diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c
index 5752ae2d41..1e1be6d09d 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.c
@@ -87,7 +87,6 @@ static void gst_gl_window_default_send_message_async (GstGLWindow * window,
 
 struct _GstGLWindowPrivate
 {
-  GMainContext *main_context;
   GMainLoop *loop;
 
   guint surface_width;
@@ -168,8 +167,8 @@ gst_gl_window_init (GstGLWindow * window)
   g_mutex_init (&window->priv->sync_message_lock);
   g_cond_init (&window->priv->sync_message_cond);
 
-  priv->main_context = g_main_context_new ();
-  priv->loop = g_main_loop_new (priv->main_context, FALSE);
+  window->main_context = g_main_context_new ();
+  priv->loop = g_main_loop_new (window->main_context, FALSE);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -294,8 +293,9 @@ gst_gl_window_finalize (GObject * object)
   if (priv->loop)
     g_main_loop_unref (priv->loop);
 
-  if (priv->main_context)
-    g_main_context_unref (priv->main_context);
+  if (window->main_context)
+    g_main_context_unref (window->main_context);
+  window->main_context = NULL;
 
   g_weak_ref_clear (&window->context_ref);
 
@@ -484,27 +484,11 @@ gst_gl_window_default_run (GstGLWindow * window)
 {
   GstGLWindowPrivate *priv = window->priv;
 
-  if (g_main_context_get_thread_default ()) {
-    if (priv->main_context)
-      g_main_context_unref (priv->main_context);
-    if (priv->loop)
-      g_main_loop_unref (priv->loop);
-    priv->main_context = g_main_context_ref_thread_default ();
-    priv->loop = NULL;
-    priv->alive = TRUE;
-  } else {
-    g_main_context_push_thread_default (priv->main_context);
-  }
+  g_main_context_push_thread_default (window->main_context);
 
   g_main_loop_run (priv->loop);
 
-  if (!priv->loop) {
-    priv->alive = FALSE;
-    g_main_context_unref (priv->main_context);
-    priv->main_context = NULL;
-  } else {
-    g_main_context_pop_thread_default (priv->main_context);
-  }
+  g_main_context_pop_thread_default (window->main_context);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -664,7 +648,7 @@ gst_gl_window_default_send_message_async (GstGLWindow * window,
   message->data = data;
   message->destroy = destroy;
 
-  g_main_context_invoke (priv->main_context, (GSourceFunc) _run_message_async,
+  g_main_context_invoke (window->main_context, (GSourceFunc) _run_message_async,
       message);
 }
 
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h
index 9aaef05e87..ccb19efcb2 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow.h
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ struct _GstGLWindow {
   GstGLDisplay *display;
   GWeakRef      context_ref;
 
+  /*< protected >*/
   gboolean      is_drawing;
 
   GstGLWindowCB         draw;
@@ -99,6 +100,8 @@ struct _GstGLWindow {
 
   gboolean              queue_resize;
 
+  GMainContext         *main_context; /* default main_context */
+
   /*< private >*/
   GstGLWindowPrivate *priv;
 
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/wayland/gstglwindow_wayland_egl.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/wayland/gstglwindow_wayland_egl.c
index 5d2efc956a..933ddfe41d 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/wayland/gstglwindow_wayland_egl.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/wayland/gstglwindow_wayland_egl.c
@@ -408,7 +408,7 @@ gst_gl_window_wayland_egl_open (GstGLWindow * window, GError ** error)
   if (!GST_GL_WINDOW_CLASS (parent_class)->open (window, error))
     return FALSE;
 
-  g_source_attach (window_egl->wl_source, g_main_context_get_thread_default ());
+  g_source_attach (window_egl->wl_source, window->main_context);
 
   return TRUE;
 }
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/win32/gstglwindow_win32.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/win32/gstglwindow_win32.c
index c306a6b064..dd11745444 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/win32/gstglwindow_win32.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/win32/gstglwindow_win32.c
@@ -120,8 +120,7 @@ gst_gl_window_win32_open (GstGLWindow * window, GError ** error)
   window_win32->msg_source = win32_message_source_new (window_win32);
   g_source_set_callback (window_win32->msg_source, (GSourceFunc) msg_cb,
       NULL, NULL);
-  g_source_attach (window_win32->msg_source,
-      g_main_context_get_thread_default ());
+  g_source_attach (window_win32->msg_source, window->main_context);
 
   return TRUE;
 }