diff --git a/gst/gstbin.c b/gst/gstbin.c
index 0760ce14b0..810bacb278 100644
--- a/gst/gstbin.c
+++ b/gst/gstbin.c
@@ -498,20 +498,23 @@ static void
 gst_bin_real_destroy (GtkObject *object)
 {
   GstBin *bin = GST_BIN (object);
-  GList *children;
+  GList *children, *orig;
   GstElement *child;
 
   GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING,"destroy()\n");
 
-  children = bin->children;
-  while (children) {
-    child = GST_ELEMENT (children->data);
-    //gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (child));
-    gst_object_unparent (GST_OBJECT (child));
-    children = g_list_next (children);
+  if (bin->children) {
+    orig = children = g_list_copy (bin->children);
+    while (children) {
+      child = GST_ELEMENT (children->data);
+      //gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (child));
+      //gst_object_unparent (GST_OBJECT (child));
+      gst_bin_remove (bin, child);
+      children = g_list_next (children);
+    }
+    g_list_free (orig);
+    g_list_free (bin->children);
   }
-
-  g_list_free (bin->children);
   bin->children = NULL;
   bin->numchildren = 0;
 
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index cb97f13b67..e186f2dd82 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -909,14 +909,17 @@ gst_element_real_destroy (GtkObject *object)
     orig = pads = g_list_copy (element->pads);
     while (pads) {
       pad = GST_PAD (pads->data);
-      gst_object_destroy (GST_OBJECT (pad));
+      //gst_object_destroy (GST_OBJECT (pad));
+      gst_object_ref (GST_OBJECT (pad));
+      gst_element_remove_pad (element, pad);
+      gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (pad));
       pads = g_list_next (pads);
     }
     g_list_free (orig);
+    g_list_free (element->pads);
+    element->pads = NULL;
   }
 
-  g_list_free (element->pads);
-  element->pads = NULL;
   element->numsrcpads = 0;
   element->numsinkpads = 0;
 
diff --git a/gst/gstthread.c b/gst/gstthread.c
index c24382dd77..ada65ec367 100644
--- a/gst/gstthread.c
+++ b/gst/gstthread.c
@@ -160,11 +160,11 @@ gst_thread_real_destroy (GtkObject *gtk_object)
   g_mutex_free (thread->lock);
   g_cond_free (thread->cond);
 
-  gst_object_destroy (GST_OBJECT (GST_ELEMENT_SCHED (thread)));
-  gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (GST_ELEMENT_SCHED (thread)));
-
   if (GTK_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->destroy)
     GTK_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->destroy (gtk_object);
+
+  gst_object_destroy (GST_OBJECT (GST_ELEMENT_SCHED (thread)));
+  gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (GST_ELEMENT_SCHED (thread)));
 }
 
 static void