diff --git a/gst/rtsp/gstrtspsrc.c b/gst/rtsp/gstrtspsrc.c
index f5bbcf898c..82743147fa 100644
--- a/gst/rtsp/gstrtspsrc.c
+++ b/gst/rtsp/gstrtspsrc.c
@@ -3540,23 +3540,11 @@ gst_rtspsrc_loop_interleaved (GstRTSPSrc * src)
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src, "doing receive with timeout %ld seconds, %ld usec",
         tv_timeout.tv_sec, tv_timeout.tv_usec);
 
-    GST_OBJECT_LOCK (src);
-    if (!src->flushing) {
-      src->waiting = TRUE;
-      GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (src);
-
-      /* protect the connection with the connection lock so that we can see when
-       * we are finished doing server communication */
-      res =
-          gst_rtspsrc_connection_receive (src, src->conninfo.connection,
-          &message, src->ptcp_timeout);
-
-      GST_OBJECT_LOCK (src);
-      src->waiting = FALSE;
-    } else {
-      res = GST_RTSP_EINTR;
-    }
-    GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (src);
+    /* protect the connection with the connection lock so that we can see when
+     * we are finished doing server communication */
+    res =
+        gst_rtspsrc_connection_receive (src, src->conninfo.connection,
+        &message, src->ptcp_timeout);
 
     switch (res) {
       case GST_RTSP_OK:
@@ -3786,24 +3774,11 @@ gst_rtspsrc_loop_udp (GstRTSPSrc * src)
 
     gst_rtsp_message_unset (&message);
 
-    GST_OBJECT_LOCK (src);
-    if (!src->flushing) {
-      src->waiting = TRUE;
-      GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (src);
-
-      /* we should continue reading the TCP socket because the server might
-       * send us requests. When the session timeout expires, we need to send a
-       * keep-alive request to keep the session open. */
-      res =
-          gst_rtspsrc_connection_receive (src, src->conninfo.connection,
-          &message, &tv_timeout);
-
-      GST_OBJECT_LOCK (src);
-      src->waiting = FALSE;
-    } else {
-      res = GST_RTSP_EINTR;
-    }
-    GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (src);
+    /* we should continue reading the TCP socket because the server might
+     * send us requests. When the session timeout expires, we need to send a
+     * keep-alive request to keep the session open. */
+    res = gst_rtspsrc_connection_receive (src, src->conninfo.connection,
+        &message, &tv_timeout);
 
     switch (res) {
       case GST_RTSP_OK:
@@ -3942,7 +3917,6 @@ gst_rtspsrc_reconnect (GstRTSPSrc * src, gboolean async)
   /* only restart when the pads were not yet activated, else we were
    * streaming over UDP */
   restart = src->need_activate;
-  src->flushing = FALSE;
   GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (src);
 
   /* no need to restart, we're done */
@@ -4102,6 +4076,8 @@ gst_rtspsrc_loop_send_cmd (GstRTSPSrc * src, gint cmd, gboolean flush)
 {
   gint old;
 
+  /* FIXME flush param mute; remove at discretion */
+
   /* start new request */
   gst_rtspsrc_loop_start_cmd (src, cmd);
 
@@ -4115,14 +4091,10 @@ gst_rtspsrc_loop_send_cmd (GstRTSPSrc * src, gint cmd, gboolean flush)
     GST_OBJECT_LOCK (src);
   }
   src->loop_cmd = cmd;
-  src->flushing = flush;
-  if (flush) {
-    if (src->waiting) {
-      GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src, "start connection flush");
-      gst_rtspsrc_connection_flush (src, TRUE);
-    }
-  } else {
-    GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src, "stop connection flush");
+  /* interrupt if allowed */
+  if (src->waiting) {
+    GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src, "start connection flush");
+    gst_rtspsrc_connection_flush (src, TRUE);
   }
   if (src->task)
     gst_task_start (src->task);
@@ -6426,6 +6398,13 @@ gst_rtspsrc_thread (GstRTSPSrc * src)
   cmd = src->loop_cmd;
   src->loop_cmd = CMD_WAIT;
   GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (src, "got command %d", cmd);
+
+  /* we got the message command, so ensure communication is possible again */
+  gst_rtspsrc_connection_flush (src, FALSE);
+
+  /* we allow these to be interrupted */
+  if (cmd == CMD_LOOP || cmd == CMD_CLOSE)
+    src->waiting = TRUE;
   GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (src);
 
   switch (cmd) {
diff --git a/gst/rtsp/gstrtspsrc.h b/gst/rtsp/gstrtspsrc.h
index f69a3edd27..1d6f84950b 100644
--- a/gst/rtsp/gstrtspsrc.h
+++ b/gst/rtsp/gstrtspsrc.h
@@ -180,7 +180,6 @@ struct _GstRTSPSrc {
   /* UDP mode loop */
   gint             loop_cmd;
   gboolean         ignore_timeout;
-  gboolean         flushing;
   gboolean         waiting;
   gboolean         open_error;