diff --git a/ext/zbar/gstzbar.c b/ext/zbar/gstzbar.c
index b8b7e47d64..483df2ef9e 100644
--- a/ext/zbar/gstzbar.c
+++ b/ext/zbar/gstzbar.c
@@ -110,7 +110,9 @@ static GstFlowReturn gst_zbar_transform_frame_ip (GstVideoFilter * vfilter,
     GstVideoFrame * frame);
 
 #define gst_zbar_parent_class parent_class
-G_DEFINE_TYPE (GstZBar, gst_zbar, GST_TYPE_VIDEO_FILTER);
+G_DEFINE_TYPE_WITH_CODE (GstZBar, gst_zbar, GST_TYPE_VIDEO_FILTER,
+    GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_INIT (zbar_debug, "zbar", 0, "zbar"););
+GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER_DEFINE (zbar, "zbar", GST_RANK_NONE, GST_TYPE_ZBAR);
 
 static void
 gst_zbar_class_init (GstZBarClass * g_class)
@@ -361,9 +363,7 @@ gst_zbar_stop (GstBaseTransform * base)
 static gboolean
 plugin_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
 {
-  GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_INIT (zbar_debug, "zbar", 0, "zbar");
-
-  return gst_element_register (plugin, "zbar", GST_RANK_NONE, GST_TYPE_ZBAR);
+  return GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER (zbar, plugin);
 }
 
 GST_PLUGIN_DEFINE (GST_VERSION_MAJOR,
diff --git a/ext/zbar/gstzbar.h b/ext/zbar/gstzbar.h
index c07e01d260..5bee7455de 100644
--- a/ext/zbar/gstzbar.h
+++ b/ext/zbar/gstzbar.h
@@ -67,6 +67,8 @@ struct _GstZBarClass
 
 GType gst_zbar_get_type(void);
 
+GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER_DECLARE (zbar);
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __GST_VIDEO_ZBAR_H__ */