diff --git a/gst/dvbsuboverlay/gstdvbsuboverlay.c b/gst/dvbsuboverlay/gstdvbsuboverlay.c
index 4b8ce840ee..eb825a8896 100644
--- a/gst/dvbsuboverlay/gstdvbsuboverlay.c
+++ b/gst/dvbsuboverlay/gstdvbsuboverlay.c
@@ -828,7 +828,8 @@ new_dvb_subtitles_cb (DvbSub * dvb_sub, DVBSubtitles * subs, gpointer user_data)
   GstDVBSubOverlay *overlay = GST_DVBSUB_OVERLAY (user_data);
 
   if (overlay->max_page_timeout > 0)
-    subs->page_time_out = MIN (subs->page_time_out, overlay->max_page_timeout);
+    subs->page_time_out = MIN (subs->page_time_out,
+        g_atomic_int_get (&overlay->max_page_timeout));
 
   GST_INFO_OBJECT (overlay,
       "New DVB subtitles arrived with a page_time_out of %d and %d regions for PTS=%"