diff --git a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/launcher/baseclasses.py b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/launcher/baseclasses.py
index e3b0a1d32c..8b2cf76221 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/launcher/baseclasses.py
+++ b/subprojects/gst-devtools/validate/launcher/baseclasses.py
@@ -933,6 +933,8 @@ class GstValidateTest(Test):
         # Ensure XInitThreads is called, see bgo#731525
         subproc_env['GST_GL_XINITTHREADS'] = '1'
         self.add_env_variable('GST_GL_XINITTHREADS', '1')
+        subproc_env['GST_XINITTHREADS'] = '1'
+        self.add_env_variable('GST_XINITTHREADS', '1')
 
         if self.scenario is not None:
             scenario = self.scenario.get_execution_name()
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/ext/gl/gstglelement.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/ext/gl/gstglelement.c
index 1662b7355c..0b4269c73f 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/ext/gl/gstglelement.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/ext/gl/gstglelement.c
@@ -62,7 +62,7 @@ gl_element_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
 #endif
 
 #if GST_GL_HAVE_WINDOW_X11
-    if (g_getenv ("GST_GL_XINITTHREADS"))
+    if (g_getenv ("GST_GL_XINITTHREADS") || g_getenv ("GST_XINITTHREADS"))
       XInitThreads ();
 #endif
     g_once_init_leave (&res, TRUE);
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/sys/ximage/ximage.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/sys/ximage/ximage.c
index 0a48c8926b..6fe9c86b3a 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/sys/ximage/ximage.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/sys/ximage/ximage.c
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 static gboolean
 plugin_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
 {
+  if (g_getenv ("GST_XINITTHREADS"))
+    XInitThreads ();
+
   return GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER (ximagesink, plugin);
 }
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/sys/xvimage/xvimage.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/sys/xvimage/xvimage.c
index 837306e65e..8b50f69ca0 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/sys/xvimage/xvimage.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/sys/xvimage/xvimage.c
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@
 static gboolean
 plugin_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
 {
+  if (g_getenv ("GST_XINITTHREADS"))
+    XInitThreads ();
+
   return GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER (xvimagesink, plugin);;
 }
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glfilter.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glfilter.c
index a71120e350..7af3caf407 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glfilter.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glfilter.c
@@ -125,6 +125,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
   Suite *s;
   g_setenv ("GST_GL_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
+  g_setenv ("GST_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
   gst_check_init (&argc, &argv);
   s = glfilter_suite ();
   return gst_check_run_suite (s, "glfilter", __FILE__);
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glimagesink.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glimagesink.c
index 90490f50b7..67a67c7db5 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glimagesink.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glimagesink.c
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
   Suite *s;
   g_setenv ("GST_GL_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
+  g_setenv ("GST_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
   gst_check_init (&argc, &argv);
   s = glimagesink_suite ();
   return gst_check_run_suite (s, "glimagesink", __FILE__);
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glmixer.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glmixer.c
index a1c44e86f2..56d6e46db0 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glmixer.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glmixer.c
@@ -144,6 +144,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
   Suite *s;
   g_setenv ("GST_GL_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
+  g_setenv ("GST_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
   gst_check_init (&argc, &argv);
   s = glmixer_suite ();
   return gst_check_run_suite (s, "glmixer", __FILE__);
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glstereo.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glstereo.c
index fbf568e590..2ae05c00ab 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glstereo.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tests/check/elements/glstereo.c
@@ -70,6 +70,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
 {
   Suite *s;
   g_setenv ("GST_GL_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
+  g_setenv ("GST_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
   gst_check_init (&argc, &argv);
   s = glstereo_suite ();
   return gst_check_run_suite (s, "glstereo", __FILE__);
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tools/gst-play.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tools/gst-play.c
index da6dfec46d..d8702b957a 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tools/gst-play.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-base/tools/gst-play.c
@@ -1659,6 +1659,7 @@ main (int argc, char **argv)
   g_set_prgname ("gst-play-" GST_API_VERSION);
   /* Ensure XInitThreads() is called if/when needed */
   g_setenv ("GST_GL_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
+  g_setenv ("GST_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
 
   ctx = g_option_context_new ("FILE1|URI1 [FILE2|URI2] [FILE3|URI3] ...");
   g_option_context_add_main_entries (ctx, options, GETTEXT_PACKAGE);
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer/tools/gst-launch.c b/subprojects/gstreamer/tools/gst-launch.c
index d38ea9f612..2a3bf4bc7b 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer/tools/gst-launch.c
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer/tools/gst-launch.c
@@ -1149,6 +1149,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
   g_set_prgname ("gst-launch-" GST_API_VERSION);
   /* Ensure XInitThreads() is called if/when needed */
   g_setenv ("GST_GL_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
+  g_setenv ("GST_XINITTHREADS", "1", TRUE);
 
 #ifndef GST_DISABLE_OPTION_PARSING
   ctx = g_option_context_new ("PIPELINE-DESCRIPTION");