diff --git a/ext/pulse/pulsesink.c b/ext/pulse/pulsesink.c
index 469d946d5d..83ccdb2950 100644
--- a/ext/pulse/pulsesink.c
+++ b/ext/pulse/pulsesink.c
@@ -988,6 +988,7 @@ gst_pulseringbuffer_clear (GstRingBuffer * buf)
   pa_threaded_mainloop_unlock (mainloop);
 }
 
+/* called from pulse with the mainloop lock */
 static void
 mainloop_enter_defer_cb (pa_mainloop_api * api, void *userdata)
 {
@@ -1005,7 +1006,8 @@ mainloop_enter_defer_cb (pa_mainloop_api * api, void *userdata)
 
   gst_element_post_message (GST_ELEMENT (pulsesink), message);
 
-  /* signal the waiter */
+  g_return_if_fail (pulsesink->defer_pending);
+  pulsesink->defer_pending--;
   pa_threaded_mainloop_signal (mainloop, 0);
 }
 
@@ -1022,6 +1024,7 @@ gst_pulseringbuffer_start (GstRingBuffer * buf)
   pa_threaded_mainloop_lock (mainloop);
 
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (psink, "scheduling stream status");
+  psink->defer_pending++;
   pa_mainloop_api_once (pa_threaded_mainloop_get_api (mainloop),
       mainloop_enter_defer_cb, psink);
 
@@ -1065,6 +1068,7 @@ gst_pulseringbuffer_pause (GstRingBuffer * buf)
   return res;
 }
 
+/* called from pulse with the mainloop lock */
 static void
 mainloop_leave_defer_cb (pa_mainloop_api * api, void *userdata)
 {
@@ -1081,8 +1085,9 @@ mainloop_leave_defer_cb (pa_mainloop_api * api, void *userdata)
   gst_message_set_stream_status_object (message, &val);
   gst_element_post_message (GST_ELEMENT (pulsesink), message);
 
+  g_return_if_fail (pulsesink->defer_pending);
+  pulsesink->defer_pending--;
   pa_threaded_mainloop_signal (mainloop, 0);
-  gst_object_unref (pulsesink);
 }
 
 /* stop playback, we flush everything. */
@@ -1126,7 +1131,7 @@ cleanup:
   }
 
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (psink, "scheduling stream status");
-  gst_object_ref (psink);
+  psink->defer_pending++;
   pa_mainloop_api_once (pa_threaded_mainloop_get_api (mainloop),
       mainloop_leave_defer_cb, psink);
 
@@ -2566,6 +2571,13 @@ gst_pulsesink_release_mainloop (GstPulseSink * psink)
   if (!mainloop)
     return;
 
+  pa_threaded_mainloop_lock (mainloop);
+  while (psink->defer_pending) {
+    GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (psink, "waiting for stream status message emission");
+    pa_threaded_mainloop_wait (mainloop);
+  }
+  pa_threaded_mainloop_unlock (mainloop);
+
   g_mutex_lock (pa_shared_resource_mutex);
   mainloop_ref_ct--;
   if (!mainloop_ref_ct) {
diff --git a/ext/pulse/pulsesink.h b/ext/pulse/pulsesink.h
index e3cbbca4f8..e3029295ef 100644
--- a/ext/pulse/pulsesink.h
+++ b/ext/pulse/pulsesink.h
@@ -64,6 +64,8 @@ struct _GstPulseSink
   gboolean mute:1;
   gboolean mute_set:1;
 
+  guint defer_pending;
+
   gint notify; /* atomic */
 
   const gchar *pa_version;