diff --git a/gst/Makefile.am b/gst/Makefile.am
index 7e6d74e6de..da6c2c49b5 100644
--- a/gst/Makefile.am
+++ b/gst/Makefile.am
@@ -160,6 +160,7 @@ libgstincludedir = $(includedir)/gst
 libgstinclude_HEADERS =		\
 	cothreads.h		\
 	gst.h			\
+	gstconfig.h		\
 	$(GST_OBJECT_MODEL_HDR)	\
 	gstobject.h		\
 	gsttypes.h		\
diff --git a/gst/autoplug/gstautoplugger.c b/gst/autoplug/gstautoplugger.c
index 68ed930915..6138ff3657 100644
--- a/gst/autoplug/gstautoplugger.c
+++ b/gst/autoplug/gstautoplugger.c
@@ -430,7 +430,7 @@ gst_autoplugger_cache_empty(GstElement *element, GstAutoplugger *autoplugger)
     // try to PLAY the whole thing
     gst_element_set_state(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(autoplugger)->parent,GST_STATE_PLAYING);
 
-  xmlSaveFile("autoplugger.gst", gst_xml_write(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(autoplugger)->parent));
+//  xmlSaveFile("autoplugger.gst", gst_xml_write(GST_ELEMENT_SCHED(autoplugger)->parent));
 
   GST_INFO(GST_CAT_AUTOPLUG, "autoplugger_cache_empty finished");
 }
diff --git a/gst/gstautoplug.c b/gst/gstautoplug.c
index 3904845f58..20377fda36 100644
--- a/gst/gstautoplug.c
+++ b/gst/gstautoplug.c
@@ -21,6 +21,9 @@
  */
 
 //#define GST_DEBUG_ENABLED
+
+#include <gst/gstconfig.h>
+
 #include "gst_private.h"
 
 #include "gstautoplug.h"
@@ -167,8 +170,10 @@ gst_autoplug_to_renderers (GstAutoplug *autoplug, GstCaps *srccaps, GstElement *
 static void 		gst_autoplugfactory_class_init 		(GstAutoplugFactoryClass *klass);
 static void 		gst_autoplugfactory_init 		(GstAutoplugFactory *factory);
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
 static xmlNodePtr 	gst_autoplugfactory_save_thyself 	(GstObject *object, xmlNodePtr parent);
 static void 		gst_autoplugfactory_restore_thyself 	(GstObject *object, xmlNodePtr parent);
+#endif
 
 static GstPluginFeatureClass *factory_parent_class = NULL;
 //static guint gst_autoplugfactory_signals[LAST_SIGNAL] = { 0 };
@@ -209,8 +214,10 @@ gst_autoplugfactory_class_init (GstAutoplugFactoryClass *klass)
 
   factory_parent_class = g_type_class_ref (GST_TYPE_PLUGIN_FEATURE);
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
   gstobject_class->save_thyself = 	GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_autoplugfactory_save_thyself);
   gstobject_class->restore_thyself = 	GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_autoplugfactory_restore_thyself);
+#endif
 
   _gst_autoplugfactories = NULL;
 }
@@ -359,6 +366,7 @@ gst_autoplugfactory_make (const gchar *name)
   return gst_autoplugfactory_create (factory);;
 }
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
 static xmlNodePtr
 gst_autoplugfactory_save_thyself (GstObject *object, xmlNodePtr parent)
 {
@@ -405,3 +413,4 @@ gst_autoplugfactory_restore_thyself (GstObject *object, xmlNodePtr parent)
     children = children->next;
   }
 }
+#endif
diff --git a/gst/gstbuffer.c b/gst/gstbuffer.c
index 70628baee4..c4794623e1 100644
--- a/gst/gstbuffer.c
+++ b/gst/gstbuffer.c
@@ -444,8 +444,6 @@ gst_buffer_span (GstBuffer *buf1, guint32 offset, GstBuffer *buf2, guint32 len)
   }
 
   // if the two buffers have the same parent and are adjacent
-//  if ((buf1->parent == buf2->parent) &&
-//      ((buf1->data + buf1->size) == buf2->data)) {
   if (gst_buffer_is_span_fast(buf1,buf2)) {
     // we simply create a subbuffer of the common parent
     newbuf = gst_buffer_create_sub (buf1->parent, buf1->data - (buf1->parent->data) + offset, len);
diff --git a/gst/gstcaps.h b/gst/gstcaps.h
index 87482751be..77a8767d98 100644
--- a/gst/gstcaps.h
+++ b/gst/gstcaps.h
@@ -24,14 +24,7 @@
 #ifndef __GST_CAPS_H__
 #define __GST_CAPS_H__
 
-#include <parser.h> // NOTE: this is xml-config's fault
-
-// Include compatability defines: if libxml hasn't already defined these,
-// we have an old version 1.x
-#ifndef xmlChildrenNode
-#define xmlChildrenNode childs
-#define xmlRootNode root
-#endif
+#include <gst/gstconfig.h>
 
 #include <gst/gstprops.h>
 
@@ -118,7 +111,9 @@ GstCaps*	gst_caps_prepend			(GstCaps *caps, GstCaps *capstoadd);
 
 gboolean	gst_caps_check_compatibility		(GstCaps *fromcaps, GstCaps *tocaps);
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
 xmlNodePtr      gst_caps_save_thyself			(GstCaps *caps, xmlNodePtr parent);
 GstCaps*	gst_caps_load_thyself			(xmlNodePtr parent);
+#endif
 
 #endif /* __GST_CAPS_H__ */
diff --git a/gst/gstconfig.h b/gst/gstconfig.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ea0629330e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/gst/gstconfig.h
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+/* This header interprets the various GST_* macros that are typically	*
+ * provided by the gstreamer-config or gstreamer.pc files.		*/
+
+#ifndef __GST_CONFIG_H__
+#define __GST_CONFIG_H__
+
+
+/***** We include config.h in case someone perhaps used a gstreamer.m4 or
+       something else that provides funky overrides.  BEWARE! *****/
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include "config.h"
+#endif /* HAVE_CONFIG_H */
+
+
+/***** Deal with XML stuff, we have to handle both loadsave and registry *****/
+
+// TEMPORARY!!
+#define GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
+#define GST_DISABLE_REGISTRY
+
+#if (! (defined(GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE) && defined(GST_DISABLE_REGISTRY)) )
+  #include <parser.h>
+ 
+  // Include compatability defines: if libxml hasn't already defined these,
+  // we have an old version 1.x
+  #ifndef xmlChildrenNode
+    #define xmlChildrenNode childs
+    #define xmlRootNode root
+  #endif
+  
+#else
+  #define GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE_REGISTRY
+#endif
+
+#endif /* __GST_CONFIG_H__ */
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.h b/gst/gstelement.h
index 313ca9e3df..d7ceb7a914 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.h
+++ b/gst/gstelement.h
@@ -24,14 +24,7 @@
 #ifndef __GST_ELEMENT_H__
 #define __GST_ELEMENT_H__
 
-#include <parser.h> // NOTE: this is xml-config's fault
-
-// Include compatability defines: if libxml hasn't already defined these,
-// we have an old version 1.x
-#ifndef xmlChildrenNode
-#define xmlChildrenNode childs
-#define xmlRootNode root
-#endif
+#include <gst/gstconfig.h>
 
 #include <gst/gstobject.h>
 #include <gst/gstpad.h>
@@ -234,8 +227,10 @@ void			gst_element_error		(GstElement *element, const gchar *error);
 
 GstElementFactory*	gst_element_get_factory		(GstElement *element);
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
 /* XML write and read */
 GstElement*		gst_element_restore_thyself	(xmlNodePtr self, GstObject *parent);
+#endif
 
 
 /*
diff --git a/gst/gstobject.h b/gst/gstobject.h
index e3b25b352e..413cf4db96 100644
--- a/gst/gstobject.h
+++ b/gst/gstobject.h
@@ -24,10 +24,7 @@
 #ifndef __GST_OBJECT_H__
 #define __GST_OBJECT_H__
 
-#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
-#include "config.h"
-#endif
-
+#include <gst/gstconfig.h>
 
 #ifdef USE_GLIB2
 #include <glib-object.h>	// note that this gets wrapped in __GST_OBJECT_H__ 
@@ -36,15 +33,13 @@
 #include <gst/gobject2gtk.h>
 #endif
 
-#include <gst/gsttrace.h>
-#include <parser.h>
-
-#include <gst/gsttypes.h>
-
 #ifdef HAVE_ATOMIC_H
 #include <asm/atomic.h>
 #endif
 
+#include <gst/gsttrace.h>
+#include <gst/gsttypes.h>
+
 // FIXME
 #include "gstlog.h"
 
@@ -107,13 +102,17 @@ struct _GstObjectClass {
 
   /* signals */
   void		(*parent_set)		(GstObject *object, GstObject *parent);
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
   void		(*object_saved)		(GstObject *object, xmlNodePtr parent);
+#endif
 
   /* functions go here */
   void		(*destroy)		(GstObject *object);
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
   xmlNodePtr	(*save_thyself)		(GstObject *object, xmlNodePtr parent);
   void		(*restore_thyself)	(GstObject *object, xmlNodePtr self);
+#endif
 };
 
 #define GST_FLAGS(obj)			(GST_OBJECT (obj)->flags)
@@ -153,6 +152,7 @@ xmlNodePtr	gst_object_save_thyself		(GstObject *object, xmlNodePtr parent);
 void		gst_object_restore_thyself		(GstObject *object, xmlNodePtr parent);
 #else
 #pragma GCC poison gst_object_save_thyself
+#pragma GCC poison gst_object_restore_thyself
 #endif
 
 /* refcounting */
diff --git a/gst/gstpad.h b/gst/gstpad.h
index 3ca0649ec1..a93ed0146a 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.h
+++ b/gst/gstpad.h
@@ -24,14 +24,7 @@
 #ifndef __GST_PAD_H__
 #define __GST_PAD_H__
 
-#include <parser.h> // NOTE: This is xml-config's fault
-
-// Include compatability defines: if libxml hasn't already defined these,
-// we have an old version 1.x
-#ifndef xmlChildrenNode
-#define xmlChildrenNode childs
-#define xmlRootNode root
-#endif
+#include <gst/gstconfig.h>
 
 #include <gst/gstobject.h>
 #include <gst/gstbuffer.h>
@@ -424,7 +417,9 @@ GstBuffer*		gst_pad_peek			(GstPad *pad);
 GstPad*			gst_pad_select			(GList *padlist);
 GstPad*			gst_pad_selectv			(GstPad *pad, ...);
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
 void			gst_pad_load_and_connect	(xmlNodePtr self, GstObject *parent);
+#endif
 
 
 /* ghostpads */
@@ -441,8 +436,10 @@ GstPadTemplate*		gst_padtemplate_new		(gchar *name_template,
 GstCaps*		gst_padtemplate_get_caps	(GstPadTemplate *templ);
 GstCaps*		gst_padtemplate_get_caps_by_name	(GstPadTemplate *templ, const gchar *name);
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
 xmlNodePtr		gst_padtemplate_save_thyself	(GstPadTemplate *templ, xmlNodePtr parent);
 GstPadTemplate*		gst_padtemplate_load_thyself	(xmlNodePtr parent);
+#endif
 
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
diff --git a/gst/gstplugin.h b/gst/gstplugin.h
index e678f58a3b..58eb018f2e 100644
--- a/gst/gstplugin.h
+++ b/gst/gstplugin.h
@@ -24,15 +24,9 @@
 #ifndef __GST_PLUGIN_H__
 #define __GST_PLUGIN_H__
 
-#include <gmodule.h>
-#include <parser.h> // NOTE: this is xml-config's fault
+#include <gst/gstconfig.h>
 
-// Include compatability defines: if libxml hasn't already defined these,
-// we have an old version 1.x
-#ifndef xmlChildrenNode
-#define xmlChildrenNode childs
-#define xmlRootNode root
-#endif
+#include <gmodule.h>
 
 #include <gst/gstpluginfeature.h>
 
diff --git a/gst/gstprops.h b/gst/gstprops.h
index 1d7730994a..9fc6dce2e3 100644
--- a/gst/gstprops.h
+++ b/gst/gstprops.h
@@ -24,16 +24,9 @@
 #ifndef __GST_PROPS_H__
 #define __GST_PROPS_H__
 
+#include <gst/gstconfig.h>
+
 #include <glib.h>
-#include <parser.h> // NOTE: this is xml-config's fault
-
-// Include compatability defines: if libxml hasn't already defined these,
-// we have an old version 1.x
-#ifndef xmlChildrenNode
-#define xmlChildrenNode childs
-#define xmlRootNode root
-#endif
-
 
 typedef struct _GstProps GstProps;
 
@@ -95,7 +88,9 @@ gulong		gst_props_get_fourcc_int	(GstProps *props, const gchar *name);
 gboolean	gst_props_get_boolean		(GstProps *props, const gchar *name);
 const gchar*	gst_props_get_string		(GstProps *props, const gchar *name);
 
+#ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
 xmlNodePtr 	gst_props_save_thyself 		(GstProps *props, xmlNodePtr parent);
 GstProps* 	gst_props_load_thyself 		(xmlNodePtr parent);
+#endif
 
 #endif /* __GST_PROPS_H__ */
diff --git a/gst/gstxml.h b/gst/gstxml.h
index f3fd8d0437..b66aba2608 100644
--- a/gst/gstxml.h
+++ b/gst/gstxml.h
@@ -23,17 +23,10 @@
 #ifndef __GST_XML_H__
 #define __GST_XML_H__
 
+#include <gst/gstconfig.h>
+
 #ifndef GST_DISABLE_LOADSAVE
 
-#include <parser.h>
-
-// Include compatability defines: if libxml hasn't already defined these,
-// we have an old version 1.x
-#ifndef xmlChildrenNode
-#define xmlChildrenNode childs
-#define xmlRootNode root
-#endif
-
 #include <gst/gstelement.h>
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus