diff --git a/gst/gstelement.c b/gst/gstelement.c
index b84703e6da..1d837db6ba 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.c
+++ b/gst/gstelement.c
@@ -148,6 +148,8 @@ gst_element_class_init (GstElementClass *klass)
 
   klass->change_state =			GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR(gst_element_change_state);
   klass->elementfactory = NULL;
+  klass->padtemplates = NULL;
+  klass->numpadtemplates = 0;
 }
 
 static void
@@ -412,9 +414,14 @@ gst_element_remove_ghost_pad (GstElement *element, GstPad *pad)
   g_return_if_fail (element != NULL);
   g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT (element));
   g_return_if_fail (pad != NULL);
-  g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_PAD (pad));
+  g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_GHOST_PAD (pad));
 
   // FIXME this is redundant?
+  // wingo 10-july-2001: I don't think so, you have to actually remove the pad
+  // from the element. gst_pad_remove_ghost_pad just removes the ghostpad from
+  // the real pad's ghost pad list
+  gst_pad_remove_ghost_pad (GST_PAD (GST_PAD_REALIZE (pad)), pad);
+  gst_element_remove_pad (element, pad);
 }
 
 
@@ -473,6 +480,27 @@ gst_element_get_pad_list (GstElement *element)
   return element->pads;
 }
 
+/**
+ * gst_element_class_add_padtemplate:
+ * @klass: element class to add padtemplate to
+ * @templ: padtemplate to add
+ *
+ * Add a padtemplate to an element class. This is useful if you have derived a custom
+ * bin and wish to provide an on-request pad at runtime. Plugin writers should use
+ * gst_elementfactory_add_padtemplate instead.
+ */
+void
+gst_element_class_add_padtemplate (GstElementClass *klass, GstPadTemplate *templ)
+{
+  g_return_if_fail (klass != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_ELEMENT_CLASS (klass));
+  g_return_if_fail (templ != NULL);
+  g_return_if_fail (GST_IS_PADTEMPLATE (templ));
+  
+  klass->padtemplates = g_list_append (klass->padtemplates, templ);
+  klass->numpadtemplates++;
+}
+
 /**
  * gst_element_get_padtemplate_list:
  * @element: element to get padtemplates of
@@ -491,10 +519,7 @@ gst_element_get_padtemplate_list (GstElement *element)
 
   oclass = GST_ELEMENT_CLASS (G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS(element));
 
-  if (oclass->elementfactory == NULL) return NULL;
-
-  /* return the list of pads */
-  return oclass->elementfactory->padtemplates;
+  return oclass->padtemplates;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -900,7 +925,7 @@ gst_element_shutdown (GObject *object)
     gst_bin_remove (GST_BIN (GST_OBJECT_PARENT (element)), element);
 
   if (G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->shutdown)
-    G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->shutdown ((GObject *)object);
+    G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->shutdown (G_OBJECT (object));
 }
 
 static void
@@ -1130,7 +1155,7 @@ gst_element_restore_thyself (xmlNodePtr self, GstObject *parent)
 	}
         child = child->next;
       }
-      gst_util_set_object_arg (G_OBJECT (element), name, value);
+      gst_util_set_object_arg ((GObject *)G_OBJECT (element), name, value);
     }
     children = children->next;
   }
diff --git a/gst/gstelement.h b/gst/gstelement.h
index 2d84274ba3..0c4f711b5b 100644
--- a/gst/gstelement.h
+++ b/gst/gstelement.h
@@ -153,7 +153,10 @@ struct _GstElementClass {
 
   /* the elementfactory that created us */
   GstElementFactory *elementfactory;
-
+  /* templates for our pads */
+  GList *padtemplates;
+  gint numpadtemplates;
+  
   /* signal callbacks */
   void (*state_change)		(GstElement *element,GstElementState state);
   void (*new_pad)		(GstElement *element,GstPad *pad);
@@ -192,6 +195,8 @@ struct _GstElementFactory {
   guint16 numpadtemplates;
 };
 
+void			gst_element_class_add_padtemplate	(GstElementClass *element, GstPadTemplate *templ);
+
 GType			gst_element_get_type		(void);
 GstElement*		gst_element_new			(void);
 #define			gst_element_destroy(element)	gst_object_destroy (GST_OBJECT (element))
diff --git a/gst/gstelementfactory.c b/gst/gstelementfactory.c
index 3f9d9162d7..da417f4c5b 100644
--- a/gst/gstelementfactory.c
+++ b/gst/gstelementfactory.c
@@ -168,7 +168,11 @@ gst_elementfactory_create (GstElementFactory *factory,
     GST_DEBUG (GST_CAT_ELEMENTFACTORY,"class %s\n", factory->name);
     oclass->elementfactory = factory;
   }
-
+  
+  // copy pad template pointers to the element class
+  oclass->padtemplates = g_list_copy(factory->padtemplates);
+  oclass->numpadtemplates = factory->numpadtemplates;
+  
   gst_object_set_name (GST_OBJECT (element),name);
 
   return element;