diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index effd6a8c90..c4501f11bc 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -328,8 +328,15 @@ gst_element_remove_pad (GstElement *element, GstPad *pad)
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_PAD (pad));
 
   g_return_if_fail (GST_PAD_PARENT (pad) == element);
-
-  /* add it to the list */
+  /* check to see if the pad is still connected */
+  /* FIXME: what if someone calls _remove_pad instead of 
+     _remove_ghost_pad? */
+  if (GST_IS_REAL_PAD (pad))
+  {
+    g_return_if_fail (GST_RPAD_PEER (pad) == NULL);
+  }
+  
+  /* remove it from the list */
   element->pads = g_list_remove (element->pads, pad);
   element->numpads--;
   if (gst_pad_get_direction (pad) == GST_PAD_SRC)
@@ -1188,7 +1195,12 @@ gst_element_dispose (GObject *object)
     orig = pads = g_list_copy (element->pads);
     while (pads) {
       pad = GST_PAD (pads->data);
-      gst_object_destroy (GST_OBJECT (pad));
+      if (GST_PAD_PEER (pad))
+      {
+        GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "disconnecting pad '%s'\n",GST_OBJECT_NAME(GST_OBJECT (GST_PAD (GST_PAD_PEER (pad)))));
+        gst_pad_disconnect (pad, GST_PAD (GST_PAD_PEER (pad)));
+      }
+      gst_element_remove_pad (element, pad);
       pads = g_list_next (pads);
     }
     g_list_free (orig);
diff --git a/gst/gstpad.c b/gst/gstpad.c
index f39163e47d..fc77e61be6 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.c
+++ b/gst/gstpad.c
@@ -1427,6 +1427,10 @@ gst_real_pad_dispose (GObject *object)
 {
   GstPad *pad = GST_PAD (object);
   
+  /* No connected pad can ever be disposed.
+   * It has to have a parent to be connected and a parent would hold a reference */
+  g_assert (GST_PAD_PEER (pad) == NULL);
+  
   GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "dispose %s:%s\n", GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(pad));
 
   if (GST_PAD_PADTEMPLATE (pad)){
@@ -1435,11 +1439,6 @@ gst_real_pad_dispose (GObject *object)
     GST_PAD_PADTEMPLATE (pad) = NULL;
   }
   
-  if (GST_PAD_PEER (pad)){
-    GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "disconnecting pad '%s'\n", GST_OBJECT_NAME (GST_OBJECT (GST_PAD (GST_PAD_PEER (pad)))));
-    gst_pad_disconnect (pad, GST_PAD (GST_PAD_PEER (pad)));
-  }
-  
   /* we destroy the ghostpads, because they are nothing without the real pad  */
   if (GST_REAL_PAD (pad)->ghostpads) {
     GList *orig, *ghostpads;