diff --git a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaac.c b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaac.c
index 1b109926d0..ebd4e1792b 100644
--- a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaac.c
+++ b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaac.c
@@ -231,18 +231,3 @@ const GstFdkAacChannelLayout channel_layouts[] = {
   {0, MODE_INVALID, {GST_AUDIO_CHANNEL_POSITION_INVALID}},
 };
 /* *INDENT-ON* */
-
-static gboolean
-plugin_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
-{
-  return gst_element_register (plugin, "fdkaacenc", GST_RANK_PRIMARY,
-      GST_TYPE_FDKAACENC)
-      && gst_element_register (plugin, "fdkaacdec", GST_RANK_MARGINAL,
-      GST_TYPE_FDKAACDEC);
-}
-
-GST_PLUGIN_DEFINE (GST_VERSION_MAJOR,
-    GST_VERSION_MINOR,
-    fdkaac,
-    "Fraunhofer FDK AAC Codec plugin",
-    plugin_init, VERSION, "LGPL", GST_PACKAGE_NAME, GST_PACKAGE_ORIGIN)
diff --git a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacdec.c b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacdec.c
index 3345fcf0a8..723f970f21 100644
--- a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacdec.c
+++ b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacdec.c
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ static GstFlowReturn gst_fdkaacdec_handle_frame (GstAudioDecoder * dec,
 static void gst_fdkaacdec_flush (GstAudioDecoder * dec, gboolean hard);
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstFdkAacDec, gst_fdkaacdec, GST_TYPE_AUDIO_DECODER);
+GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER_DEFINE (fdkaacdec, "fdkaacdec", GST_RANK_MARGINAL,
+    GST_TYPE_FDKAACDEC);
 
 static gboolean
 gst_fdkaacdec_start (GstAudioDecoder * dec)
diff --git a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacdec.h b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacdec.h
index 5f766bc1cf..80c83dd222 100644
--- a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacdec.h
+++ b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacdec.h
@@ -55,6 +55,8 @@ struct _GstFdkAacDecClass {
 
 GType gst_fdkaacdec_get_type (void);
 
+GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER_DECLARE (fdkaacdec);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __GST_FDKAACDEC_H__ */
diff --git a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacenc.c b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacenc.c
index 368b3b87ce..ad405f1f44 100644
--- a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacenc.c
+++ b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacenc.c
@@ -95,6 +95,8 @@ static GstCaps *gst_fdkaacenc_get_caps (GstAudioEncoder * enc,
 static void gst_fdkaacenc_flush (GstAudioEncoder * enc);
 
 G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstFdkAacEnc, gst_fdkaacenc, GST_TYPE_AUDIO_ENCODER);
+GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER_DEFINE (fdkaacenc, "fdkaacenc", GST_RANK_PRIMARY,
+    GST_TYPE_FDKAACENC);
 
 static void
 gst_fdkaacenc_set_property (GObject * object, guint prop_id,
diff --git a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacenc.h b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacenc.h
index 6dacc7db85..997f6037eb 100644
--- a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacenc.h
+++ b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacenc.h
@@ -59,6 +59,8 @@ struct _GstFdkAacEncClass {
 
 GType gst_fdkaacenc_get_type (void);
 
+GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER_DECLARE (fdkaacenc);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __GST_FDKAACENC_H__ */
diff --git a/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacplugin.c b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacplugin.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..12acb06ef9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ext/fdkaac/gstfdkaacplugin.c
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (C) 2016 Sebastian Dröge <sebastian@centricular.com>
+ *
+ * This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
+ * modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
+ * version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * This library is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the GNU
+ * Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
+ * License along with this library; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA  02110-1301  USA
+ *
+ */
+
+#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
+#include <config.h>
+#endif
+
+#include "gstfdkaacdec.h"
+#include "gstfdkaacenc.h"
+
+static gboolean
+plugin_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
+{
+  gboolean ret = FALSE;
+
+  ret |= GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER (fdkaacenc, plugin);
+  ret |= GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER (fdkaacdec, plugin);
+
+  return ret;
+}
+
+GST_PLUGIN_DEFINE (GST_VERSION_MAJOR,
+    GST_VERSION_MINOR,
+    fdkaac,
+    "Fraunhofer FDK AAC Codec plugin",
+    plugin_init, VERSION, "LGPL", GST_PACKAGE_NAME, GST_PACKAGE_ORIGIN)
diff --git a/ext/fdkaac/meson.build b/ext/fdkaac/meson.build
index d2781c86fe..d69c9b363c 100644
--- a/ext/fdkaac/meson.build
+++ b/ext/fdkaac/meson.build
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ if fdkaac_dep.found()
   endif
 
   gstfdkaac = library('gstfdkaac',
-    ['gstfdkaac.c', 'gstfdkaacenc.c', 'gstfdkaacdec.c'],
+    ['gstfdkaac.c', 'gstfdkaacenc.c', 'gstfdkaacdec.c','gstfdkaacplugin.c'],
     c_args : gst_plugins_bad_args + fdkaac_defines,
     include_directories : [configinc],
     dependencies : [gstaudio_dep, gstpbutils_dep, fdkaac_dep],