diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 26a3af4933..7bd0e9784d 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,10 @@
+2008-08-25  Wim Taymans  <wim.taymans@collabora.co.uk>
+
+	* gst/gstbin.c: (gst_bin_element_set_state):
+	Take the (recursive) state lock between getting the locked state of an
+	element and changing the element state. This allows the application to
+	lock an element's state and then change its state without races.
+
 2008-08-25  Wim Taymans  <wim.taymans@collabora.co.uk>
 
 	* gst/gstbin.c: (gst_bin_element_set_state):
diff --git a/gst/gstbin.c b/gst/gstbin.c
index d7e7c4b6ac..1f2af602c5 100644
--- a/gst/gstbin.c
+++ b/gst/gstbin.c
@@ -1871,6 +1871,8 @@ gst_bin_element_set_state (GstBin * bin, GstElement * element,
   /* set base_time on child */
   gst_element_set_base_time (element, base_time);
 
+  GST_STATE_LOCK (element);
+
   /* peel off the locked flag */
   GST_OBJECT_LOCK (element);
   locked = GST_OBJECT_FLAG_IS_SET (element, GST_ELEMENT_LOCKED_STATE);
@@ -1929,6 +1931,8 @@ no_preroll:
   /* change state */
   ret = gst_element_set_state (element, next);
 
+  GST_STATE_UNLOCK (element);
+
   return ret;
 
 locked:
@@ -1936,12 +1940,14 @@ locked:
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (element,
         "element is locked, return previous return %s",
         gst_element_state_change_return_get_name (ret));
+    GST_STATE_UNLOCK (element);
     return ret;
   }
 was_busy:
   {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (element, "element was busy, delaying state change");
     GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (bin);
+    GST_STATE_UNLOCK (element);
     return GST_STATE_CHANGE_ASYNC;
   }
 }