diff --git a/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c b/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c
index e6dd148b54..5019734575 100644
--- a/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c
+++ b/ext/ladspa/gstladspa.c
@@ -555,8 +555,6 @@ gst_ladspa_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, GstCaps * caps)
   GstLADSPAClass *oclass;
   GstSignalProcessorClass *gsp_class;
   LADSPA_Descriptor *desc;
-  GstStructure *s;
-  gint sample_rate;
   gint i;
 
   gsp_class = GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_GET_CLASS (gsp);
@@ -567,13 +565,10 @@ gst_ladspa_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, GstCaps * caps)
   g_return_val_if_fail (ladspa->handle == NULL, FALSE);
   g_return_val_if_fail (ladspa->activated == FALSE, FALSE);
 
-  s = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
-  if (!gst_structure_get_int (s, "rate", &sample_rate))
-    goto no_sample_rate;
+  GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ladspa, "instantiating the plugin at %d Hz",
+      gsp->sample_rate);
 
-  GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ladspa, "instantiating the plugin at %d Hz", sample_rate);
-
-  if (!(ladspa->handle = desc->instantiate (desc, sample_rate)))
+  if (!(ladspa->handle = desc->instantiate (desc, gsp->sample_rate)))
     goto no_instance;
 
   /* connect the control ports */
@@ -586,11 +581,6 @@ gst_ladspa_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, GstCaps * caps)
 
   return TRUE;
 
-no_sample_rate:
-  {
-    GST_WARNING_OBJECT (gsp, "got no sample-rate");
-    return FALSE;
-  }
 no_instance:
   {
     GST_WARNING_OBJECT (gsp, "could not create instance");
diff --git a/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c b/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c
index bb8cfc89a9..4c01230ba8 100644
--- a/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c
+++ b/ext/lv2/gstlv2.c
@@ -600,7 +600,6 @@ gst_lv2_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, GstCaps * caps)
   GstLV2Class *oclass;
   GstSignalProcessorClass *gsp_class;
   GstStructure *s;
-  gint sample_rate;
   gint i;
   GstLV2Group *group = NULL;
   GstAudioChannelPosition *positions = NULL;
@@ -613,14 +612,10 @@ gst_lv2_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, GstCaps * caps)
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (lv2->activated == FALSE, FALSE);
 
-  s = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
-  if (!gst_structure_get_int (s, "rate", &sample_rate))
-    goto no_sample_rate;
-
-  GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (lv2, "instantiating the plugin at %d Hz", sample_rate);
+  GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (lv2, "instantiating the plugin at %d Hz", gsp->sample_rate);
 
   if (!(lv2->instance =
-          slv2_plugin_instantiate (oclass->plugin, sample_rate, NULL)))
+          slv2_plugin_instantiate (oclass->plugin, gsp->sample_rate, NULL)))
     goto no_instance;
 
   /* connect the control ports */
@@ -673,11 +668,6 @@ gst_lv2_setup (GstSignalProcessor * gsp, GstCaps * caps)
   }
   return TRUE;
 
-no_sample_rate:
-  {
-    GST_WARNING_OBJECT (gsp, "got no sample-rate");
-    return FALSE;
-  }
 no_instance:
   {
     GST_WARNING_OBJECT (gsp, "could not create instance");
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.c b/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.c
index bae230e5ff..435ced8e9f 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.c
@@ -471,6 +471,8 @@ gst_signal_processor_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
   /* the whole processor has one caps; if the sample rate changes, let subclass
      implementations know */
   if (!gst_caps_is_equal (caps, self->caps)) {
+    GstStructure *s;
+
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (pad, "got caps %" GST_PTR_FORMAT, caps);
 
     if (GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_IS_RUNNING (self))
@@ -478,6 +480,10 @@ gst_signal_processor_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
     if (GST_SIGNAL_PROCESSOR_IS_INITIALIZED (self))
       gst_signal_processor_cleanup (self);
 
+    s = gst_caps_get_structure (caps, 0);
+    if (!gst_structure_get_int (s, "rate", &self->sample_rate))
+      goto no_sample_rate;
+
     if (!gst_signal_processor_setup (self, caps))
       goto start_or_setup_failed;
 
@@ -502,13 +508,21 @@ gst_signal_processor_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
 
   return TRUE;
 
+no_sample_rate:
+  {
+    GST_WARNING_OBJECT (self, "got no sample-rate");
+    gst_object_unref (self);
+    return FALSE;
+  }
 start_or_setup_failed:
   {
+    GST_WARNING_OBJECT (self, "start or setup failed");
     gst_object_unref (self);
     return FALSE;
   }
 setcaps_pull_failed:
   {
+    GST_WARNING_OBJECT (self, "activating in pull-mode failed");
     gst_object_unref (self);
     return FALSE;
   }
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.h b/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.h
index cad85e9c64..4d512e146d 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/signalprocessor/gstsignalprocessor.h
@@ -100,6 +100,10 @@ struct _GstSignalProcessor {
   /* controls */
   gfloat *control_in;
   gfloat *control_out;
+  
+  /* sampling rate */
+  gint sample_rate;
+
 };
 
 struct _GstSignalProcessorClass {