diff --git a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegdec.c b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegdec.c
index 031ba08ecd..45052f5879 100644
--- a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegdec.c
+++ b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegdec.c
@@ -2731,21 +2731,19 @@ gst_ffmpegdec_register (GstPlugin * plugin)
     type_name = g_strdup_printf ("ffdec_%s", plugin_name);
     g_free (plugin_name);
 
-    /* if it's already registered, drop it */
-    if (g_type_from_name (type_name)) {
-      g_free (type_name);
-      goto next;
+    type = g_type_from_name (type_name);
+
+    if (!type) {
+      params = g_new0 (GstFFMpegDecClassParams, 1);
+      params->in_plugin = in_plugin;
+      params->srccaps = gst_caps_ref (srccaps);
+      params->sinkcaps = gst_caps_ref (sinkcaps);
+
+      /* create the gtype now */
+      type = g_type_register_static (GST_TYPE_ELEMENT, type_name, &typeinfo, 0);
+      g_type_set_qdata (type, GST_FFDEC_PARAMS_QDATA, (gpointer) params);
     }
 
-    params = g_new0 (GstFFMpegDecClassParams, 1);
-    params->in_plugin = in_plugin;
-    params->srccaps = gst_caps_ref (srccaps);
-    params->sinkcaps = gst_caps_ref (sinkcaps);
-
-    /* create the gtype now */
-    type = g_type_register_static (GST_TYPE_ELEMENT, type_name, &typeinfo, 0);
-    g_type_set_qdata (type, GST_FFDEC_PARAMS_QDATA, (gpointer) params);
-
     /* (Ronald) MPEG-4 gets a higher priority because it has been well-
      * tested and by far outperforms divxdec/xviddec - so we prefer it.
      * msmpeg4v3 same, as it outperforms divxdec for divx3 playback.
diff --git a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegenc.c b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegenc.c
index 767d359a33..538fbe6088 100644
--- a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegenc.c
+++ b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegenc.c
@@ -1177,28 +1177,26 @@ gst_ffmpegenc_register (GstPlugin * plugin)
     /* construct the type */
     type_name = g_strdup_printf ("ffenc_%s", in_plugin->name);
 
-    /* if it's already registered, drop it */
-    if (g_type_from_name (type_name)) {
-      g_free (type_name);
-      goto next;
-    }
+    type = g_type_from_name (type_name);
 
-    params = g_new0 (GstFFMpegEncClassParams, 1);
-    params->in_plugin = in_plugin;
-    params->srccaps = gst_caps_ref (srccaps);
-    params->sinkcaps = gst_caps_ref (sinkcaps);
+    if (!type) {
+      params = g_new0 (GstFFMpegEncClassParams, 1);
+      params->in_plugin = in_plugin;
+      params->srccaps = gst_caps_ref (srccaps);
+      params->sinkcaps = gst_caps_ref (sinkcaps);
 
-    /* create the glib type now */
-    type = g_type_register_static (GST_TYPE_ELEMENT, type_name, &typeinfo, 0);
-    g_type_set_qdata (type, GST_FFENC_PARAMS_QDATA, (gpointer) params);
+      /* create the glib type now */
+      type = g_type_register_static (GST_TYPE_ELEMENT, type_name, &typeinfo, 0);
+      g_type_set_qdata (type, GST_FFENC_PARAMS_QDATA, (gpointer) params);
 
-    {
-      static const GInterfaceInfo preset_info = {
-        NULL,
-        NULL,
-        NULL
-      };
-      g_type_add_interface_static (type, GST_TYPE_PRESET, &preset_info);
+      {
+        static const GInterfaceInfo preset_info = {
+          NULL,
+          NULL,
+          NULL
+        };
+        g_type_add_interface_static (type, GST_TYPE_PRESET, &preset_info);
+      }
     }
 
     if (!gst_element_register (plugin, type_name, GST_RANK_NONE, type)) {
diff --git a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegmux.c b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegmux.c
index 15cbaf4593..5f04d2b819 100644
--- a/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegmux.c
+++ b/ext/ffmpeg/gstffmpegmux.c
@@ -835,17 +835,6 @@ gst_ffmpegmux_register (GstPlugin * plugin)
       p++;
     }
 
-    /* if it's already registered, drop it */
-    if (g_type_from_name (type_name)) {
-      g_free (type_name);
-      gst_caps_unref (srccaps);
-      if (audiosinkcaps)
-        gst_caps_unref (audiosinkcaps);
-      if (videosinkcaps)
-        gst_caps_unref (videosinkcaps);
-      goto next;
-    }
-
     /* fix up allowed caps for some muxers */
     if (strcmp (in_plugin->name, "flv") == 0) {
       const gint rates[] = { 44100, 22050, 11025 };
@@ -859,17 +848,22 @@ gst_ffmpegmux_register (GstPlugin * plugin)
           gst_caps_from_string ("video/x-raw-rgb, bpp=(int)24, depth=(int)24");
     }
 
-    /* create a cache for these properties */
-    params = g_new0 (GstFFMpegMuxClassParams, 1);
-    params->in_plugin = in_plugin;
-    params->srccaps = srccaps;
-    params->videosinkcaps = videosinkcaps;
-    params->audiosinkcaps = audiosinkcaps;
+    type = g_type_from_name (type_name);
 
-    /* create the type now */
-    type = g_type_register_static (GST_TYPE_ELEMENT, type_name, &typeinfo, 0);
-    g_type_set_qdata (type, GST_FFMUX_PARAMS_QDATA, (gpointer) params);
-    g_type_add_interface_static (type, GST_TYPE_TAG_SETTER, &tag_setter_info);
+    if (!type) {
+      /* create a cache for these properties */
+      params = g_new0 (GstFFMpegMuxClassParams, 1);
+      params->in_plugin = in_plugin;
+      params->srccaps = srccaps;
+      params->videosinkcaps = videosinkcaps;
+      params->audiosinkcaps = audiosinkcaps;
+
+      /* create the type now */
+      type = g_type_register_static (GST_TYPE_ELEMENT, type_name, &typeinfo, 0);
+      g_type_set_qdata (type, GST_FFMUX_PARAMS_QDATA, (gpointer) params);
+      g_type_add_interface_static (type, GST_TYPE_TAG_SETTER, &tag_setter_info);
+
+    }
 
     if (!gst_element_register (plugin, type_name, GST_RANK_NONE, type)) {
       g_free (type_name);