diff --git a/ext/gl/caopengllayersink.m b/ext/gl/caopengllayersink.m
index 42b8f900dd..b923d220f1 100644
--- a/ext/gl/caopengllayersink.m
+++ b/ext/gl/caopengllayersink.m
@@ -227,8 +227,7 @@ gst_ca_opengl_layer_sink_class_init (GstCAOpenGLLayerSinkClass * klass)
       "Sink/Video", "A video sink based on CAOpenGLLayer",
       "Matthew Waters <matthew@centricular.com>");
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&gst_ca_opengl_layer_sink_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &gst_ca_opengl_layer_sink_template);
 
   gobject_class->finalize = gst_ca_opengl_layer_sink_finalize;
 
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglcolorconvertelement.c b/ext/gl/gstglcolorconvertelement.c
index bd4fbebcd3..642b4942d2 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglcolorconvertelement.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglcolorconvertelement.c
@@ -103,12 +103,10 @@ gst_gl_color_convert_element_class_init (GstGLColorConvertElementClass * klass)
 
   bt_class->passthrough_on_same_caps = TRUE;
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get
-      (&gst_gl_color_convert_element_src_pad_template));
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get
-      (&gst_gl_color_convert_element_sink_pad_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &gst_gl_color_convert_element_src_pad_template);
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &gst_gl_color_convert_element_sink_pad_template);
 
   gst_element_class_set_metadata (element_class,
       "OpenGL color converter", "Filter/Converter/Video",
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstgldownloadelement.c b/ext/gl/gstgldownloadelement.c
index ff931fae18..058398b7c4 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstgldownloadelement.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstgldownloadelement.c
@@ -73,10 +73,10 @@ gst_gl_download_element_class_init (GstGLDownloadElementClass * klass)
 
   bt_class->passthrough_on_same_caps = TRUE;
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&gst_gl_download_element_src_pad_template));
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&gst_gl_download_element_sink_pad_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &gst_gl_download_element_src_pad_template);
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &gst_gl_download_element_sink_pad_template);
 
   gst_element_class_set_metadata (element_class,
       "OpenGL uploader", "Filter/Video",
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglfilterbin.c b/ext/gl/gstglfilterbin.c
index 946d66cc30..a3621ec7be 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglfilterbin.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglfilterbin.c
@@ -73,8 +73,7 @@ gst_gl_filter_bin_class_init (GstGLFilterBinClass * klass)
   gobject_class->set_property = gst_gl_filter_bin_set_property;
   gobject_class->get_property = gst_gl_filter_bin_get_property;
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&_src_pad_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &_src_pad_template);
 
   upload_caps = gst_gl_upload_get_input_template_caps ();
   gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c b/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c
index 3b5e3b50b8..62a266f8ab 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglimagesink.c
@@ -570,8 +570,8 @@ gst_glimage_sink_class_init (GstGLImageSinkClass * klass)
       G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST, 0, NULL, NULL, g_cclosure_marshal_generic,
       G_TYPE_BOOLEAN, 3, GST_GL_TYPE_CONTEXT, G_TYPE_UINT, G_TYPE_UINT);
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&gst_glimage_sink_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &gst_glimage_sink_template);
 
   gobject_class->finalize = gst_glimage_sink_finalize;
 
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglmixer.c b/ext/gl/gstglmixer.c
index 5ca1316ca0..7059b4837b 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglmixer.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglmixer.c
@@ -380,10 +380,8 @@ gst_gl_mixer_class_init (GstGLMixerClass * klass)
   gobject_class->get_property = gst_gl_mixer_get_property;
   gobject_class->set_property = gst_gl_mixer_set_property;
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&src_factory));
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&sink_factory));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &src_factory);
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &sink_factory);
 
   agg_class->sinkpads_type = GST_TYPE_GL_MIXER_PAD;
   agg_class->sink_query = gst_gl_mixer_sink_query;
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglmixerbin.c b/ext/gl/gstglmixerbin.c
index 6f83f82a29..bb74ef9139 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglmixerbin.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglmixerbin.c
@@ -169,8 +169,7 @@ gst_gl_mixer_bin_class_init (GstGLMixerBinClass * klass)
       G_SIGNAL_RUN_LAST, 0, NULL, NULL, g_cclosure_marshal_generic,
       GST_TYPE_ELEMENT, 0);
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&src_factory));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &src_factory);
 
   upload_caps = gst_gl_upload_get_input_template_caps ();
   gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglsrcbin.c b/ext/gl/gstglsrcbin.c
index 9eb66d3ca3..da74aaa01a 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglsrcbin.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglsrcbin.c
@@ -102,8 +102,8 @@ gst_gl_src_bin_class_init (GstGLSrcBinClass * klass)
       "Infrastructure to process GL textures",
       "Matthew Waters <matthew@centricular.com>");
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&gst_gl_src_bin_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &gst_gl_src_bin_template);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglstereomix.c b/ext/gl/gstglstereomix.c
index 989d7f61ee..663c1b744a 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglstereomix.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglstereomix.c
@@ -150,10 +150,8 @@ gst_gl_stereo_mix_class_init (GstGLStereoMixClass * klass)
           GST_TYPE_GL_STEREO_DOWNMIX_MODE_TYPE, DEFAULT_DOWNMIX,
           G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&src_factory));
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&sink_factory));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &src_factory);
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &sink_factory);
 
   agg_class->sinkpads_type = GST_TYPE_GL_STEREO_MIX_PAD;
   agg_class->stop = gst_gl_stereo_mix_stop;
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglstereosplit.c b/ext/gl/gstglstereosplit.c
index eba713ccdf..2d8f2d1320 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglstereosplit.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglstereosplit.c
@@ -139,12 +139,10 @@ gst_gl_stereosplit_class_init (GstGLStereoSplitClass * klass)
   element_class->change_state = stereosplit_change_state;
   element_class->set_context = stereosplit_set_context;
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&sink_template));
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&src_left_template));
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&src_right_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &sink_template);
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &src_left_template);
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &src_right_template);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstgltestsrc.c b/ext/gl/gstgltestsrc.c
index 95c73213dd..f7059accc0 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstgltestsrc.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstgltestsrc.c
@@ -178,8 +178,7 @@ gst_gl_test_src_class_init (GstGLTestSrcClass * klass)
       "Source/Video", "Creates a test video stream",
       "David A. Schleef <ds@schleef.org>");
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&src_factory));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &src_factory);
 
   element_class->set_context = gst_gl_test_src_set_context;
   element_class->change_state = gst_gl_test_src_change_state;
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstgluploadelement.c b/ext/gl/gstgluploadelement.c
index 86e8b01e24..b65c0c4b2f 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstgluploadelement.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstgluploadelement.c
@@ -80,8 +80,8 @@ gst_gl_upload_element_class_init (GstGLUploadElementClass * klass)
 
   bt_class->passthrough_on_same_caps = TRUE;
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&gst_gl_upload_element_src_pad_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &gst_gl_upload_element_src_pad_template);
 
   upload_caps = gst_gl_upload_get_input_template_caps ();
   gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
diff --git a/ext/gl/gstglvideoflip.c b/ext/gl/gstglvideoflip.c
index caae79ed2e..690396d1bb 100644
--- a/ext/gl/gstglvideoflip.c
+++ b/ext/gl/gstglvideoflip.c
@@ -133,10 +133,8 @@ gst_gl_video_flip_class_init (GstGLVideoFlipClass * klass)
           GST_PARAM_CONTROLLABLE | G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_CONSTRUCT |
           G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&_src_template));
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&_sink_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &_src_template);
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class, &_sink_template);
 
   gst_element_class_set_metadata (element_class, "OpenGL video flip filter",
       "Filter/Effect/Video", "Flip video on the GPU",
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglfilter.c b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglfilter.c
index d25bb72988..79deefcbef 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglfilter.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/gl/gstglfilter.c
@@ -142,10 +142,10 @@ gst_gl_filter_class_init (GstGLFilterClass * klass)
 
   klass->transform_internal_caps = default_transform_internal_caps;
 
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&gst_gl_filter_src_pad_template));
-  gst_element_class_add_pad_template (element_class,
-      gst_static_pad_template_get (&gst_gl_filter_sink_pad_template));
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &gst_gl_filter_src_pad_template);
+  gst_element_class_add_static_pad_template (element_class,
+      &gst_gl_filter_sink_pad_template);
 }
 
 static void