diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index 2e8b64b355..e0f2998ff0 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -2002,7 +2002,7 @@ gst_element_wait_state_change (GstElement *element)
  * Returns: TRUE if the state was successfully set.
  * (using #GstElementStateReturn).
  */
-gint
+GstElementStateReturn
 gst_element_set_state (GstElement *element, GstElementState state)
 {
   GstElementClass *oclass;