diff --git a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapipluginbase.c b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapipluginbase.c
index d951aa4e65..f2929db818 100644
--- a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapipluginbase.c
+++ b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapipluginbase.c
@@ -509,7 +509,7 @@ ensure_sinkpad_allocator (GstVaapiPluginBase * plugin, GstCaps * caps,
   if (has_dmabuf_capable_peer (plugin, plugin->sinkpad)) {
     plugin->sinkpad_allocator =
         gst_vaapi_dmabuf_allocator_new (plugin->display, &vinfo,
-        GST_VAAPI_SURFACE_ALLOC_FLAG_LINEAR_STORAGE);
+        GST_VAAPI_SURFACE_ALLOC_FLAG_LINEAR_STORAGE, GST_PAD_SINK);
     goto bail;
   }
 
diff --git a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapivideomemory.c b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapivideomemory.c
index 9945b4b547..ed1fdf757e 100644
--- a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapivideomemory.c
+++ b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapivideomemory.c
@@ -1048,11 +1048,13 @@ gst_vaapi_dmabuf_allocator_init (GstVaapiDmaBufAllocator * allocator)
   GstAllocator *const base_allocator = GST_ALLOCATOR_CAST (allocator);
 
   base_allocator->mem_type = GST_VAAPI_DMABUF_ALLOCATOR_NAME;
+  allocator->direction = GST_PAD_SINK;
 }
 
 GstAllocator *
 gst_vaapi_dmabuf_allocator_new (GstVaapiDisplay * display,
-    const GstVideoInfo * alloc_info, guint surface_alloc_flags)
+    const GstVideoInfo * alloc_info, guint surface_alloc_flags,
+    GstPadDirection direction)
 {
   GstVaapiDmaBufAllocator *allocator = NULL;
   GstVaapiSurface *surface = NULL;
@@ -1081,6 +1083,8 @@ gst_vaapi_dmabuf_allocator_new (GstVaapiDisplay * display,
   gst_allocator_set_vaapi_video_info (base_allocator, &surface_info,
       surface_alloc_flags);
 
+  allocator->direction = direction;
+
   return base_allocator;
 
   /* ERRORS */
diff --git a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapivideomemory.h b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapivideomemory.h
index c95ff3221a..342ca65802 100644
--- a/gst/vaapi/gstvaapivideomemory.h
+++ b/gst/vaapi/gstvaapivideomemory.h
@@ -243,6 +243,9 @@ gst_vaapi_dmabuf_memory_new (GstAllocator * allocator,
 struct _GstVaapiDmaBufAllocator
 {
   GstDmaBufAllocator parent_instance;
+
+  /*< private >*/
+  GstPadDirection direction;
 };
 
 /**
@@ -262,7 +265,8 @@ gst_vaapi_dmabuf_allocator_get_type (void) G_GNUC_CONST;
 G_GNUC_INTERNAL
 GstAllocator *
 gst_vaapi_dmabuf_allocator_new (GstVaapiDisplay * display,
-    const GstVideoInfo * alloc_info, guint surface_alloc_flags);
+    const GstVideoInfo * alloc_info, guint surface_alloc_flags,
+    GstPadDirection direction);
 
 G_GNUC_INTERNAL
 const GstVideoInfo *