diff --git a/gst/gstbin.c b/gst/gstbin.c
index 4fab79305f..c7b6d9eda3 100644
--- a/gst/gstbin.c
+++ b/gst/gstbin.c
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ static void 			gst_bin_restore_thyself 	(GstObject * object, xmlNodePtr self);
 enum
 {
   OBJECT_ADDED,
+  ITERATE_STARTED,
   LAST_SIGNAL
 };
 
@@ -113,6 +114,10 @@ gst_bin_class_init (GstBinClass * klass)
     g_signal_new ("object_added", G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (klass), G_SIGNAL_RUN_FIRST,
 		  G_STRUCT_OFFSET (GstBinClass, object_added), NULL, NULL,
 		  gst_marshal_VOID__POINTER, G_TYPE_NONE, 1, G_TYPE_POINTER);
+  gst_bin_signals[ITERATE_STARTED] =
+    g_signal_new ("iterate_started", G_TYPE_FROM_CLASS (klass), G_SIGNAL_RUN_FIRST,
+		  G_STRUCT_OFFSET (GstBinClass, iterate_started), NULL, NULL,
+		  gst_marshal_VOID__VOID, G_TYPE_NONE, 0);
 
   gobject_class->dispose 		= GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_bin_dispose);
 
@@ -845,6 +850,8 @@ gst_bin_iterate (GstBin * bin)
 
   oclass = GST_BIN_CLASS (G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS (bin));
 
+  g_signal_emit (G_OBJECT (bin), gst_bin_signals[ITERATE_STARTED], 0);
+
   if (oclass->iterate)
     running = (oclass->iterate) (bin);
 
diff --git a/gst/gstbin.h b/gst/gstbin.h
index 9a61e4763d..ec397bd637 100644
--- a/gst/gstbin.h
+++ b/gst/gstbin.h
@@ -88,6 +88,7 @@ struct _GstBinClass {
   /* signals */
   void		(*object_added)		(GstObject *object, GstObject *child);
   void		(*object_removed)	(GstObject *object, GstObject *child);
+  void		(*iterate_started)	(GstObject *object);
 
   /* change the state of elements of the given type */
   gboolean	(*change_state_type)	(GstBin *bin,