diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/tag/gstexiftag.c b/gst-libs/gst/tag/gstexiftag.c
index 9f2d76e1bf..c97901c6b0 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/tag/gstexiftag.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/tag/gstexiftag.c
@@ -456,6 +456,8 @@ static void
 gst_exif_reader_init (GstExifReader * reader, gint byte_order,
     const GstBuffer * buf, guint32 base_offset)
 {
+  ensure_exif_tags ();
+
   reader->taglist = gst_tag_list_new ();
   reader->buffer = buf;
   reader->base_offset = base_offset;
@@ -524,6 +526,8 @@ gst_exif_reader_reset (GstExifReader * reader, gboolean return_taglist)
 static void
 gst_exif_writer_init (GstExifWriter * writer, gint byte_order)
 {
+  ensure_exif_tags ();
+
   gst_byte_writer_init (&writer->tagwriter);
   gst_byte_writer_init (&writer->datawriter);
 
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/tag/gsttageditingprivate.h b/gst-libs/gst/tag/gsttageditingprivate.h
index 29e39f13d6..0cc70d05b3 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/tag/gsttageditingprivate.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/tag/gsttageditingprivate.h
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@ const gchar * __exif_tag_capturing_metering_mode_from_exif_value (gint value);
 gint __exif_tag_capturing_source_to_exif_value (const gchar * str);
 const gchar * __exif_tag_capturing_source_from_exif_value (gint value);
 
+#define ensure_exif_tags gst_tag_register_musicbrainz_tags
+
 G_END_DECLS
 
 #endif /* __GST_TAG_EDIT_PRIVATE_H__ */