diff --git a/ext/opus/gstopusenc.c b/ext/opus/gstopusenc.c
index 4d118b054c..f0d69d362e 100644
--- a/ext/opus/gstopusenc.c
+++ b/ext/opus/gstopusenc.c
@@ -734,9 +734,7 @@ gst_opus_enc_sink_getcaps (GstAudioEncoder * benc, GstCaps * filter)
   peercaps = gst_pad_peer_query_caps (GST_AUDIO_ENCODER_SRC_PAD (benc), NULL);
   if (!peercaps) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (benc, "No peercaps, returning template sink caps");
-    return
-        gst_caps_copy (gst_pad_get_pad_template_caps
-        (GST_AUDIO_ENCODER_SINK_PAD (benc)));
+    return gst_pad_get_pad_template_caps (GST_AUDIO_ENCODER_SINK_PAD (benc));
   }
 
   tcaps = gst_pad_get_pad_template_caps (GST_AUDIO_ENCODER_SRC_PAD (benc));