diff --git a/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfcaptureengine.cpp b/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfcaptureengine.cpp
index 66107d4181..f72de4f223 100644
--- a/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfcaptureengine.cpp
+++ b/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfcaptureengine.cpp
@@ -827,22 +827,15 @@ gst_mf_capture_engine_new (GstMFSourceType type, gint device_index,
     const gchar * device_name, const gchar * device_path)
 {
   GstMFSourceObject *self;
-  gchar *name;
-  gchar *path;
 
   /* TODO: add more type */
   g_return_val_if_fail (type == GST_MF_SOURCE_TYPE_VIDEO, NULL);
 
-  name = device_name ? g_strdup (device_name) : g_strdup ("");
-  path = device_path ? g_strdup (device_path) : g_strdup ("");
-
   self = (GstMFSourceObject *) g_object_new (GST_TYPE_MF_CAPTURE_ENGINE,
-      "source-type", type, "device-index", device_index, "device-name", name,
-      "device-path", path, NULL);
+      "source-type", type, "device-index", device_index, "device-name",
+      device_name, "device-path", device_path, NULL);
 
   gst_object_ref_sink (self);
-  g_free (name);
-  g_free (path);
 
   if (!self->opened) {
     GST_WARNING_OBJECT (self, "Couldn't open device");
diff --git a/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfsourceobject.c b/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfsourceobject.c
index 0bfbad1c5e..32457a40c6 100644
--- a/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfsourceobject.c
+++ b/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfsourceobject.c
@@ -384,13 +384,18 @@ gst_mf_source_object_thread_func (GstMFSourceObject * self)
   }
 #endif
 
+  GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (self,
+      "Requested device index: %d, name: \"%s\", path \"%s\"",
+      self->device_index, GST_STR_NULL (self->device_name),
+      GST_STR_NULL (self->device_path));
+
   for (iter = activate_list; iter; iter = g_list_next (iter)) {
     GstMFDeviceActivate *activate = (GstMFDeviceActivate *) iter->data;
     gboolean match;
 
-    if (self->device_path && strlen (self->device_path) > 0) {
+    if (self->device_path) {
       match = g_ascii_strcasecmp (activate->path, self->device_path) == 0;
-    } else if (self->device_name && strlen (self->device_name) > 0) {
+    } else if (self->device_name) {
       match = g_ascii_strcasecmp (activate->name, self->device_name) == 0;
     } else if (self->device_index >= 0) {
       match = activate->index == self->device_index;
diff --git a/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfsourcereader.cpp b/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfsourcereader.cpp
index 0f85030446..ff0ee98501 100644
--- a/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfsourcereader.cpp
+++ b/sys/mediafoundation/gstmfsourcereader.cpp
@@ -492,22 +492,15 @@ gst_mf_source_reader_new (GstMFSourceType type, gint device_index,
     const gchar * device_name, const gchar * device_path)
 {
   GstMFSourceObject *self;
-  gchar *name;
-  gchar *path;
 
   /* TODO: add more type */
   g_return_val_if_fail (type == GST_MF_SOURCE_TYPE_VIDEO, NULL);
 
-  name = device_name ? g_strdup (device_name) : g_strdup ("");
-  path = device_path ? g_strdup (device_path) : g_strdup ("");
-
   self = (GstMFSourceObject *) g_object_new (GST_TYPE_MF_SOURCE_READER,
-      "source-type", type, "device-index", device_index, "device-name", name,
-      "device-path", path, NULL);
+      "source-type", type, "device-index", device_index, "device-name",
+      device_name, "device-path", device_path, NULL);
 
   gst_object_ref_sink (self);
-  g_free (name);
-  g_free (path);
 
   if (!self->opened) {
     GST_WARNING_OBJECT (self, "Couldn't open device");