diff --git a/sys/oss/gstossmixerelement.c b/sys/oss/gstossmixerelement.c
index a32ec95aed..7ceb2b82d2 100644
--- a/sys/oss/gstossmixerelement.c
+++ b/sys/oss/gstossmixerelement.c
@@ -99,12 +99,12 @@ gst_oss_mixer_element_class_init (GstOssMixerElementClass * klass)
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE,
       g_param_spec_string ("device", "Device",
           "OSS mixer device (usually /dev/mixer)", DEFAULT_DEVICE,
-          G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE_NAME,
       g_param_spec_string ("device-name", "Device name",
           "Human-readable name of the sound device", DEFAULT_DEVICE_NAME,
-          G_PARAM_READABLE));
+          G_PARAM_READABLE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   element_class->change_state =
       GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_oss_mixer_element_change_state);
diff --git a/sys/oss/gstosssink.c b/sys/oss/gstosssink.c
index 1d6d103cd4..9f9b137521 100644
--- a/sys/oss/gstosssink.c
+++ b/sys/oss/gstosssink.c
@@ -205,7 +205,8 @@ gst_oss_sink_class_init (GstOssSinkClass * klass)
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE,
       g_param_spec_string ("device", "Device",
-          "OSS device (usually /dev/dspN)", DEFAULT_DEVICE, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          "OSS device (usually /dev/dspN)", DEFAULT_DEVICE,
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   gstbasesink_class->get_caps = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_oss_sink_getcaps);
 
diff --git a/sys/oss/gstosssrc.c b/sys/oss/gstosssrc.c
index 46ea4906da..33f585d2c5 100644
--- a/sys/oss/gstosssrc.c
+++ b/sys/oss/gstosssrc.c
@@ -168,12 +168,13 @@ gst_oss_src_class_init (GstOssSrcClass * klass)
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE,
       g_param_spec_string ("device", "Device",
-          "OSS device (usually /dev/dspN)", DEFAULT_DEVICE, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          "OSS device (usually /dev/dspN)", DEFAULT_DEVICE,
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE_NAME,
       g_param_spec_string ("device-name", "Device name",
           "Human-readable name of the sound device", DEFAULT_DEVICE_NAME,
-          G_PARAM_READABLE));
+          G_PARAM_READABLE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/sys/oss4/oss4-mixer.c b/sys/oss4/oss4-mixer.c
index bc2d03923e..fa81eccca7 100644
--- a/sys/oss4/oss4-mixer.c
+++ b/sys/oss4/oss4-mixer.c
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ gst_oss4_mixer_class_init (GstOss4MixerClass * klass)
       g_param_spec_string ("device", "Device",
           "OSS mixer device (e.g. /dev/oss/hdaudio0/mix0 or /dev/mixerN) "
           "(NULL = use first mixer device found)", DEFAULT_DEVICE,
-          G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   /**
    * GstOss4Mixer:device-name
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ gst_oss4_mixer_class_init (GstOss4MixerClass * klass)
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE_NAME,
       g_param_spec_string ("device-name", "Device name",
           "Human-readable name of the sound device", DEFAULT_DEVICE_NAME,
-          G_PARAM_READABLE));
+          G_PARAM_READABLE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   element_class->change_state = GST_DEBUG_FUNCPTR (gst_oss4_mixer_change_state);
 }
diff --git a/sys/oss4/oss4-sink.c b/sys/oss4/oss4-sink.c
index 84a7d896b8..1d2220b4b8 100644
--- a/sys/oss4/oss4-sink.c
+++ b/sys/oss4/oss4-sink.c
@@ -152,12 +152,12 @@ gst_oss4_sink_class_init (GstOss4SinkClass * klass)
       g_param_spec_string ("device", "Device",
           "OSS4 device (e.g. /dev/oss/hdaudio0/pcm0 or /dev/dspN) "
           "(NULL = use first available playback device)",
-          DEFAULT_DEVICE, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          DEFAULT_DEVICE, G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE_NAME,
       g_param_spec_string ("device-name", "Device name",
           "Human-readable name of the sound device", DEFAULT_DEVICE_NAME,
-          G_PARAM_READABLE));
+          G_PARAM_READABLE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class,
       PROP_VOLUME,
diff --git a/sys/oss4/oss4-source.c b/sys/oss4/oss4-source.c
index 1d3fc8c371..0888bd752e 100644
--- a/sys/oss4/oss4-source.c
+++ b/sys/oss4/oss4-source.c
@@ -151,12 +151,12 @@ gst_oss4_source_class_init (GstOss4SourceClass * klass)
       g_param_spec_string ("device", "Device",
           "OSS4 device (e.g. /dev/oss/hdaudio0/pcm0 or /dev/dspN) "
           "(NULL = use first available device)",
-          DEFAULT_DEVICE, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          DEFAULT_DEVICE, G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE_NAME,
       g_param_spec_string ("device-name", "Device name",
           "Human-readable name of the sound device", DEFAULT_DEVICE_NAME,
-          G_PARAM_READABLE));
+          G_PARAM_READABLE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/sys/osxvideo/osxvideosink.m b/sys/osxvideo/osxvideosink.m
index fb7b88e5ce..4c325278fc 100644
--- a/sys/osxvideo/osxvideosink.m
+++ b/sys/osxvideo/osxvideosink.m
@@ -401,7 +401,7 @@ gst_osx_video_sink_class_init (GstOSXVideoSinkClass * klass)
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, ARG_EMBED,
       g_param_spec_boolean ("embed", "embed", "For ABI compatiblity only, do not use",
-          FALSE, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          FALSE, G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 }
 
 static gboolean
diff --git a/sys/sunaudio/gstsunaudiosink.c b/sys/sunaudio/gstsunaudiosink.c
index 1d6af04706..c125daea20 100644
--- a/sys/sunaudio/gstsunaudiosink.c
+++ b/sys/sunaudio/gstsunaudiosink.c
@@ -191,7 +191,7 @@ gst_sunaudiosink_class_init (GstSunAudioSinkClass * klass)
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE,
       g_param_spec_string ("device", "Device", "Audio Device (/dev/audio)",
-          DEFAULT_DEVICE, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          DEFAULT_DEVICE, G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/sys/sunaudio/gstsunaudiosrc.c b/sys/sunaudio/gstsunaudiosrc.c
index aff36e920d..f0529be932 100644
--- a/sys/sunaudio/gstsunaudiosrc.c
+++ b/sys/sunaudio/gstsunaudiosrc.c
@@ -148,7 +148,7 @@ gst_sunaudiosrc_class_init (GstSunAudioSrcClass * klass)
   g_object_class_install_property (gobject_class, PROP_DEVICE,
       g_param_spec_string ("device", "Device",
           "SunAudio device (usually /dev/audio)", DEFAULT_DEVICE,
-          G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/sys/ximage/gstximagesrc.c b/sys/ximage/gstximagesrc.c
index 048c1f3434..e525fbbc35 100644
--- a/sys/ximage/gstximagesrc.c
+++ b/sys/ximage/gstximagesrc.c
@@ -1033,14 +1033,14 @@ gst_ximage_src_class_init (GstXImageSrcClass * klass)
 
   g_object_class_install_property (gc, PROP_DISPLAY_NAME,
       g_param_spec_string ("display-name", "Display", "X Display Name", NULL,
-          G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
   g_object_class_install_property (gc, PROP_SCREEN_NUM,
       g_param_spec_uint ("screen-num", "Screen number", "X Screen Number",
-          0, G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          0, G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
   g_object_class_install_property (gc, PROP_SHOW_POINTER,
       g_param_spec_boolean ("show-pointer", "Show Mouse Pointer",
           "Show mouse pointer (if XFixes extension enabled)", TRUE,
-          G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
   /**
    * GstXImageSrc:use-damage
    *
@@ -1051,7 +1051,7 @@ gst_ximage_src_class_init (GstXImageSrcClass * klass)
   g_object_class_install_property (gc, PROP_USE_DAMAGE,
       g_param_spec_boolean ("use-damage", "Use XDamage",
           "Use XDamage (if XDamage extension enabled)", TRUE,
-          G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
   /**
    * GstXImageSrc:startx
    *
@@ -1063,7 +1063,7 @@ gst_ximage_src_class_init (GstXImageSrcClass * klass)
   g_object_class_install_property (gc, PROP_STARTX,
       g_param_spec_uint ("startx", "Start X co-ordinate",
           "X coordinate of top left corner of area to be recorded (0 for top left of screen)",
-          0, G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READWRITE));
+          0, G_MAXINT, 0, G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
   /**
    * GstXImageSrc:starty
    *