diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.c b/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.c
index 938825a54c..30b7bc6650 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.c
@@ -1014,9 +1014,7 @@ gst_multi_queue_chain (GstPad * pad, GstBuffer * buffer)
   mq = sq->mqueue;
 
   /* Get a unique incrementing id */
-  GST_MULTI_QUEUE_MUTEX_LOCK (mq);
   curid = mq->counter++;
-  GST_MULTI_QUEUE_MUTEX_UNLOCK (mq);
 
   GST_LOG_OBJECT (mq, "SingleQueue %d : about to enqueue buffer %p with id %d",
       sq->id, buffer, curid);
@@ -1112,10 +1110,9 @@ gst_multi_queue_sink_event (GstPad * pad, GstEvent * event)
       break;
   }
 
-  /* Get an unique incrementing id */
-  GST_MULTI_QUEUE_MUTEX_LOCK (mq);
+  /* Get an unique incrementing id. protected with the STREAM_LOCK, unserialized
+   * events already got pushed and don't end up in the queue. */
   curid = mq->counter++;
-  GST_MULTI_QUEUE_MUTEX_UNLOCK (mq);
 
   item = gst_multi_queue_event_item_new ((GstMiniObject *) event, curid);
 
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.h b/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.h
index 7a96d77ada..088b431f89 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.h
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstmultiqueue.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ struct _GstMultiQueue {
 
   GstDataQueueSize  max_size, extra_size;
 
-  guint32  counter;	/* incoming object counter */
+  guint32  counter;	/* incoming object counter, protected with STREAM_LOCK */
   guint32  highid;	/* contains highest id of last outputted object */
 
   GMutex * qlock;	/* Global queue lock (vs object lock or individual */