diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index 888d926487..ee68027a2b 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ static void			gst_element_init		(GstElement *element);
 static void			gst_element_set_arg		(GtkObject *object, GtkArg *arg, guint id);
 static void			gst_element_get_arg		(GtkObject *object, GtkArg *arg, guint id);
 
-static void			gst_element_finalize		(GtkObject *object);
+static void			gst_element_real_destroy	(GtkObject *object);
 
 static GstElementStateReturn	gst_element_change_state	(GstElement *element);
 
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ gst_element_class_init (GstElementClass *klass)
 
   gtkobject_class->set_arg =		GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR(gst_element_set_arg);
   gtkobject_class->get_arg =		GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR(gst_element_get_arg);
-  gtkobject_class->finalize =		GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR(gst_element_finalize);
+  gtkobject_class->destroy =		GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR(gst_element_real_destroy);
 
   gstobject_class->save_thyself =	GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR(gst_element_save_thyself);
   gstobject_class->restore_thyself =	GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR(gst_element_restore_thyself);
@@ -836,24 +836,25 @@ GST_ELEMENT_NAME(element),GST_ELEMENT_NAME(GST_ELEMENT_PARENT(element)),GST_ELEM
 }
 
 static void
-gst_element_finalize (GtkObject *object)
+gst_element_real_destroy (GtkObject *object)
 {
   GstElement *element = GST_ELEMENT (object);
   GList *pads;
   GstPad *pad;
 
-  //g_print("element_finalize()\n");
+  GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "destroy\n");
 
   pads = element->pads;
   while (pads) {
     pad = GST_PAD (pads->data);
-    gst_pad_destroy (pad);
+    gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (pad));
     pads = g_list_next (pads);
   }
 
   g_list_free (element->pads);
 
-  GTK_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
+  if (GTK_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->destroy)
+    GTK_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->destroy (object);
 }
 
 /*
diff --git a/gst/gstinfo.c b/gst/gstinfo.c
index f6f8f5bf9e..93cb5a9832 100644
--- a/gst/gstinfo.c
+++ b/gst/gstinfo.c
@@ -55,6 +55,7 @@ static gchar *_gst_info_category_strings[] = {
   "TYPES",
   "XML",
   "NEGOTIATION",
+  "REFCOUNTING",
 };
 
 /**
@@ -106,6 +107,7 @@ const gchar *_gst_category_colors[32] = {
   [GST_CAT_TYPES]		= "01;37;41",		// !!
   [GST_CAT_XML]			= "01;37;41",		// !!
   [GST_CAT_NEGOTIATION]		= "07;34",
+  [GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING]		= "00;34:42",
 
   [31]				= "",
 };
diff --git a/gst/gstinfo.h b/gst/gstinfo.h
index 026b3b3bfe..7be2dc7d6c 100644
--- a/gst/gstinfo.h
+++ b/gst/gstinfo.h
@@ -87,6 +87,7 @@ enum {
   GST_CAT_TYPES,		// Typing
   GST_CAT_XML,			// XML load/save of everything
   GST_CAT_NEGOTIATION,		// Caps Negotiation stuff
+  GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING,		// Ref Counting stuff
 
   GST_CAT_MAX_CATEGORY = 31
 };
diff --git a/gst/gstobject.c b/gst/gstobject.c
index ba4620c95f..937883b84e 100644
--- a/gst/gstobject.c
+++ b/gst/gstobject.c
@@ -158,7 +158,8 @@ gst_object_ref (GstObject *object)
 {
   g_return_val_if_fail (GST_IS_OBJECT (object), NULL);
 
-  //g_print ("object_ref\n");
+  GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "ref\n");
+
   gtk_object_ref (GTK_OBJECT (object));
 
   return object;
@@ -177,7 +178,8 @@ gst_object_unref (GstObject *object)
 {
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_OBJECT (object));
 
-  //g_print ("object_unref\n");
+  GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "unref\n");
+
   gtk_object_unref (GTK_OBJECT (object));
 }
 #define gst_object_unref gst_object_unref
@@ -196,7 +198,7 @@ gst_object_sink (GstObject *object)
   g_return_if_fail (object != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_OBJECT (object));
 
-  //g_print ("object_sink\n");
+  GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "sink\n");
   if (GST_OBJECT_FLOATING (object))
   {
     GST_FLAG_UNSET (object, GST_FLOATING);
@@ -210,7 +212,7 @@ gst_object_destroy (GstObject *object)
   g_return_if_fail (object != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_OBJECT (object));
 
-  //g_print ("object_destroy\n");
+  GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "destroy\n");
   if (!GST_OBJECT_DESTROYED (object))
   {
     /* need to hold a reference count around all class method
@@ -225,7 +227,7 @@ gst_object_destroy (GstObject *object)
 static void
 gst_object_shutdown (GtkObject *object)
 {
-  //g_print ("object_shutdown\n");
+  GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "shutdown\n");
   GST_FLAG_SET (GST_OBJECT (object), GST_DESTROYED);
   parent_class->shutdown (GTK_OBJECT (object));
 }
@@ -234,6 +236,8 @@ gst_object_shutdown (GtkObject *object)
 static void
 gst_object_real_destroy (GtkObject *gtk_object)
 {
+  GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "destroy\n");
+
   parent_class->destroy (gtk_object);
 }
 
@@ -245,7 +249,7 @@ gst_object_finalize (GtkObject *gtk_object)
 
   object = GST_OBJECT (gtk_object);
 
-  //g_print ("object_finalize\n");
+  GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "finalize\n");
   if (object->name != NULL)
     g_free (object->name);
 
diff --git a/gst/gstpad.c b/gst/gstpad.c
index cd9b71bec3..9cce06ee07 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.c
+++ b/gst/gstpad.c
@@ -272,6 +272,8 @@ gst_pad_new_from_template (GstPadTemplate *templ,
   g_return_val_if_fail (templ != NULL, NULL);
 
   pad = gst_pad_new (name, templ->direction);
+  gst_object_ref (GST_OBJECT (templ));
+  gst_object_sink (GST_OBJECT (templ));
   GST_PAD_PADTEMPLATE(pad) = templ;
 
   return pad;
@@ -554,6 +556,14 @@ gst_pad_disconnect (GstPad *srcpad,
   g_return_if_fail (GST_RPAD_PEER(realsrc) != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (GST_RPAD_PEER(realsink) != NULL);
 
+  if ((GST_RPAD_DIRECTION(realsrc) == GST_PAD_SINK) &&
+      (GST_RPAD_DIRECTION(realsink) == GST_PAD_SRC)) {
+    GstRealPad *temppad;
+
+    temppad = realsrc;
+    realsrc = realsink;
+    realsink = temppad;
+  }
   g_return_if_fail ((GST_RPAD_DIRECTION(realsrc) == GST_PAD_SRC) &&
                     (GST_RPAD_DIRECTION(realsink) == GST_PAD_SINK));
 
@@ -566,7 +576,10 @@ gst_pad_disconnect (GstPad *srcpad,
   gtk_signal_emit(GTK_OBJECT(realsink), gst_real_pad_signals[REAL_DISCONNECTED], realsrc);
 
   // now tell the scheduler
-  GST_SCHEDULE_PAD_DISCONNECT (realsrc->sched, (GstPad *)realsrc, (GstPad *)realsink);
+  if (realsrc->sched)
+    GST_SCHEDULE_PAD_DISCONNECT (realsrc->sched, (GstPad *)realsrc, (GstPad *)realsink);
+  if (realsink->sched)
+    GST_SCHEDULE_PAD_DISCONNECT (realsink->sched, (GstPad *)realsrc, (GstPad *)realsink);
 
   GST_INFO (GST_CAT_ELEMENT_PADS, "disconnected %s:%s and %s:%s",
             GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(srcpad), GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(sinkpad));
@@ -586,7 +599,6 @@ gst_pad_connect (GstPad *srcpad,
 		 GstPad *sinkpad)
 {
   GstRealPad *realsrc, *realsink;
-  GstRealPad *temppad;
   gboolean negotiated = FALSE;
 
   /* generic checks */
@@ -605,6 +617,8 @@ gst_pad_connect (GstPad *srcpad,
   /* check for reversed directions and swap if necessary */
   if ((GST_RPAD_DIRECTION(realsrc) == GST_PAD_SINK) &&
       (GST_RPAD_DIRECTION(realsink) == GST_PAD_SRC)) {
+    GstRealPad *temppad;
+
     temppad = realsrc;
     realsrc = realsink;
     realsink = temppad;
@@ -996,15 +1010,23 @@ gst_pad_get_bufferpool (GstPad *pad)
 }
 
 
-// FIXME this needs to be rethought soon
 static void
 gst_real_pad_destroy (GtkObject *object)
 {
   GstPad *pad = GST_PAD (object);
 
-//  g_print("in gst_pad_real_destroy()\n");
+  GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_REFCOUNTING, "destroy\n");
+
+  if (GST_PAD (pad)->padtemplate)
+    gst_object_unref (GST_OBJECT (GST_PAD (pad)->padtemplate));
+
+  if (GST_PAD_PEER (object)) 
+    gst_pad_disconnect (GST_PAD (object), GST_PAD (GST_PAD_PEER (object)));
 
   g_list_free (GST_REAL_PAD(pad)->ghostpads);
+
+  if (GTK_OBJECT_CLASS (real_pad_parent_class)->destroy)
+    GTK_OBJECT_CLASS (real_pad_parent_class)->destroy (object);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/gst/gstpad.h b/gst/gstpad.h
index f68bbd8f5b..ee0306a826 100644
--- a/gst/gstpad.h
+++ b/gst/gstpad.h
@@ -360,6 +360,7 @@ GstBuffer*		gst_pad_pullregion		(GstPad *pad, GstRegionType type, guint64 offset
 #define			gst_pad_eos(pad)		(GST_RPAD_EOSFUNC(GST_RPAD_PEER(pad))(GST_PAD(GST_RPAD_PEER(pad))))
 gboolean		gst_pad_set_eos			(GstPad *pad);
 
+gboolean		gst_pad_eos_func		(GstPad *pad);
 void			gst_pad_handle_qos		(GstPad *pad, glong qos_message);
 
 void			gst_pad_load_and_connect	(xmlNodePtr self, GstObject *parent);
@@ -383,7 +384,6 @@ GstCaps*		gst_padtemplate_get_caps_by_name	(GstPadTemplate *templ, const gchar *
 xmlNodePtr		gst_padtemplate_save_thyself	(GstPadTemplate *templ, xmlNodePtr parent);
 GstPadTemplate*		gst_padtemplate_load_thyself	(xmlNodePtr parent);
 
-gboolean		gst_pad_eos_func		(GstPad *pad);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }