ladspa_setup (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc, GstCaps * caps);
 static gboolean gst_ladspa_start (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc);
 static void gst_ladspa_stop (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc);
 static void gst_ladspa_cleanup (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc);
@@ -557,13 +556,15 @@ gst_ladspa_get_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id, GValue * value,
 }
 
 static gboolean
-gst_ladspa_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, guint sample_rate)
+gst_ladspa_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, GstCaps * caps)
 {
   GstLADSPA *ladspa;
   GstLADSPAClass *oclass;
   GstSignalProcessorClass *gsp_class;
   LADSPA_Descriptor *desc;
-  int i;
+  GstStructure *s;
+  gint sample_rate;
+  gint i;
 
   gsp_class = GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_GET_CLASS (gsp);
   ladspa = (GstLADSPA *) gsp;
@@ -573,6 +574,10 @@ gst_ladspa_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, guint sample_rate)
   g_return_val_if_fail (ladspa->handle == NULL, FALSE);
   g_return_val_if_fail (ladspa->activated == FALSE, FALSE);
 
+  s = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
+  if (!gst_structure_get_int (s, "rate", &sample_rate))
+    goto no_sample_rate;
+
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ladspa, "instantiating the plugin at %d Hz", sample_rate);
 
   ladspa->handle = desc->instantiate (desc, sample_rate);
@@ -588,6 +593,12 @@ gst_ladspa_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, guint sample_rate)
         oclass->control_out_portnums[i], &(gsp->control_out[i]));
 
   return TRUE;
+
+no_sample_rate:
+  {
+    GST_WARNING_OBJECT (gsp, "got no sample-rate");
+    return FALSE;
+  }
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c b/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c
index 4f6ffe05af..99e5f5f61d 100644
--- a/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c
+++ b/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ static void gst_lv2_set_property (GObject * object,
 static void gst_lv2_get_property (GObject * object,
     guint prop_id, GValue * value, GParamSpec * pspec);
 
-static gboolean gst_lv2_setup (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc, guint sample_rate);
+static gboolean gst_lv2_setup (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc, GstCaps * caps);
 static gboolean gst_lv2_start (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc);
 static void gst_lv2_stop (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc);
 static void gst_lv2_cleanup (GstSignalProcessor * sigproc);
@@ -591,11 +591,13 @@ gst_lv2_get_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id, GValue * value,
 }
 
 static gboolean
-gst_lv2_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, guint sample_rate)
+gst_lv2_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, GstCaps * caps)
 {
   GstLV2 *lv2;
   GstLV2Class *oclass;
   GstSignalProcessorClass *gsp_class;
+  GstStructure *s;
+  gint sample_rate;
   gint i;
 
   gsp_class = GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_GET_CLASS (gsp);
@@ -604,6 +606,10 @@ gst_lv2_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, guint sample_rate)
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (lv2->activated == FALSE, FALSE);
 
+  s = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
+  if (!gst_structure_get_int (s, "rate", &sample_rate))
+    goto no_sample_rate;
+
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (lv2, "instantiating the plugin at %d Hz", sample_rate);
 
   lv2->instance = slv2_plugin_instantiate (oclass->plugin, sample_rate, NULL);
@@ -621,6 +627,12 @@ gst_lv2_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, guint sample_rate)
         &(gsp->control_out[i]));
 
   return TRUE;
+
+no_sample_rate:
+  {
+    GST_WARNING_OBJECT (gsp, "got no sample-rate");
+    return FALSE;
+  }
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.c b/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.c
index b474f0578a..2cfe3ee7e9 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.c
@@ -278,8 +278,6 @@ gst_signal_processor_init (GstSignalProcessor * self,
   /* init */
   self->pending_in = klass->num_group_in + klass->num_audio_in;
   self->pending_out = 0;
-
-  self->sample_rate = 0;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -304,7 +302,7 @@ gst_signal_processor_finalize (GObject * object)
 }
 
 static gboolean
-gst_signal_processor_setup (GstSignalProcessor * self, guint sample_rate)
+gst_signal_processor_setup (GstSignalProcessor * self, GstCaps * caps)
 {
   GstSignalProcessorClass *klass;
   gboolean ret = TRUE;
@@ -316,7 +314,7 @@ gst_signal_processor_setup (GstSignalProcessor * self, guint sample_rate)
   g_return_val_if_fail (self->state == GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_STATE_NULL, FALSE);
 
   if (klass->setup)
-    ret = klass->setup (self, sample_rate);
+    ret = klass->setup (self, caps);
 
   if (!ret)
     goto setup_failed;
@@ -327,7 +325,7 @@ gst_signal_processor_setup (GstSignalProcessor * self, guint sample_rate)
 
 setup_failed:
   {
-    GST_INFO_OBJECT (self, "setup() failed at %u Hz", sample_rate);
+    GST_INFO_OBJECT (self, "setup() failed for caps: %" GST_PTR_FORMAT, caps);
     return ret;
   }
 }
@@ -476,28 +474,16 @@ gst_signal_processor_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
   /* the whole processor has one caps; if the sample rate changes, let subclass
      implementations know */
   if (!gst_caps_is_equal (caps, self->caps)) {
-    GstStructure *s;
-    gint sample_rate;
-
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (pad, "got caps %" GST_PTR_FORMAT, caps);
 
-    s = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
-    if (!gst_structure_get_int (s, "rate", &sample_rate)) {
-      GST_WARNING ("got no sample-rate");
-      goto impossible;
-    }
-
-    GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (self, "Got rate=%d", sample_rate);
-
     if (GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_IS_RUNNING (self))
       gst_signal_processor_stop (self);
     if (GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_IS_INITIALIZED (self))
       gst_signal_processor_cleanup (self);
 
-    if (!gst_signal_processor_setup (self, sample_rate))
+    if (!gst_signal_processor_setup (self, caps))
       goto start_or_setup_failed;
 
-    self->sample_rate = sample_rate;
     gst_caps_replace (&self->caps, caps);
   } else {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (self, "skipping, have caps already");
@@ -509,7 +495,7 @@ gst_signal_processor_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
      sample rate (e.g., when having gone PLAYING->READY->PLAYING). make sure
      when we leave that the processor is RUNNING. */
   if (!GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_IS_INITIALIZED (self)
-      && !gst_signal_processor_setup (self, self->sample_rate))
+      && !gst_signal_processor_setup (self, self->caps))
     goto start_or_setup_failed;
   if (!GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_IS_RUNNING (self)
       && !gst_signal_processor_start (self))
@@ -529,12 +515,6 @@ setcaps_pull_failed:
     gst_object_unref (self);
     return FALSE;
   }
-impossible:
-  {
-    g_critical ("something impossible happened");
-    gst_object_unref (self);
-    return FALSE;
-  }
 }
 
 /** De-interleave a pad (gstreamer => plugin) */
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.h b/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.h
index b5753b47a5..cad85e9c64 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.h
@@ -78,14 +78,10 @@ struct _GstSignalProcessorGroup {
 struct _GstSignalProcessor {
   GstElement     element;
 
+  /* state */
   GstCaps *caps;
-
-  guint sample_rate;
-
   GstSignalProcessorState state;
-
   GstFlowReturn flow_state;
-
   GstActivateMode mode;
 
   /* pending inputs before processing can take place */
@@ -121,7 +117,7 @@ struct _GstSignalProcessorClass {
 
   /* virtual methods for subclasses */
 
-  gboolean      (*setup)        (GstSignalProcessor *self, guint sample_rate);
+  gboolean      (*setup)        (GstSignalProcessor *self, GstCaps *caps);
   gboolean      (*start)        (GstSignalProcessor *self);
   void          (*stop)         (GstSignalProcessor *self);
   void          (*cleanup)      (GstSignalProcessor *self);