diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecoder.c b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecoder.c
index 093fcc0573..192d71aab2 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecoder.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecoder.c
@@ -420,14 +420,9 @@ set_caps (GstVaapiDecoder * decoder, const GstCaps * caps)
 {
   GstVideoCodecState *const codec_state = decoder->codec_state;
   GstStructure *const structure = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
-  GstVaapiProfile profile;
   const GValue *v_codec_data;
 
-  profile = gst_vaapi_profile_from_caps (caps);
-  if (!profile)
-    return FALSE;
-
-  decoder->codec = gst_vaapi_profile_get_codec (profile);
+  decoder->codec = gst_vaapi_get_codec_from_caps (caps);
   if (!decoder->codec)
     return FALSE;
 
@@ -1142,7 +1137,6 @@ gboolean
 gst_vaapi_decoder_update_caps (GstVaapiDecoder * decoder, GstCaps * caps)
 {
   GstCaps *decoder_caps;
-  GstVaapiProfile profile;
   GstVaapiCodec codec;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (decoder != NULL, FALSE);
@@ -1155,10 +1149,7 @@ gst_vaapi_decoder_update_caps (GstVaapiDecoder * decoder, GstCaps * caps)
   if (gst_caps_is_always_compatible (caps, decoder_caps))
     return set_caps (decoder, caps);
 
-  profile = gst_vaapi_profile_from_caps (caps);
-  if (profile == GST_VAAPI_PROFILE_UNKNOWN)
-    return FALSE;
-  codec = gst_vaapi_profile_get_codec (profile);
+  codec = gst_vaapi_get_codec_from_caps (caps);
   if (codec == 0)
     return FALSE;
   if (codec == decoder->codec) {
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiprofile.c b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiprofile.c
index 05480dffc1..cbf2db5703 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiprofile.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiprofile.c
@@ -457,6 +457,48 @@ gst_vaapi_profile_from_caps (const GstCaps * caps)
   return profile ? profile : best_profile;
 }
 
+/**
+ * gst_vaapi_get_codec_from_caps:
+ * @caps: a #GstCaps
+ *
+ * Converts @caps into the corresponding #GstVaapiCodec. If we can
+ * not recognize the #GstVaapiCodec, then zero is returned.
+ *
+ * Return value: the #GstVaapiCodec describing the @caps
+ */
+GstVaapiCodec
+gst_vaapi_get_codec_from_caps (const GstCaps * caps)
+{
+  GstStructure *structure;
+  const gchar *name;
+  gsize namelen;
+  const GstVaapiProfileMap *m;
+  GstVaapiProfile profile;
+
+  if (!caps)
+    return 0;
+
+  structure = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
+  if (!structure)
+    return 0;
+
+  name = gst_structure_get_name (structure);
+  namelen = strlen (name);
+
+  profile = GST_VAAPI_PROFILE_UNKNOWN;
+  for (m = gst_vaapi_profiles; m->profile; m++) {
+    if (strncmp (name, m->media_str, namelen) == 0) {
+      profile = m->profile;
+      break;
+    }
+  }
+
+  if (profile == GST_VAAPI_PROFILE_UNKNOWN)
+    return 0;
+
+  return gst_vaapi_profile_get_codec (profile);
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_vaapi_profile_get_va_profile:
  * @profile: a #GstVaapiProfile
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiprofile.h b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiprofile.h
index c3080f4ee3..3ba23f69c4 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiprofile.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiprofile.h
@@ -228,6 +228,9 @@ gst_vaapi_profile(VAProfile profile);
 GstVaapiProfile
 gst_vaapi_profile_from_caps(const GstCaps *caps);
 
+GstVaapiCodec
+gst_vaapi_get_codec_from_caps (const GstCaps *caps);
+
 const gchar *
 gst_vaapi_profile_get_name(GstVaapiProfile profile);
 
diff --git a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecode.c b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecode.c
index 59ec6e958c..afe2dd2730 100644
--- a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecode.c
+++ b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecode.c
@@ -881,12 +881,6 @@ gst_vaapidecode_ensure_display (GstVaapiDecode * decode)
   return gst_vaapi_plugin_base_ensure_display (GST_VAAPI_PLUGIN_BASE (decode));
 }
 
-static inline guint
-gst_vaapi_codec_from_caps (GstCaps * caps)
-{
-  return gst_vaapi_profile_get_codec (gst_vaapi_profile_from_caps (caps));
-}
-
 static gboolean
 gst_vaapidecode_create (GstVaapiDecode * decode, GstCaps * caps)
 {
@@ -896,7 +890,7 @@ gst_vaapidecode_create (GstVaapiDecode * decode, GstCaps * caps)
     return FALSE;
   dpy = GST_VAAPI_PLUGIN_BASE_DISPLAY (decode);
 
-  switch (gst_vaapi_codec_from_caps (caps)) {
+  switch (gst_vaapi_get_codec_from_caps (caps)) {
     case GST_VAAPI_CODEC_MPEG2:
       decode->decoder = gst_vaapi_decoder_mpeg2_new (dpy, caps);
       break;
diff --git a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencode.c b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencode.c
index eacf13c3d9..a970f827b1 100644
--- a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencode.c
+++ b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencode.c
@@ -611,9 +611,8 @@ gst_vaapiencode_set_format (GstVideoEncoder * venc, GstVideoCodecState * state)
       gst_tag_list_add (tags, GST_TAG_MERGE_REPLACE, GST_TAG_ENCODER, encoder,
           NULL);
 
-    if ((codec =
-            gst_vaapi_codec_get_name (gst_vaapi_profile_get_codec
-                (gst_vaapi_profile_from_caps (state->caps)))))
+    if ((codec = gst_vaapi_codec_get_name
+            (gst_vaapi_get_codec_from_caps (state->caps))))
       gst_tag_list_add (tags, GST_TAG_MERGE_REPLACE, GST_TAG_CODEC, codec,
           NULL);