diff --git a/gst/gstqueue.c b/gst/gstqueue.c
index b41ef3fcbe..c01deb3cd4 100644
--- a/gst/gstqueue.c
+++ b/gst/gstqueue.c
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ enum {
   ARG_LEAKY,
   ARG_LEVEL,
   ARG_MAX_LEVEL,
+  ARG_MIN_THRESHOLD_BYTES, 
   ARG_MAY_DEADLOCK,
   ARG_BLOCK_TIMEOUT,
 };
@@ -160,6 +161,10 @@ gst_queue_class_init (GstQueueClass *klass)
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_MAX_LEVEL,
     g_param_spec_int ("max_level", "Maximum Level", "How many buffers the queue holds.",
                       0, G_MAXINT, 100, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+  g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_MIN_THRESHOLD_BYTES,
+    g_param_spec_int ("min_threshold_bytes", "Minimum Threshold",
+                      "Minimum bytes required before signalling not_empty to reader.",
+                      0, G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_MAY_DEADLOCK,
     g_param_spec_boolean ("may_deadlock", "May Deadlock", "The queue may deadlock if it's full and not PLAYING",
                       TRUE, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
@@ -235,8 +240,9 @@ gst_queue_init (GstQueue *queue)
   queue->level_bytes = 0;
   queue->level_time = G_GINT64_CONSTANT (0);
   queue->size_buffers = 100;				/* 100 buffers */
-  queue->size_bytes = 100 * 1024;			/* 100KB */
-  queue->size_time = G_GINT64_CONSTANT (1000000000);	/* 1sec */
+  queue->size_bytes = 100 * 1024;	/* 100KB */
+  queue->size_time = GST_SECOND;	/* 1sec */
+  queue->min_threshold_bytes = 0;
   queue->may_deadlock = TRUE;
   queue->block_timeout = -1;
   queue->interrupt = FALSE;
@@ -366,7 +372,6 @@ restart:
           fprintf(stderr, "Error: queue [%s] leaked an event, type:%d\n",
               GST_ELEMENT_NAME(GST_ELEMENT(queue)),
               GST_EVENT_TYPE(GST_EVENT(buf)));
-          GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "queue is full, leaking buffer on upstream end");
         /* now we have to clean up and exit right away */
         g_mutex_unlock (queue->qlock);
         goto out_unref;
@@ -392,8 +397,8 @@ restart:
       }
     }
 
-    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "pre full wait, level:%d/%d",
-        		queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "pre full wait, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+        		queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
 
     while (queue->level_buffers == queue->size_buffers) {
       /* if there's a pending state change for this queue or its manager, switch */
@@ -403,7 +408,7 @@ restart:
         g_mutex_unlock (queue->qlock);
 	if (gst_scheduler_interrupt (gst_pad_get_scheduler (queue->sinkpad), GST_ELEMENT (queue)))
           goto out_unref;
-	/* if we got here bacause we were unlocked after a flush, we don't need
+	/* if we got here because we were unlocked after a flush, we don't need
 	 * to add the buffer to the queue again */
 	if (queue->flush) {
           GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "not adding pending buffer after flush");
@@ -427,13 +432,13 @@ restart:
 	}
       }
 
-      GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "waiting for not_full, level:%d/%d", 
-		      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+      GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "waiting for not_full, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes", 
+		      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
       g_cond_wait (queue->not_full, queue->qlock);
       GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "got not_full signal");
     }
-    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "post full wait, level:%d/%d",
-        queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "post full wait, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+        queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
   }
 
   /* put the buffer on the tail of the list */
@@ -445,9 +450,9 @@ restart:
   /* this assertion _has_ to hold */
   g_assert (queue->queue->length == queue->level_buffers);
 
-  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "(%s:%s)+ level:%d/%d",
+  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "(%s:%s)+ level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
       GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(pad),
-      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
 
   GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "signalling not_empty");
   g_cond_signal (queue->not_empty);
@@ -480,7 +485,8 @@ restart:
   g_mutex_lock (queue->qlock);
   GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "locked t:%p %p", g_thread_self (), queue->not_empty);
 
-  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "pre empty wait, level:%d/%d", queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "pre empty wait, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+    queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
   while (queue->level_buffers == 0) {
     /* if there's a pending state change for this queue or its manager, switch
      * back to iterator so bottom half of state change executes
@@ -505,7 +511,8 @@ restart:
       }
     }
 
-    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "waiting for not_empty, level:%d/%d", queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "waiting for not_empty, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+                       queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
     
     /* if (queue->block_timeout > -1){ */
     if (FALSE) {
@@ -523,7 +530,8 @@ restart:
     }
     GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "got not_empty signal");
   }
-  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "post empty wait, level:%d/%d", queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "post empty wait, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+    queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
 
   front = g_queue_pop_head (queue->queue);
   buf = (GstBuffer *)(front);
@@ -532,9 +540,9 @@ restart:
   queue->level_buffers--;
   queue->level_bytes -= GST_BUFFER_SIZE(buf);
 
-  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "(%s:%s)- level:%d/%d",
+  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "(%s:%s)- level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
       GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(pad),
-      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
 
   /* this assertion _has_ to hold */
   g_assert (queue->queue->length == queue->level_buffers);
@@ -710,6 +718,9 @@ gst_queue_set_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id, const GValue *value, GPa
     case ARG_MAX_LEVEL:
       queue->size_buffers = g_value_get_int (value);
       break;
+    case ARG_MIN_THRESHOLD_BYTES:
+      queue->min_threshold_bytes = g_value_get_int (value);
+      break;
     case ARG_MAY_DEADLOCK:
       queue->may_deadlock = g_value_get_boolean (value);
       break;
@@ -742,6 +753,9 @@ gst_queue_get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id, GValue *value, GParamSpe
     case ARG_MAX_LEVEL:
       g_value_set_int (value, queue->size_buffers);
       break;
+    case ARG_MIN_THRESHOLD_BYTES:
+      g_value_set_int (value, queue->min_threshold_bytes);
+      break;
     case ARG_MAY_DEADLOCK:
       g_value_set_boolean (value, queue->may_deadlock);
       break;
diff --git a/gst/gstqueue.h b/gst/gstqueue.h
index 8438fe4fad..2cd55f398d 100644
--- a/gst/gstqueue.h
+++ b/gst/gstqueue.h
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ struct _GstQueue {
   gint leaky;		/* whether the queue is leaky, and if so at which end */
   gint block_timeout;   /* microseconds until a blocked queue times out and returns GST_EVENT_FILLER. 
                          * A value of -1 will block forever. */
+  guint min_threshold_bytes; /* the minimum number of bytes required before
+                              * waking up the reader thread */ 
   gboolean may_deadlock; /* it the queue should fail on possible deadlocks */
   gboolean interrupt;
   gboolean flush;
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstqueue.c b/plugins/elements/gstqueue.c
index b41ef3fcbe..c01deb3cd4 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstqueue.c
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstqueue.c
@@ -67,6 +67,7 @@ enum {
   ARG_LEAKY,
   ARG_LEVEL,
   ARG_MAX_LEVEL,
+  ARG_MIN_THRESHOLD_BYTES, 
   ARG_MAY_DEADLOCK,
   ARG_BLOCK_TIMEOUT,
 };
@@ -160,6 +161,10 @@ gst_queue_class_init (GstQueueClass *klass)
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_MAX_LEVEL,
     g_param_spec_int ("max_level", "Maximum Level", "How many buffers the queue holds.",
                       0, G_MAXINT, 100, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+  g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_MIN_THRESHOLD_BYTES,
+    g_param_spec_int ("min_threshold_bytes", "Minimum Threshold",
+                      "Minimum bytes required before signalling not_empty to reader.",
+                      0, G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
   g_object_class_install_property (G_OBJECT_CLASS (klass), ARG_MAY_DEADLOCK,
     g_param_spec_boolean ("may_deadlock", "May Deadlock", "The queue may deadlock if it's full and not PLAYING",
                       TRUE, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
@@ -235,8 +240,9 @@ gst_queue_init (GstQueue *queue)
   queue->level_bytes = 0;
   queue->level_time = G_GINT64_CONSTANT (0);
   queue->size_buffers = 100;				/* 100 buffers */
-  queue->size_bytes = 100 * 1024;			/* 100KB */
-  queue->size_time = G_GINT64_CONSTANT (1000000000);	/* 1sec */
+  queue->size_bytes = 100 * 1024;	/* 100KB */
+  queue->size_time = GST_SECOND;	/* 1sec */
+  queue->min_threshold_bytes = 0;
   queue->may_deadlock = TRUE;
   queue->block_timeout = -1;
   queue->interrupt = FALSE;
@@ -366,7 +372,6 @@ restart:
           fprintf(stderr, "Error: queue [%s] leaked an event, type:%d\n",
               GST_ELEMENT_NAME(GST_ELEMENT(queue)),
               GST_EVENT_TYPE(GST_EVENT(buf)));
-          GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "queue is full, leaking buffer on upstream end");
         /* now we have to clean up and exit right away */
         g_mutex_unlock (queue->qlock);
         goto out_unref;
@@ -392,8 +397,8 @@ restart:
       }
     }
 
-    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "pre full wait, level:%d/%d",
-        		queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "pre full wait, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+        		queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
 
     while (queue->level_buffers == queue->size_buffers) {
       /* if there's a pending state change for this queue or its manager, switch */
@@ -403,7 +408,7 @@ restart:
         g_mutex_unlock (queue->qlock);
 	if (gst_scheduler_interrupt (gst_pad_get_scheduler (queue->sinkpad), GST_ELEMENT (queue)))
           goto out_unref;
-	/* if we got here bacause we were unlocked after a flush, we don't need
+	/* if we got here because we were unlocked after a flush, we don't need
 	 * to add the buffer to the queue again */
 	if (queue->flush) {
           GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "not adding pending buffer after flush");
@@ -427,13 +432,13 @@ restart:
 	}
       }
 
-      GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "waiting for not_full, level:%d/%d", 
-		      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+      GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "waiting for not_full, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes", 
+		      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
       g_cond_wait (queue->not_full, queue->qlock);
       GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "got not_full signal");
     }
-    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "post full wait, level:%d/%d",
-        queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "post full wait, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+        queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
   }
 
   /* put the buffer on the tail of the list */
@@ -445,9 +450,9 @@ restart:
   /* this assertion _has_ to hold */
   g_assert (queue->queue->length == queue->level_buffers);
 
-  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "(%s:%s)+ level:%d/%d",
+  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "(%s:%s)+ level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
       GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(pad),
-      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
 
   GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "signalling not_empty");
   g_cond_signal (queue->not_empty);
@@ -480,7 +485,8 @@ restart:
   g_mutex_lock (queue->qlock);
   GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "locked t:%p %p", g_thread_self (), queue->not_empty);
 
-  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "pre empty wait, level:%d/%d", queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "pre empty wait, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+    queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
   while (queue->level_buffers == 0) {
     /* if there's a pending state change for this queue or its manager, switch
      * back to iterator so bottom half of state change executes
@@ -505,7 +511,8 @@ restart:
       }
     }
 
-    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "waiting for not_empty, level:%d/%d", queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+    GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "waiting for not_empty, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+                       queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
     
     /* if (queue->block_timeout > -1){ */
     if (FALSE) {
@@ -523,7 +530,8 @@ restart:
     }
     GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "got not_empty signal");
   }
-  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "post empty wait, level:%d/%d", queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "post empty wait, level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
+    queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
 
   front = g_queue_pop_head (queue->queue);
   buf = (GstBuffer *)(front);
@@ -532,9 +540,9 @@ restart:
   queue->level_buffers--;
   queue->level_bytes -= GST_BUFFER_SIZE(buf);
 
-  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "(%s:%s)- level:%d/%d",
+  GST_DEBUG_ELEMENT (GST_CAT_DATAFLOW, queue, "(%s:%s)- level:%d/%d buffers, %d bytes",
       GST_DEBUG_PAD_NAME(pad),
-      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers);
+      queue->level_buffers, queue->size_buffers, queue->level_bytes);
 
   /* this assertion _has_ to hold */
   g_assert (queue->queue->length == queue->level_buffers);
@@ -710,6 +718,9 @@ gst_queue_set_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id, const GValue *value, GPa
     case ARG_MAX_LEVEL:
       queue->size_buffers = g_value_get_int (value);
       break;
+    case ARG_MIN_THRESHOLD_BYTES:
+      queue->min_threshold_bytes = g_value_get_int (value);
+      break;
     case ARG_MAY_DEADLOCK:
       queue->may_deadlock = g_value_get_boolean (value);
       break;
@@ -742,6 +753,9 @@ gst_queue_get_property (GObject *object, guint prop_id, GValue *value, GParamSpe
     case ARG_MAX_LEVEL:
       g_value_set_int (value, queue->size_buffers);
       break;
+    case ARG_MIN_THRESHOLD_BYTES:
+      g_value_set_int (value, queue->min_threshold_bytes);
+      break;
     case ARG_MAY_DEADLOCK:
       g_value_set_boolean (value, queue->may_deadlock);
       break;
diff --git a/plugins/elements/gstqueue.h b/plugins/elements/gstqueue.h
index 8438fe4fad..2cd55f398d 100644
--- a/plugins/elements/gstqueue.h
+++ b/plugins/elements/gstqueue.h
@@ -73,6 +73,8 @@ struct _GstQueue {
   gint leaky;		/* whether the queue is leaky, and if so at which end */
   gint block_timeout;   /* microseconds until a blocked queue times out and returns GST_EVENT_FILLER. 
                          * A value of -1 will block forever. */
+  guint min_threshold_bytes; /* the minimum number of bytes required before
+                              * waking up the reader thread */ 
   gboolean may_deadlock; /* it the queue should fail on possible deadlocks */
   gboolean interrupt;
   gboolean flush;