diff --git a/ges/ges-timeline-element.c b/ges/ges-timeline-element.c
index d1ef1975da..0442082303 100644
--- a/ges/ges-timeline-element.c
+++ b/ges/ges-timeline-element.c
@@ -323,7 +323,7 @@ ges_timeline_element_set_timeline (GESTimelineElement * self,
 
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (self, "set timeline to %" GST_PTR_FORMAT, timeline);
 
-  if (G_UNLIKELY (self->timeline != NULL))
+  if (timeline != NULL && G_UNLIKELY (self->timeline != NULL))
     goto had_timeline;
 
   self->timeline = timeline;
diff --git a/ges/ges-timeline.c b/ges/ges-timeline.c
index 8530daca76..fbb4937d6c 100644
--- a/ges/ges-timeline.c
+++ b/ges/ges-timeline.c
@@ -2031,6 +2031,11 @@ trackelement_priority_changed_cb (GESTrackElement * child,
       GSequence *by_layer_sequence =
           g_hash_table_lookup (priv->by_layer, layer);
 
+      GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (child, "Moved from layer %" GST_PTR_FORMAT
+          "(prio %d) to" " %" GST_PTR_FORMAT " (prio %d)", layer,
+          ges_layer_get_priority (layer), iters->layer,
+          ges_layer_get_priority (iters->layer));
+
       g_sequence_remove (iters->iter_by_layer);
       iters->iter_by_layer =
           g_sequence_insert_sorted (by_layer_sequence, child,