diff --git a/gst/hls/gsthlsdemux.c b/gst/hls/gsthlsdemux.c
index 8d6975913b..ecc6a15cc1 100644
--- a/gst/hls/gsthlsdemux.c
+++ b/gst/hls/gsthlsdemux.c
@@ -982,27 +982,12 @@ gst_hls_demux_update_playlist (GstHLSDemux * demux, gboolean update)
 static gboolean
 gst_hls_demux_change_playlist (GstHLSDemux * demux, guint max_bitrate)
 {
-  GList *list, *previous_variant, *current_variant;
+  GList *previous_variant, *current_variant;
   gint old_bandwidth, new_bandwidth;
 
-  GST_M3U8_CLIENT_LOCK (demux->client);
-  current_variant = demux->client->main->current_variant;
-  previous_variant = current_variant;
-
-  /*  Go to the highest possible bandwidth allowed */
-  while (GST_M3U8 (current_variant->data)->bandwidth < max_bitrate) {
-    list = g_list_next (current_variant);
-    if (!list)
-      break;
-    current_variant = list;
-  }
-
-  while (GST_M3U8 (current_variant->data)->bandwidth > max_bitrate) {
-    list = g_list_previous (current_variant);
-    if (!list)
-      break;
-    current_variant = list;
-  }
+  previous_variant = demux->client->main->current_variant;
+  current_variant = gst_m3u8_client_get_playlist_for_bitrate (demux->client,
+      max_bitrate);
 
 retry_failover_protection:
   old_bandwidth = GST_M3U8 (previous_variant->data)->bandwidth;
@@ -1010,7 +995,6 @@ retry_failover_protection:
 
   /* Don't do anything else if the playlist is the same */
   if (new_bandwidth == old_bandwidth) {
-    GST_M3U8_CLIENT_UNLOCK (demux->client);
     return TRUE;
   }
 
diff --git a/gst/hls/m3u8.c b/gst/hls/m3u8.c
index eecb467e2c..65afa8bbe6 100644
--- a/gst/hls/m3u8.c
+++ b/gst/hls/m3u8.c
@@ -647,3 +647,30 @@ gst_m3u8_client_is_live (GstM3U8Client * client)
   GST_M3U8_CLIENT_UNLOCK (client);
   return ret;
 }
+
+GList *
+gst_m3u8_client_get_playlist_for_bitrate (GstM3U8Client * client, guint bitrate)
+{
+  GList *list, *current_variant;
+
+  GST_M3U8_CLIENT_LOCK (client);
+  current_variant = client->main->current_variant;
+
+  /*  Go to the highest possible bandwidth allowed */
+  while (GST_M3U8 (current_variant->data)->bandwidth < bitrate) {
+    list = g_list_next (current_variant);
+    if (!list)
+      break;
+    current_variant = list;
+  }
+
+  while (GST_M3U8 (current_variant->data)->bandwidth > bitrate) {
+    list = g_list_previous (current_variant);
+    if (!list)
+      break;
+    current_variant = list;
+  }
+  GST_M3U8_CLIENT_UNLOCK (client);
+
+  return current_variant;
+}
diff --git a/gst/hls/m3u8.h b/gst/hls/m3u8.h
index a03828716a..6d608096a3 100644
--- a/gst/hls/m3u8.h
+++ b/gst/hls/m3u8.h
@@ -92,6 +92,8 @@ const gchar *gst_m3u8_client_get_uri(GstM3U8Client * client);
 const gchar *gst_m3u8_client_get_current_uri(GstM3U8Client * client);
 gboolean gst_m3u8_client_has_variant_playlist(GstM3U8Client * client);
 gboolean gst_m3u8_client_is_live(GstM3U8Client * client);
+GList * gst_m3u8_client_get_playlist_for_bitrate (GstM3U8Client * client,
+    guint bitrate);
 
 G_END_DECLS
 #endif /* __M3U8_H__ */