diff --git a/gst/gstbus.c b/gst/gstbus.c
index 7951a3fd12..ab05af3dc2 100644
--- a/gst/gstbus.c
+++ b/gst/gstbus.c
@@ -99,7 +99,6 @@ enum
 
 static void gst_bus_dispose (GObject * object);
 
-static GstObjectClass *parent_class = NULL;
 static guint gst_bus_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
 
 struct _GstBusPrivate
@@ -112,6 +111,7 @@ struct _GstBusPrivate
   GPollFD pollfd;
 };
 
+#define gst_bus_parent_class parent_class
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstBus, gst_bus, GST_TYPE_OBJECT);
 
 static void
@@ -146,8 +146,6 @@ gst_bus_class_init (GstBusClass * klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *gobject_class = (GObjectClass *) klass;
 
-  parent_class = g_type_class_peek_parent (klass);
-
   gobject_class->dispose = gst_bus_dispose;
   gobject_class->set_property = gst_bus_set_property;
   gobject_class->constructed = gst_bus_constructed;
diff --git a/gst/gstclock.c b/gst/gstclock.c
index b167238b71..d96745e418 100644
--- a/gst/gstclock.c
+++ b/gst/gstclock.c
@@ -177,8 +177,6 @@ static void gst_clock_get_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id,
 static void gst_clock_update_stats (GstClock * clock);
 
 
-static GstObjectClass *parent_class = NULL;
-
 /* static guint gst_clock_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 }; */
 
 static GstClockID
@@ -649,6 +647,7 @@ gst_clock_id_unschedule (GstClockID id)
 /*
  * GstClock abstract base class implementation
  */
+#define gst_clock_parent_class parent_class
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstClock, gst_clock, GST_TYPE_OBJECT);
 
 static void
@@ -656,8 +655,6 @@ gst_clock_class_init (GstClockClass * klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *gobject_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
-  parent_class = g_type_class_peek_parent (klass);
-
 #ifndef GST_DISABLE_TRACE
   _gst_clock_entry_trace =
       gst_alloc_trace_register (GST_CLOCK_ENTRY_TRACE_NAME);
diff --git a/gst/gstindex.c b/gst/gstindex.c
index d168eee6ce..351c25f758 100644
--- a/gst/gstindex.c
+++ b/gst/gstindex.c
@@ -100,7 +100,6 @@ static gboolean gst_index_gtype_resolver (GstIndex * index, GstObject * writer,
     gchar ** writer_string, gpointer data);
 static void gst_index_add_entry (GstIndex * index, GstIndexEntry * entry);
 
-static GstObject *parent_class = NULL;
 static guint gst_index_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
 
 typedef struct
@@ -155,6 +154,7 @@ gst_index_entry_get_type (void)
       "Generic indexing support"); \
 }
 
+#define gst_index_parent_class parent_class
 G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GstIndex, gst_index, GST_TYPE_OBJECT, _do_init);
 
 static void
@@ -162,8 +162,6 @@ gst_index_class_init (GstIndexClass * klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *gobject_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
-  parent_class = g_type_class_peek_parent (klass);
-
   /**
    * GstIndex::entry-added
    * @gstindex: the object which received the signal.
diff --git a/gst/gstindexfactory.c b/gst/gstindexfactory.c
index 111a0ce989..dcd73eeda8 100644
--- a/gst/gstindexfactory.c
+++ b/gst/gstindexfactory.c
@@ -39,9 +39,9 @@
 
 static void gst_index_factory_finalize (GObject * object);
 
-static GstPluginFeatureClass *factory_parent_class = NULL;
 
 /* static guint gst_index_factory_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 }; */
+#define gst_index_factory_parent_class parent_class
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstIndexFactory, gst_index_factory, GST_TYPE_PLUGIN_FEATURE);
 
 static void
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@ gst_index_factory_class_init (GstIndexFactoryClass * klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *gobject_class = (GObjectClass *) klass;
 
-  factory_parent_class = g_type_class_peek_parent (klass);
-
   gobject_class->finalize = gst_index_factory_finalize;
 }
 
@@ -66,7 +64,7 @@ gst_index_factory_finalize (GObject * object)
 
   g_free (factory->longdesc);
 
-  G_OBJECT_CLASS (factory_parent_class)->finalize (object);
+  G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
 
 }
 
diff --git a/gst/gstregistry.c b/gst/gstregistry.c
index 345068ea71..6e1d5b4272 100644
--- a/gst/gstregistry.c
+++ b/gst/gstregistry.c
@@ -194,8 +194,8 @@ static GstPluginFeature *gst_registry_lookup_feature_locked (GstRegistry *
 static GstPlugin *gst_registry_lookup_bn_locked (GstRegistry * registry,
     const char *basename);
 
+#define gst_registry_parent_class parent_class
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstRegistry, gst_registry, GST_TYPE_OBJECT);
-static GstObjectClass *parent_class = NULL;
 
 static void
 gst_registry_class_init (GstRegistryClass * klass)
@@ -204,7 +204,6 @@ gst_registry_class_init (GstRegistryClass * klass)
 
   gobject_class = (GObjectClass *) klass;
 
-  parent_class = g_type_class_peek_parent (klass);
   g_type_class_add_private (klass, sizeof (GstRegistryPrivate));
 
   /**
diff --git a/gst/gstsystemclock.c b/gst/gstsystemclock.c
index b592813018..bc6ce30288 100644
--- a/gst/gstsystemclock.c
+++ b/gst/gstsystemclock.c
@@ -123,10 +123,9 @@ static void gst_system_clock_add_wakeup (GstSystemClock * sysclock);
 
 static GStaticMutex _gst_sysclock_mutex = G_STATIC_MUTEX_INIT;
 
-static GstClockClass *parent_class = NULL;
-
 /* static guint gst_system_clock_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 }; */
 
+#define gst_system_clock_parent_class parent_class
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstSystemClock, gst_system_clock, GST_TYPE_CLOCK);
 
 static void
@@ -138,8 +137,6 @@ gst_system_clock_class_init (GstSystemClockClass * klass)
   gobject_class = (GObjectClass *) klass;
   gstclock_class = (GstClockClass *) klass;
 
-  parent_class = g_type_class_peek_parent (klass);
-
   g_type_class_add_private (klass, sizeof (GstSystemClockPrivate));
 
   gobject_class->dispose = gst_system_clock_dispose;
diff --git a/gst/gsttypefindfactory.c b/gst/gsttypefindfactory.c
index 26cbfb57c4..be461cbefd 100644
--- a/gst/gsttypefindfactory.c
+++ b/gst/gsttypefindfactory.c
@@ -91,14 +91,13 @@ GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY (type_find_debug);
 
 static void gst_type_find_factory_dispose (GObject * object);
 
-static GstPluginFeatureClass *parent_class = NULL;
-
 #define _do_init \
 { \
   GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_INIT (type_find_debug, "GST_TYPEFIND", \
       GST_DEBUG_FG_GREEN, "typefinding subsystem"); \
 }
 
+#define gst_type_find_factory_parent_class parent_class
 G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GstTypeFindFactory, gst_type_find_factory,
     GST_TYPE_PLUGIN_FEATURE, _do_init);
 
@@ -107,8 +106,6 @@ gst_type_find_factory_class_init (GstTypeFindFactoryClass * klass)
 {
   GObjectClass *object_class = G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass);
 
-  parent_class = g_type_class_peek_parent (klass);
-
   object_class->dispose = gst_type_find_factory_dispose;
 }