diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow_win32.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow_win32.c
index 879bc80ce7..04b9f2c98f 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow_win32.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow_win32.c
@@ -197,26 +197,58 @@ void
 gst_gl_window_set_external_window_id (GstGLWindow * window, gulong id)
 {
   GstGLWindowPrivate *priv = window->priv;
-  WNDPROC window_parent_proc =
-      (WNDPROC) GetWindowLongPtr ((HWND) id, GWL_WNDPROC);
-  RECT rect;
 
-  SetProp (priv->internal_win_id, "gl_window_parent_id", (HWND) id);
-  SetProp ((HWND) id, "gl_window_id", priv->internal_win_id);
-  SetProp ((HWND) id, "gl_window_parent_proc", (WNDPROC) window_parent_proc);
-  SetWindowLongPtr ((HWND) id, GWL_WNDPROC, (LONG_PTR) sub_class_proc);
+  //retrieve parent if previously set
+  HWND parent_id = GetProp (priv->internal_win_id, "gl_window_parent_id");
 
-  SetWindowLongPtr (priv->internal_win_id, GWL_STYLE, WS_CHILD | WS_MAXIMIZE);
-  SetParent (priv->internal_win_id, (HWND) id);
+  if (priv->visible) {
+      ShowWindow (priv->internal_win_id, SW_HIDE);
+      priv->visible = FALSE;
+   }
+  
+  if (parent_id) {
+    WNDPROC parent_proc = GetProp (parent_id, "gl_window_parent_proc");
 
-  //take changes into account: SWP_FRAMECHANGED
-  GetClientRect ((HWND) id, &rect);
-  SetWindowPos (priv->internal_win_id, HWND_TOP, rect.left, rect.top,
-      rect.right, rect.bottom,
-      SWP_ASYNCWINDOWPOS | SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOZORDER |
-      SWP_FRAMECHANGED | SWP_NOACTIVATE);
-  MoveWindow (priv->internal_win_id, rect.left, rect.top, rect.right,
-      rect.bottom, FALSE);
+    g_debug ("release parent %lud\n", (gulong) parent_id);
+
+    g_assert (parent_proc);
+
+    SetWindowLongPtr (parent_id, GWL_WNDPROC, (LONG) parent_proc);
+    SetParent (priv->internal_win_id, NULL);
+
+    RemoveProp (parent_id, "gl_window_parent_proc");
+    RemoveProp (priv->internal_win_id, "gl_window_parent_id");
+  }
+
+  //not 0
+  if (id) {
+    WNDPROC window_parent_proc =
+        (WNDPROC) GetWindowLongPtr ((HWND) id, GWL_WNDPROC);
+    RECT rect;
+
+    g_debug ("set parent %lud\n", (gulong) id);
+
+    SetProp (priv->internal_win_id, "gl_window_parent_id", (HWND) id);
+    SetProp ((HWND) id, "gl_window_id", priv->internal_win_id);
+    SetProp ((HWND) id, "gl_window_parent_proc", (WNDPROC) window_parent_proc);
+    SetWindowLongPtr ((HWND) id, GWL_WNDPROC, (LONG_PTR) sub_class_proc);
+
+    SetWindowLongPtr (priv->internal_win_id, GWL_STYLE, WS_CHILD | WS_MAXIMIZE);
+    SetParent (priv->internal_win_id, (HWND) id);
+
+    //take changes into account: SWP_FRAMECHANGED
+    GetClientRect ((HWND) id, &rect);
+    SetWindowPos (priv->internal_win_id, HWND_TOP, rect.left, rect.top,
+        rect.right, rect.bottom,
+        SWP_ASYNCWINDOWPOS | SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOZORDER |
+        SWP_FRAMECHANGED | SWP_NOACTIVATE);
+    MoveWindow (priv->internal_win_id, rect.left, rect.top, rect.right,
+        rect.bottom, FALSE);
+  } else {
+    //no parent so the internal window needs borders and system menu
+    SetWindowLongPtr (priv->internal_win_id, GWL_STYLE,
+      WS_CLIPSIBLINGS | WS_CLIPCHILDREN | WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW);
+  }
 }
 
 /* Must be called in the gl thread */
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow_winCE.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow_winCE.c
index da0c117d2b..546af06e2f 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow_winCE.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglwindow_winCE.c
@@ -204,26 +204,58 @@ void
 gst_gl_window_set_external_window_id (GstGLWindow * window, gulong id)
 {
   GstGLWindowPrivate *priv = window->priv;
-  WNDPROC window_parent_proc =
-      (WNDPROC) (guint64) GetWindowLongPtr ((HWND) id, GWL_WNDPROC);
-  RECT rect;
 
-  SetProp (priv->internal_win_id, "gl_window_parent_id", (HWND) id);
-  SetProp ((HWND) id, "gl_window_id", priv->internal_win_id);
-  SetProp ((HWND) id, "gl_window_parent_proc", (WNDPROC) window_parent_proc);
-  SetWindowLongPtr ((HWND) id, GWL_WNDPROC, (DWORD) (guint64) sub_class_proc);
+  //retrieve parent if previously set
+  HWND parent_id = GetProp (priv->internal_win_id, "gl_window_parent_id");
 
-  SetWindowLongPtr (priv->internal_win_id, GWL_STYLE, WS_CHILD | WS_MAXIMIZE);
-  SetParent (priv->internal_win_id, (HWND) id);
+  if (priv->visible) {
+      ShowWindow (priv->internal_win_id, SW_HIDE);
+      priv->visible = FALSE;
+   }
+  
+  if (parent_id) {
+    WNDPROC parent_proc = GetProp (parent_id, "gl_window_parent_proc");
 
-  //take changes into account: SWP_FRAMECHANGED
-  GetClientRect ((HWND) id, &rect);
-  SetWindowPos (priv->internal_win_id, HWND_TOP, rect.left, rect.top,
-      rect.right, rect.bottom,
-      SWP_ASYNCWINDOWPOS | SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOZORDER |
-      SWP_FRAMECHANGED | SWP_NOACTIVATE);
-  MoveWindow (priv->internal_win_id, rect.left, rect.top, rect.right,
-      rect.bottom, FALSE);
+    g_debug ("release parent %lud\n", (gulong) parent_id);
+
+    g_assert (parent_proc);
+
+    SetWindowLongPtr (parent_id, GWL_WNDPROC, (LONG) parent_proc);
+    SetParent (priv->internal_win_id, NULL);
+
+    RemoveProp (parent_id, "gl_window_parent_proc");
+    RemoveProp (priv->internal_win_id, "gl_window_parent_id");
+  }
+
+  //not 0
+  if (id) {
+    WNDPROC window_parent_proc =
+        (WNDPROC) GetWindowLongPtr ((HWND) id, GWL_WNDPROC);
+    RECT rect;
+
+    g_debug ("set parent %lud\n", (gulong) id);
+
+    SetProp (priv->internal_win_id, "gl_window_parent_id", (HWND) id);
+    SetProp ((HWND) id, "gl_window_id", priv->internal_win_id);
+    SetProp ((HWND) id, "gl_window_parent_proc", (WNDPROC) window_parent_proc);
+    SetWindowLongPtr ((HWND) id, GWL_WNDPROC, (LONG_PTR) sub_class_proc);
+
+    SetWindowLongPtr (priv->internal_win_id, GWL_STYLE, WS_CHILD | WS_MAXIMIZE);
+    SetParent (priv->internal_win_id, (HWND) id);
+
+    //take changes into account: SWP_FRAMECHANGED
+    GetClientRect ((HWND) id, &rect);
+    SetWindowPos (priv->internal_win_id, HWND_TOP, rect.left, rect.top,
+        rect.right, rect.bottom,
+        SWP_ASYNCWINDOWPOS | SWP_NOMOVE | SWP_NOSIZE | SWP_NOZORDER |
+        SWP_FRAMECHANGED | SWP_NOACTIVATE);
+    MoveWindow (priv->internal_win_id, rect.left, rect.top, rect.right,
+        rect.bottom, FALSE);
+  } else {
+    //no parent so the internal window needs borders and system menu
+    SetWindowLongPtr (priv->internal_win_id, GWL_STYLE,
+      WS_CLIPSIBLINGS | WS_CLIPCHILDREN | WS_OVERLAPPEDWINDOW);
+  }
 }
 
 /* Must be called in the gl thread */
diff --git a/gst/gl/gstglimagesink.c b/gst/gl/gstglimagesink.c
index 1bdaa229cf..d73f90936f 100644
--- a/gst/gl/gstglimagesink.c
+++ b/gst/gl/gstglimagesink.c
@@ -251,6 +251,7 @@ gst_glimage_sink_init (GstGLImageSink * glimage_sink,
 {
   glimage_sink->display_name = NULL;
   glimage_sink->window_id = 0;
+  glimage_sink->new_window_id = 0;
   glimage_sink->display = NULL;
   glimage_sink->stored_buffer = NULL;
   glimage_sink->clientReshapeCallback = NULL;
@@ -416,6 +417,9 @@ gst_glimage_sink_stop (GstBaseSink * bsink)
     glimage_sink->display = NULL;
   }
 
+  glimage_sink->window_id = 0;
+  //but do not reset glimage_sink->new_window_id
+
   return TRUE;
 }
 
@@ -485,7 +489,7 @@ gst_glimage_sink_set_caps (GstBaseSink * bsink, GstCaps * caps)
   glimage_sink->par_n = par_n;
   glimage_sink->par_d = par_d;
 
-  if (!glimage_sink->window_id)
+  if (!glimage_sink->window_id && !glimage_sink->new_window_id)
     gst_x_overlay_prepare_xwindow_id (GST_X_OVERLAY (glimage_sink));
 
   return TRUE;
@@ -510,10 +514,6 @@ gst_glimage_sink_render (GstBaseSink * bsink, GstBuffer * buf)
     if (glimage_sink->display == NULL) {
       glimage_sink->display = g_object_ref (gl_buffer->display);
 
-      if (glimage_sink->window_id)
-        gst_gl_display_set_window_id (glimage_sink->display,
-            glimage_sink->window_id);
-
       gst_gl_display_set_client_reshape_callback (glimage_sink->display,
           glimage_sink->clientReshapeCallback);
 
@@ -532,10 +532,6 @@ gst_glimage_sink_render (GstBaseSink * bsink, GstBuffer * buf)
       gst_gl_display_create_context (glimage_sink->display,
           glimage_sink->width, glimage_sink->height, 0);
 
-      if (glimage_sink->window_id)
-        gst_gl_display_set_window_id (glimage_sink->display,
-            glimage_sink->window_id);
-
       //init colorspace conversion if needed
       gst_gl_display_init_upload (glimage_sink->display, glimage_sink->format,
           glimage_sink->width, glimage_sink->height,
@@ -558,6 +554,12 @@ gst_glimage_sink_render (GstBaseSink * bsink, GstBuffer * buf)
     //gl_buffer is created in this block, so the gl buffer is already referenced
   }
 
+  if (glimage_sink->window_id != glimage_sink->new_window_id) {
+    glimage_sink->window_id = glimage_sink->new_window_id;
+    gst_gl_display_set_window_id (glimage_sink->display,
+        glimage_sink->window_id);
+  }
+
   //the buffer is cleared when an other comes in
   if (glimage_sink->stored_buffer) {
     gst_buffer_unref (GST_BUFFER_CAST (glimage_sink->stored_buffer));
@@ -594,11 +596,7 @@ gst_glimage_sink_set_xwindow_id (GstXOverlay * overlay, gulong window_id)
 
   GST_DEBUG ("set_xwindow_id %ld", window_id);
 
-  if (glimage_sink->window_id == window_id)
-    return;
-
-  if (window_id)
-    glimage_sink->window_id = window_id;
+  glimage_sink->new_window_id = window_id;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/gst/gl/gstglimagesink.h b/gst/gl/gstglimagesink.h
index 386181d0be..df32788174 100644
--- a/gst/gl/gstglimagesink.h
+++ b/gst/gl/gstglimagesink.h
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@ struct _GstGLImageSink
     gchar *display_name;
 
     gulong window_id;
+    gulong new_window_id;
 
     //caps
     GstCaps *caps;