diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264dec.cpp b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264dec.cpp
index 77f2b8fe34..f3302567c7 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264dec.cpp
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264dec.cpp
@@ -459,10 +459,7 @@ openh264dec_element_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
 {
   GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_INIT (gst_openh264dec_debug_category, "openh264dec", 0,
       "debug category for openh264dec element");
-  if (openh264_element_init (plugin))
-    return gst_element_register (plugin, "openh264dec", GST_RANK_MARGINAL,
-        GST_TYPE_OPENH264DEC);
 
-  GST_ERROR ("Incorrect library version loaded, expecting %s", g_strCodecVer);
-  return FALSE;
+  return gst_element_register (plugin, "openh264dec", GST_RANK_MARGINAL,
+      GST_TYPE_OPENH264DEC);
 }
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264element.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264element.c
deleted file mode 100644
index 3c5c378c81..0000000000
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264element.c
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,48 +0,0 @@
-/*
- * Copyright (c) 2014, Ericsson AB. All rights reserved.
- *
- * Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification,
- * are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:
- *
- * 1. Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this
- * list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
- *
- * 2. Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this
- * list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other
- * materials provided with the distribution.
- *
- * THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND
- * ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED
- * WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED.
- * IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT,
- * INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT
- * NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR
- * PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY,
- * WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE)
- * ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY
- * OF SUCH DAMAGE.
- */
-
-#ifdef HAVE_CONFIG_H
-#include <config.h>
-#endif
-
-#include <gst/gst.h>
-#include <wels/codec_api.h>
-#include <wels/codec_ver.h>
-#include <string.h>
-#include "gstopenh264elements.h"
-
-
-gboolean
-openh264_element_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
-{
-  OpenH264Version libver;
-  /* g_stCodecVersion is the version detected at build time as defined in the
-   * headers and WelsGetCodecVersion() is the version detected at runtime.
-   * This is a safeguard to avoid crashes since OpenH264  has been changing
-   * ABI without changing the SONAME.
-   */
-  libver = WelsGetCodecVersion ();
-  return (memcmp (&libver, &g_stCodecVersion, sizeof (libver)) == 0);
-}
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264elements.h b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264elements.h
index 572f6a8e07..5c9582941e 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264elements.h
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264elements.h
@@ -27,8 +27,6 @@
 
 G_BEGIN_DECLS
 
-gboolean openh264_element_init (GstPlugin * plugin);
-
 GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER_DECLARE (openh264dec);
 GST_ELEMENT_REGISTER_DECLARE (openh264enc);
 
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264enc.cpp b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264enc.cpp
index 6b54b1584f..05c126cfc6 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264enc.cpp
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/gstopenh264enc.cpp
@@ -1066,10 +1066,7 @@ openh264enc_element_init (GstPlugin * plugin)
 {
   GST_DEBUG_CATEGORY_INIT (gst_openh264enc_debug_category, "openh264enc", 0,
       "debug category for openh264enc element");
-  if (openh264_element_init (plugin))
-    return gst_element_register (plugin, "openh264enc", GST_RANK_MARGINAL,
-        GST_TYPE_OPENH264ENC);
 
-  GST_ERROR ("Incorrect library version loaded, expecting %s", g_strCodecVer);
-  return FALSE;
+  return gst_element_register (plugin, "openh264enc", GST_RANK_MARGINAL,
+      GST_TYPE_OPENH264ENC);
 }
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/meson.build b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/meson.build
index 1f0a198b05..c6f247e1cd 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/meson.build
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/ext/openh264/meson.build
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 openh264_sources = [
   'gstopenh264dec.cpp',
   'gstopenh264enc.cpp',
-  'gstopenh264element.c',
   'gstopenh264plugin.c',
 ]