diff --git a/gst/rtp/gstrtpg729pay.c b/gst/rtp/gstrtpg729pay.c
index e899d42f4a..1fbab66e96 100644
--- a/gst/rtp/gstrtpg729pay.c
+++ b/gst/rtp/gstrtpg729pay.c
@@ -156,16 +156,15 @@ gst_rtp_g729_pay_set_caps (GstRTPBasePayload * payload, GstCaps * caps)
 }
 
 static GstFlowReturn
-gst_rtp_g729_pay_push (GstRTPG729Pay * rtpg729pay,
-    const guint8 * data, guint payload_len)
+gst_rtp_g729_pay_push (GstRTPG729Pay * rtpg729pay, GstBuffer * buf)
 {
   GstRTPBasePayload *basepayload;
   GstClockTime duration;
   guint frames;
   GstBuffer *outbuf;
-  guint8 *payload;
   GstFlowReturn ret;
   GstRTPBuffer rtp = { NULL };
+  guint payload_len = gst_buffer_get_size (buf);
 
   basepayload = GST_RTP_BASE_PAYLOAD (rtpg729pay);
 
@@ -173,14 +172,10 @@ gst_rtp_g729_pay_push (GstRTPG729Pay * rtpg729pay,
       payload_len, GST_TIME_ARGS (rtpg729pay->next_ts));
 
   /* create buffer to hold the payload */
-  outbuf = gst_rtp_buffer_new_allocate (payload_len, 0, 0);
+  outbuf = gst_rtp_buffer_new_allocate (0, 0, 0);
 
   gst_rtp_buffer_map (outbuf, GST_MAP_READWRITE, &rtp);
 
-  /* copy payload */
-  payload = gst_rtp_buffer_get_payload (&rtp);
-  memcpy (payload, data, payload_len);
-
   /* set metadata */
   frames =
       (payload_len / G729_FRAME_SIZE) + ((payload_len % G729_FRAME_SIZE) >> 1);
@@ -199,22 +194,14 @@ gst_rtp_g729_pay_push (GstRTPG729Pay * rtpg729pay,
   }
   gst_rtp_buffer_unmap (&rtp);
 
+  /* append payload */
+  outbuf = gst_buffer_append (outbuf, buf);
+
   ret = gst_rtp_base_payload_push (basepayload, outbuf);
 
   return ret;
 }
 
-static GstFlowReturn
-gst_rtp_g729_pay_push_and_free (GstRTPG729Pay * rtpg729pay,
-    guint8 * data, guint payload_len)
-{
-  GstFlowReturn ret;
-
-  ret = gst_rtp_g729_pay_push (rtpg729pay, data, payload_len);
-  g_free (data);
-  return ret;
-}
-
 static void
 gst_rtp_g729_pay_recalc_rtp_time (GstRTPG729Pay * rtpg729pay, GstClockTime time)
 {
@@ -320,8 +307,8 @@ gst_rtp_g729_pay_handle_buffer (GstRTPBasePayload * payload, GstBuffer * buf)
   if (GST_BUFFER_IS_DISCONT (buf)) {
     /* flush remainder */
     if (available > 0) {
-      gst_rtp_g729_pay_push_and_free (rtpg729pay,
-          gst_adapter_take (adapter, available), available);
+      gst_rtp_g729_pay_push (rtpg729pay,
+          gst_adapter_take_buffer_fast (adapter, available));
       available = 0;
     }
     rtpg729pay->discont = TRUE;
@@ -341,12 +328,7 @@ gst_rtp_g729_pay_handle_buffer (GstRTPBasePayload * payload, GstBuffer * buf)
     rtpg729pay->next_ts = timestamp;
 
   if (available == 0 && size >= min_payload_len && size <= max_payload_len) {
-    GstMapInfo map;
-
-    gst_buffer_map (buf, &map, GST_MAP_READ);
-    ret = gst_rtp_g729_pay_push (rtpg729pay, map.data, map.size);
-    gst_buffer_unmap (buf, &map);
-    gst_buffer_unref (buf);
+    ret = gst_rtp_g729_pay_push (rtpg729pay, gst_buffer_ref (buf));
     return ret;
   }
 
@@ -365,8 +347,8 @@ gst_rtp_g729_pay_handle_buffer (GstRTPBasePayload * payload, GstBuffer * buf)
           (available / G729_FRAME_SIZE) * G729_FRAME_SIZE);
     }
 
-    ret = gst_rtp_g729_pay_push_and_free (rtpg729pay,
-        gst_adapter_take (adapter, payload_len), payload_len);
+    ret = gst_rtp_g729_pay_push (rtpg729pay,
+        gst_adapter_take_buffer_fast (adapter, payload_len));
     available -= payload_len;
   }