diff --git a/tests/old/testsuite/threads/threadd.c b/tests/old/testsuite/threads/threadd.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e38d266bf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/old/testsuite/threads/threadd.c
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#include <gst/gst.h>
+
+/* threadc.c
+ * this tests if we can make a GstThread, with enough cothreads to stress it
+ */
+
+#define MAX_IDENTITIES 29
+#define RUNS_PER_IDENTITY 5
+
+gboolean running = FALSE;
+gboolean done = FALSE;
+
+static void
+construct_pipeline (GstElement *pipeline, gint identities) 
+{
+  GstElement *src, *sink, *identity;
+  GstElement *from;
+  int i;
+
+  src      = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesrc",  NULL);
+  sink     = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesink", NULL);
+  g_assert (src);
+  g_assert (sink);
+  gst_bin_add_many (GST_BIN (pipeline), src, sink, NULL);
+  from = src;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < identities; ++i)
+  {
+    identity = gst_element_factory_make ("identity", NULL);
+    g_assert (identity);
+    gst_bin_add (GST_BIN (pipeline), identity);
+    gst_element_connect (from, identity);
+    from = identity;
+  }
+  gst_element_connect (identity, sink);
+
+  g_object_set (G_OBJECT (src), "num_buffers", 10, "sizetype", 3, NULL);
+}
+
+void
+state_changed (GstElement *el, gint arg1, gint arg2, gpointer user_data)
+{
+  GstElementState state = gst_element_get_state (el);
+  
+  g_print ("element %s has changed state to %s\n", 
+	   GST_ELEMENT_NAME (el), 
+	   gst_element_state_get_name (state));
+  if (state == GST_STATE_PLAYING) running = TRUE;
+  /* if we move from PLAYING to PAUSED, we're done */
+  if (state == GST_STATE_PAUSED && running) 
+    done = TRUE;
+}
+
+int
+main (gint argc, gchar *argv[])
+{
+  int runs = MAX_IDENTITIES * RUNS_PER_IDENTITY;
+  int i;
+  gulong id;
+  GstElement *thread;
+  
+  gst_init (&argc, &argv);
+
+  for (i = 0; i < runs; ++i)
+  {
+    thread = gst_thread_new ("main_thread");
+    g_assert (thread);
+
+    /* connect state change signal */
+    id = g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (thread), "state_change", 
+		           G_CALLBACK (state_changed), NULL);
+    construct_pipeline (thread, i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+
+    g_print ("Setting thread to play with %d identities\n", 
+	     i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+    done = FALSE;
+    gst_element_set_state (thread, GST_STATE_PLAYING);
+
+    g_print ("Waiting for thread PLAYING->PAUSED\n");
+    while (!done) /* do nothing */;
+    running = FALSE;
+    g_print ("Coming out of the main GStreamer loop\n");
+    g_signal_handler_disconnect (G_OBJECT (thread), id);
+    gst_element_set_state (thread, GST_STATE_NULL);
+    g_print ("Unreffing thread\n");
+    g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (thread));
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/tests/old/testsuite/threads/threade.c b/tests/old/testsuite/threads/threade.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..97654597c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/old/testsuite/threads/threade.c
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#include <gst/gst.h>
+
+/* threadc.c
+ * this tests if we can make a GstBin and iterate it inside a GThread
+ */
+
+#define MAX_IDENTITIES 29
+#define RUNS_PER_IDENTITY 5
+
+gboolean running = FALSE;
+gboolean done = FALSE;
+
+static void
+construct_pipeline (GstElement *pipeline, gint identities)
+{
+  GstElement *src, *sink, *identity;
+  GstElement *from;
+  int i;
+
+  src      = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesrc",  NULL);
+  sink     = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesink", NULL);
+  g_assert (src);
+  g_assert (sink);
+  gst_bin_add_many (GST_BIN (pipeline), src, sink, NULL);
+  from = src;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < identities; ++i)
+  {
+    identity = gst_element_factory_make ("identity", NULL);
+    g_assert (identity);
+    gst_bin_add (GST_BIN (pipeline), identity);
+    gst_element_connect (from, identity);
+    from = identity;
+  }
+  gst_element_connect (identity, sink);
+
+  g_object_set (G_OBJECT (src), "num_buffers", 10, "sizetype", 3, NULL);
+}
+
+static void
+iterator (GstElement *bin)
+{
+  gst_element_set_state (bin, GST_STATE_PLAYING);
+  while (gst_bin_iterate (GST_BIN (bin))) g_print ("+");
+  g_print ("\n");
+  done = TRUE;
+}
+
+int
+main (gint argc, gchar *argv[])
+{
+  int runs = MAX_IDENTITIES * RUNS_PER_IDENTITY;
+  int i;
+  GstElement *pipeline;
+
+  g_thread_init (NULL);
+  gst_init (&argc, &argv);
+
+  for (i = 0; i < runs; ++i)
+  {
+    pipeline = gst_pipeline_new ("main_pipeline");
+    g_assert (pipeline);
+
+    /* connect state change signal */
+    construct_pipeline (pipeline, i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+
+    done = FALSE;
+    g_thread_create ((GThreadFunc) iterator, pipeline, FALSE, NULL);
+    g_print ("Created GThread\n");
+
+    g_print ("Waiting for thread PLAYING->PAUSED\n");
+    while (!done) /* do nothing */;
+    running = FALSE;
+    g_print ("Unreffing pipeline\n");
+    g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (pipeline));
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/tests/old/testsuite/threads/threadf.c b/tests/old/testsuite/threads/threadf.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32b66aa8a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/old/testsuite/threads/threadf.c
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#include <gst/gst.h>
+
+/* threadf.c
+ * this tests if we can make a GThread and construct and interate a pipeline
+ * inside it
+ * used to fail because of cothread ctx key not being reset on context
+ * destroy
+ */
+
+#define MAX_IDENTITIES 29
+#define RUNS_PER_IDENTITY 5
+
+gboolean running = FALSE;
+gboolean done = FALSE;
+
+static void
+construct_pipeline (GstElement *pipeline, gint identities)
+{
+  GstElement *src, *sink, *identity;
+  GstElement *from;
+  int i;
+
+  src      = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesrc",  NULL);
+  sink     = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesink", NULL);
+  g_assert (src);
+  g_assert (sink);
+  gst_bin_add_many (GST_BIN (pipeline), src, sink, NULL);
+  from = src;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < identities; ++i)
+  {
+    identity = gst_element_factory_make ("identity", NULL);
+    g_assert (identity);
+    gst_bin_add (GST_BIN (pipeline), identity);
+    if (!(gst_element_connect (from, identity)))
+      g_print ("Warning: can't connect identity with previous element\n");
+    from = identity;
+  }
+  gst_element_connect (identity, sink);
+
+  g_object_set (G_OBJECT (src), "num_buffers", 10, "sizetype", 3, NULL);
+}
+
+static void
+thread (void)
+{
+  int runs = MAX_IDENTITIES * RUNS_PER_IDENTITY;
+  int i;
+  GstElement *pipeline;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < runs; ++i)
+  {
+    pipeline = gst_pipeline_new ("main_pipeline");
+    g_assert (pipeline);
+
+    g_print ("Run %d, using %d identities\n", i, i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+    construct_pipeline (pipeline, i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+    if (!gst_element_set_state (pipeline, GST_STATE_PLAYING))
+      g_print ("WARNING: can't set pipeline to play\n");
+    while (gst_bin_iterate (GST_BIN (pipeline)))
+      g_print ("+");
+    g_print ("\n");
+    g_print ("Unreffing pipeline\n");
+    g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (pipeline));
+  }
+}
+
+int
+main (gint argc, gchar *argv[])
+{
+  done = FALSE;
+
+  g_thread_init (NULL);
+  gst_init (&argc, &argv);
+
+  g_thread_create ((GThreadFunc) thread, NULL, FALSE, NULL);
+  g_print ("main: created GThread\n");
+  while (!done) sleep (1);
+  g_print ("main: done\n");
+  return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/testsuite/threads/threadd.c b/testsuite/threads/threadd.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e38d266bf1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/threads/threadd.c
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+#include <gst/gst.h>
+
+/* threadc.c
+ * this tests if we can make a GstThread, with enough cothreads to stress it
+ */
+
+#define MAX_IDENTITIES 29
+#define RUNS_PER_IDENTITY 5
+
+gboolean running = FALSE;
+gboolean done = FALSE;
+
+static void
+construct_pipeline (GstElement *pipeline, gint identities) 
+{
+  GstElement *src, *sink, *identity;
+  GstElement *from;
+  int i;
+
+  src      = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesrc",  NULL);
+  sink     = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesink", NULL);
+  g_assert (src);
+  g_assert (sink);
+  gst_bin_add_many (GST_BIN (pipeline), src, sink, NULL);
+  from = src;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < identities; ++i)
+  {
+    identity = gst_element_factory_make ("identity", NULL);
+    g_assert (identity);
+    gst_bin_add (GST_BIN (pipeline), identity);
+    gst_element_connect (from, identity);
+    from = identity;
+  }
+  gst_element_connect (identity, sink);
+
+  g_object_set (G_OBJECT (src), "num_buffers", 10, "sizetype", 3, NULL);
+}
+
+void
+state_changed (GstElement *el, gint arg1, gint arg2, gpointer user_data)
+{
+  GstElementState state = gst_element_get_state (el);
+  
+  g_print ("element %s has changed state to %s\n", 
+	   GST_ELEMENT_NAME (el), 
+	   gst_element_state_get_name (state));
+  if (state == GST_STATE_PLAYING) running = TRUE;
+  /* if we move from PLAYING to PAUSED, we're done */
+  if (state == GST_STATE_PAUSED && running) 
+    done = TRUE;
+}
+
+int
+main (gint argc, gchar *argv[])
+{
+  int runs = MAX_IDENTITIES * RUNS_PER_IDENTITY;
+  int i;
+  gulong id;
+  GstElement *thread;
+  
+  gst_init (&argc, &argv);
+
+  for (i = 0; i < runs; ++i)
+  {
+    thread = gst_thread_new ("main_thread");
+    g_assert (thread);
+
+    /* connect state change signal */
+    id = g_signal_connect (G_OBJECT (thread), "state_change", 
+		           G_CALLBACK (state_changed), NULL);
+    construct_pipeline (thread, i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+
+    g_print ("Setting thread to play with %d identities\n", 
+	     i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+    done = FALSE;
+    gst_element_set_state (thread, GST_STATE_PLAYING);
+
+    g_print ("Waiting for thread PLAYING->PAUSED\n");
+    while (!done) /* do nothing */;
+    running = FALSE;
+    g_print ("Coming out of the main GStreamer loop\n");
+    g_signal_handler_disconnect (G_OBJECT (thread), id);
+    gst_element_set_state (thread, GST_STATE_NULL);
+    g_print ("Unreffing thread\n");
+    g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (thread));
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/testsuite/threads/threade.c b/testsuite/threads/threade.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..97654597c3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/threads/threade.c
@@ -0,0 +1,80 @@
+#include <gst/gst.h>
+
+/* threadc.c
+ * this tests if we can make a GstBin and iterate it inside a GThread
+ */
+
+#define MAX_IDENTITIES 29
+#define RUNS_PER_IDENTITY 5
+
+gboolean running = FALSE;
+gboolean done = FALSE;
+
+static void
+construct_pipeline (GstElement *pipeline, gint identities)
+{
+  GstElement *src, *sink, *identity;
+  GstElement *from;
+  int i;
+
+  src      = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesrc",  NULL);
+  sink     = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesink", NULL);
+  g_assert (src);
+  g_assert (sink);
+  gst_bin_add_many (GST_BIN (pipeline), src, sink, NULL);
+  from = src;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < identities; ++i)
+  {
+    identity = gst_element_factory_make ("identity", NULL);
+    g_assert (identity);
+    gst_bin_add (GST_BIN (pipeline), identity);
+    gst_element_connect (from, identity);
+    from = identity;
+  }
+  gst_element_connect (identity, sink);
+
+  g_object_set (G_OBJECT (src), "num_buffers", 10, "sizetype", 3, NULL);
+}
+
+static void
+iterator (GstElement *bin)
+{
+  gst_element_set_state (bin, GST_STATE_PLAYING);
+  while (gst_bin_iterate (GST_BIN (bin))) g_print ("+");
+  g_print ("\n");
+  done = TRUE;
+}
+
+int
+main (gint argc, gchar *argv[])
+{
+  int runs = MAX_IDENTITIES * RUNS_PER_IDENTITY;
+  int i;
+  GstElement *pipeline;
+
+  g_thread_init (NULL);
+  gst_init (&argc, &argv);
+
+  for (i = 0; i < runs; ++i)
+  {
+    pipeline = gst_pipeline_new ("main_pipeline");
+    g_assert (pipeline);
+
+    /* connect state change signal */
+    construct_pipeline (pipeline, i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+
+    done = FALSE;
+    g_thread_create ((GThreadFunc) iterator, pipeline, FALSE, NULL);
+    g_print ("Created GThread\n");
+
+    g_print ("Waiting for thread PLAYING->PAUSED\n");
+    while (!done) /* do nothing */;
+    running = FALSE;
+    g_print ("Unreffing pipeline\n");
+    g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (pipeline));
+  }
+
+  return 0;
+}
+
diff --git a/testsuite/threads/threadf.c b/testsuite/threads/threadf.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..32b66aa8a0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/testsuite/threads/threadf.c
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+#include <gst/gst.h>
+
+/* threadf.c
+ * this tests if we can make a GThread and construct and interate a pipeline
+ * inside it
+ * used to fail because of cothread ctx key not being reset on context
+ * destroy
+ */
+
+#define MAX_IDENTITIES 29
+#define RUNS_PER_IDENTITY 5
+
+gboolean running = FALSE;
+gboolean done = FALSE;
+
+static void
+construct_pipeline (GstElement *pipeline, gint identities)
+{
+  GstElement *src, *sink, *identity;
+  GstElement *from;
+  int i;
+
+  src      = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesrc",  NULL);
+  sink     = gst_element_factory_make ("fakesink", NULL);
+  g_assert (src);
+  g_assert (sink);
+  gst_bin_add_many (GST_BIN (pipeline), src, sink, NULL);
+  from = src;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < identities; ++i)
+  {
+    identity = gst_element_factory_make ("identity", NULL);
+    g_assert (identity);
+    gst_bin_add (GST_BIN (pipeline), identity);
+    if (!(gst_element_connect (from, identity)))
+      g_print ("Warning: can't connect identity with previous element\n");
+    from = identity;
+  }
+  gst_element_connect (identity, sink);
+
+  g_object_set (G_OBJECT (src), "num_buffers", 10, "sizetype", 3, NULL);
+}
+
+static void
+thread (void)
+{
+  int runs = MAX_IDENTITIES * RUNS_PER_IDENTITY;
+  int i;
+  GstElement *pipeline;
+
+  for (i = 0; i < runs; ++i)
+  {
+    pipeline = gst_pipeline_new ("main_pipeline");
+    g_assert (pipeline);
+
+    g_print ("Run %d, using %d identities\n", i, i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+    construct_pipeline (pipeline, i / RUNS_PER_IDENTITY + 1);
+    if (!gst_element_set_state (pipeline, GST_STATE_PLAYING))
+      g_print ("WARNING: can't set pipeline to play\n");
+    while (gst_bin_iterate (GST_BIN (pipeline)))
+      g_print ("+");
+    g_print ("\n");
+    g_print ("Unreffing pipeline\n");
+    g_object_unref (G_OBJECT (pipeline));
+  }
+}
+
+int
+main (gint argc, gchar *argv[])
+{
+  done = FALSE;
+
+  g_thread_init (NULL);
+  gst_init (&argc, &argv);
+
+  g_thread_create ((GThreadFunc) thread, NULL, FALSE, NULL);
+  g_print ("main: created GThread\n");
+  while (!done) sleep (1);
+  g_print ("main: done\n");
+  return 0;
+}
+