diff --git a/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c b/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c
index 8c025a4572..aa44feef67 100644
--- a/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c
+++ b/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c
@@ -842,7 +842,8 @@ gst_play_sink_set_sink (GstPlaySink * playsink, GstPlaySinkType type,
   GST_PLAY_SINK_UNLOCK (playsink);
 
   if (old) {
-    if (old != sink)
+    /* Set the old sink to NULL if it is not used any longer */
+    if (old != sink && !GST_OBJECT_PARENT (old))
       gst_element_set_state (old, GST_STATE_NULL);
     gst_object_unref (old);
   }