diff --git a/tools/README b/tools/README
index 6771d23c6e..d7585cc670 100644
--- a/tools/README
+++ b/tools/README
@@ -64,13 +64,13 @@ Record sound from your sound input and encode it into an ogg file:
 gstreamer-launch not only handles audio but video as well:
 For mpeg1 files (video and audio streams respectively):
 
- gstreamer-launch disksrc location=video.mpg ! mpeg1parse video_00! queue ! { mp1videoparse ! mpeg_play ! sdlvideosink }
- gstreamer-launch disksrc location=video.mpg ! mpeg1parse audio_00! queue ! { mad ! osssink }
+ gstreamer-launch disksrc location=video.mpg ! mpegdemux video_00! { queue ! mpeg2dec ! sdlvideosink }
+ gstreamer-launch disksrc location=video.mpg ! mpegdemux audio_00! { queue ! mad ! osssink }
 
 For mpeg2 files (video and audio streams respectively):
  
- gstreamer-launch disksrc location=video.mpeg ! mpeg2parse video_0! queue ! { mpeg2dec ! sdlvideosink }
- gstreamer-launch disksrc location=video.mpeg ! mpeg2parse private_stream_1.0! queue ! { ac3dec ! osssink }
+ gstreamer-launch disksrc location=video.mpeg ! mpegdemux video_00! { queue ! mpeg2dec ! sdlvideosink }
+ gstreamer-launch disksrc location=video.mpeg ! mpegdemux private_stream_1.0! { queue ! ac3dec ! osssink }
 
 Note: The types of audio streams in the mpeg files can vary!
  
diff --git a/tools/gstreamer-launch.c b/tools/gstreamer-launch.c
index e50db14cbd..9d0a13c25d 100644
--- a/tools/gstreamer-launch.c
+++ b/tools/gstreamer-launch.c
@@ -167,7 +167,10 @@ main(int argc, char *argv[])
     arg_search(GST_BIN(pipeline),"xid",xid_handler,NULL);
 
     fprintf(stderr,"RUNNING pipeline\n");
-    gst_element_set_state (pipeline, GST_STATE_PLAYING);
+    if (gst_element_set_state (pipeline, GST_STATE_PLAYING) != GST_STATE_SUCCESS) {
+      fprintf(stderr,"pipeline doesn't want to play\n");
+      exit (-1);
+    }
 
     g_idle_add(idle_func,pipeline);
 #ifdef USE_GLIB2