diff --git a/gst/gstelement.h b/gst/gstelement.h
index 4f0b11e24c..9748e9b6d4 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.h
+++ b/gst/gstelement.h
@@ -109,6 +109,9 @@ typedef enum {
   /* if this element is in EOS */
   GST_ELEMENT_EOS,
 
+  /* if this element can handle events */
+  GST_ELEMENT_EVENT_AWARE,
+
   /* use some padding for future expansion */
   GST_ELEMENT_FLAG_LAST		= GST_OBJECT_FLAG_LAST + 12,
 } GstElementFlags;
@@ -116,6 +119,7 @@ typedef enum {
 #define GST_ELEMENT_IS_THREAD_SUGGESTED(obj)	(GST_FLAG_IS_SET(obj,GST_ELEMENT_THREAD_SUGGESTED))
 #define GST_ELEMENT_IS_COTHREAD_STOPPING(obj)	(GST_FLAG_IS_SET(obj,GST_ELEMENT_COTHREAD_STOPPING))
 #define GST_ELEMENT_IS_EOS(obj)			(GST_FLAG_IS_SET(obj,GST_ELEMENT_EOS))
+#define GST_ELEMENT_IS_EVENT_AWARE(obj)		(GST_FLAG_IS_SET(obj,GST_ELEMENT_EVENT_AWARE))
 
 #define GST_ELEMENT_NAME(obj)			(GST_OBJECT_NAME(obj))
 #define GST_ELEMENT_PARENT(obj)			(GST_OBJECT_PARENT(obj))