diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index ee68027a2b..7d8ede6960 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -33,7 +33,9 @@
 enum {
   STATE_CHANGE,
   NEW_PAD,
+  PAD_REMOVED,
   NEW_GHOST_PAD,
+  GHOST_PAD_REMOVED,
   ERROR,
   EOS,
   LAST_SIGNAL
@@ -100,11 +102,21 @@ gst_element_class_init (GstElementClass *klass)
                     GTK_SIGNAL_OFFSET (GstElementClass, new_pad),
                     gtk_marshal_NONE__POINTER, GTK_TYPE_NONE, 1,
                     GST_TYPE_PAD);
+  gst_element_signals[PAD_REMOVED] =
+    gtk_signal_new ("pad_removed", GTK_RUN_LAST, gtkobject_class->type,
+                    GTK_SIGNAL_OFFSET (GstElementClass, pad_removed),
+                    gtk_marshal_NONE__POINTER, GTK_TYPE_NONE, 1,
+                    GST_TYPE_PAD);
   gst_element_signals[NEW_GHOST_PAD] =
     gtk_signal_new ("new_ghost_pad", GTK_RUN_LAST, gtkobject_class->type,
                     GTK_SIGNAL_OFFSET (GstElementClass, new_ghost_pad),
                     gtk_marshal_NONE__POINTER, GTK_TYPE_NONE, 1,
                     GST_TYPE_PAD);
+  gst_element_signals[GHOST_PAD_REMOVED] =
+    gtk_signal_new ("ghost_pad_removed", GTK_RUN_LAST, gtkobject_class->type,
+                    GTK_SIGNAL_OFFSET (GstElementClass, ghost_pad_removed),
+                    gtk_marshal_NONE__POINTER, GTK_TYPE_NONE, 1,
+                    GST_TYPE_PAD);
   gst_element_signals[ERROR] =
     gtk_signal_new ("error", GTK_RUN_LAST, gtkobject_class->type,
                     GTK_SIGNAL_OFFSET (GstElementClass, error),
@@ -296,6 +308,36 @@ gst_element_add_pad (GstElement *element, GstPad *pad)
   gtk_signal_emit (GTK_OBJECT (element), gst_element_signals[NEW_PAD], pad);
 }
 
+/**
+ * gst_element_remove_pad:
+ * @element: element to remove pad from
+ * @pad: pad to remove
+ *
+ * Remove a pad (connection point) from the element, 
+ */
+void
+gst_element_remove_pad (GstElement *element, GstPad *pad)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (element != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT (element));
+  g_return_if_fail (pad != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_PAD (pad));
+
+  g_return_if_fail (GST_PAD_PARENT (pad) == element);
+
+  /* add it to the list */
+  element->pads = g_list_remove (element->pads, pad);
+  element->numpads--;
+  if (gst_pad_get_direction (pad) == GST_PAD_SRC)
+    element->numsrcpads--;
+  else
+    element->numsinkpads--;
+
+  gtk_signal_emit (GTK_OBJECT (element), gst_element_signals[NEW_PAD], pad);
+
+  gst_object_unparent (GST_OBJECT (pad));
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_element_add_ghost_pad:
  * @element: element to add ghost pad to
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.h b/gst/gstelement.h
index adfc3daa61..8a7d24dc89 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.h
+++ b/gst/gstelement.h
@@ -166,11 +166,13 @@ struct _GstElementClass {
   GstElementFactory *elementfactory;
 
   /* signal callbacks */
-  void (*state_change)	(GstElement *element,GstElementState state);
-  void (*new_pad)	(GstElement *element,GstPad *pad);
-  void (*new_ghost_pad) (GstElement *element,GstPad *pad);
-  void (*error)		(GstElement *element,gchar *error);
-  void (*eos)		(GstElement *element);
+  void (*state_change)		(GstElement *element,GstElementState state);
+  void (*new_pad)		(GstElement *element,GstPad *pad);
+  void (*pad_removed)		(GstElement *element,GstPad *pad);
+  void (*new_ghost_pad) 	(GstElement *element,GstPad *pad);
+  void (*ghost_pad_removed)	(GstElement *element,GstPad *pad);
+  void (*error)			(GstElement *element,gchar *error);
+  void (*eos)			(GstElement *element);
 
   /* local pointers for get/set */
   void (*set_arg) (GtkObject *object,
@@ -222,6 +224,7 @@ void			gst_element_set_sched		(GstElement *element, GstSchedule *sched);
 GstSchedule*		gst_element_get_sched		(GstElement *element);
 
 void			gst_element_add_pad		(GstElement *element, GstPad *pad);
+void			gst_element_remove_pad		(GstElement *element, GstPad *pad);
 GstPad*			gst_element_get_pad		(GstElement *element, const gchar *name);
 GList*			gst_element_get_pad_list	(GstElement *element);
 GList*			gst_element_get_padtemplate_list	(GstElement *element);
diff --git a/gst/gstobject.c b/gst/gstobject.c
index 937883b84e..97f16efd7e 100644
--- a/gst/gstobject.c
+++ b/gst/gstobject.c
@@ -238,6 +238,8 @@ gst_object_real_destroy (GtkObject *gtk_object)
 {
   GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "destroy\n");
 
+  GST_OBJECT_PARENT (gtk_object) = NULL;
+
   parent_class->destroy (gtk_object);
 }