diff --git a/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c b/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c
index e7ae9f8c6d..aa43111a69 100644
--- a/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c
+++ b/gst/playback/gstplaysink.c
@@ -105,7 +105,6 @@ typedef struct
   GstElement *volume;           /* element with the volume property */
   gboolean sink_volume;         /* if the volume was provided by the sink */
   gulong notify_volume_id;
-  GstElement *mute;             /* element with the mute property */
   gulong notify_mute_id;
   GstElement *sink;
   GstElement *ts_offset;
@@ -730,7 +729,7 @@ disconnect_audio_chain (GstPlayAudioChain * chain, GstPlaySink * playsink)
     if (chain->notify_volume_id)
       g_signal_handler_disconnect (chain->volume, chain->notify_volume_id);
     if (chain->notify_mute_id)
-      g_signal_handler_disconnect (chain->mute, chain->notify_mute_id);
+      g_signal_handler_disconnect (chain->volume, chain->notify_mute_id);
     chain->notify_volume_id = chain->notify_mute_id = 0;
   }
 }
@@ -1148,12 +1147,10 @@ gst_play_sink_set_volume (GstPlaySink * playsink, gdouble volume)
   playsink->volume = volume;
   chain = (GstPlayAudioChain *) playsink->audiochain;
   if (chain && chain->volume) {
-    GST_LOG_OBJECT (playsink, "elements: volume=%" GST_PTR_FORMAT ", mute=%"
-        GST_PTR_FORMAT "; new volume=%.03f, mute=%d", chain->volume,
-        chain->mute, volume, playsink->mute);
-    /* if there is a mute element or we are not muted, set the volume */
-    if (chain->mute || !playsink->mute)
-      g_object_set (chain->volume, "volume", volume, NULL);
+    GST_LOG_OBJECT (playsink,
+        "elements: volume=%" GST_PTR_FORMAT "; new volume=%.03f, mute=%d",
+        chain->volume, volume, playsink->mute);
+    g_object_set (chain->volume, "volume", volume, NULL);
   } else {
     GST_LOG_OBJECT (playsink, "no volume element");
     playsink->volume_changed = TRUE;
@@ -1171,10 +1168,8 @@ gst_play_sink_get_volume (GstPlaySink * playsink)
   chain = (GstPlayAudioChain *) playsink->audiochain;
   result = playsink->volume;
   if (chain && chain->volume) {
-    if (chain->mute || !playsink->mute) {
-      g_object_get (chain->volume, "volume", &result, NULL);
-      playsink->volume = result;
-    }
+    g_object_get (chain->volume, "volume", &result, NULL);
+    playsink->volume = result;
   }
   GST_PLAY_SINK_UNLOCK (playsink);
 
@@ -1189,16 +1184,8 @@ gst_play_sink_set_mute (GstPlaySink * playsink, gboolean mute)
   GST_PLAY_SINK_LOCK (playsink);
   playsink->mute = mute;
   chain = (GstPlayAudioChain *) playsink->audiochain;
-  if (chain) {
-    if (chain->mute) {
-      g_object_set (chain->mute, "mute", mute, NULL);
-    } else if (chain->volume) {
-      if (mute)
-        g_object_set (chain->volume, "volume", (gdouble) 0.0, NULL);
-      else
-        g_object_set (chain->volume, "volume", (gdouble) playsink->volume,
-            NULL);
-    }
+  if (chain && chain->volume) {
+    g_object_set (chain->volume, "mute", mute, NULL);
   } else {
     playsink->mute_changed = TRUE;
   }
@@ -1213,8 +1200,8 @@ gst_play_sink_get_mute (GstPlaySink * playsink)
 
   GST_PLAY_SINK_LOCK (playsink);
   chain = (GstPlayAudioChain *) playsink->audiochain;
-  if (chain && chain->mute) {
-    g_object_get (chain->mute, "mute", &result, NULL);
+  if (chain && chain->volume) {
+    g_object_get (chain->volume, "mute", &result, NULL);
     playsink->mute = result;
   } else {
     result = playsink->mute;
@@ -2767,11 +2754,16 @@ gen_audio_chain (GstPlaySink * playsink, gboolean raw)
       gst_play_sink_find_property_sinks (playsink, chain->sink, "ts-offset",
           G_TYPE_INT64));
 
-  /* check if the sink, or something within the sink, has the volume property.
-   * If it does we don't need to add a volume element.  */
-  elem =
-      gst_play_sink_find_property_sinks (playsink, chain->sink, "volume",
-      G_TYPE_DOUBLE);
+  /* check if the sink, or something within the sink, implements the
+   * streamvolume interface. If it does we don't need to add a volume element.  */
+  if (GST_IS_BIN (chain->sink))
+    elem =
+        gst_bin_get_by_interface (GST_BIN_CAST (chain->sink),
+        GST_TYPE_STREAM_VOLUME);
+  else if (GST_IS_STREAM_VOLUME (chain->sink))
+    elem = gst_object_ref (chain->sink);
+  else
+    elem = NULL;
   chain->notify_volume_id = chain->notify_mute_id = 0;
   if (elem) {
     chain->volume = elem;
@@ -2782,29 +2774,15 @@ gen_audio_chain (GstPlaySink * playsink, gboolean raw)
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (playsink, "the sink has a volume property");
     have_volume = TRUE;
     chain->sink_volume = TRUE;
-    /* if the sink also has a mute property we can use this as well. We'll only
-     * use the mute property if there is a volume property. We can simulate the
-     * mute with the volume otherwise. */
-    chain->mute =
-        gst_play_sink_find_property_sinks (playsink, chain->sink, "mute",
-        G_TYPE_BOOLEAN);
-    if (chain->mute) {
-      GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (playsink, "the sink has a mute property");
-      chain->notify_mute_id = g_signal_connect (chain->mute, "notify::mute",
-          G_CALLBACK (notify_mute_cb), playsink);
-    }
+    chain->notify_mute_id = g_signal_connect (chain->volume, "notify::mute",
+        G_CALLBACK (notify_mute_cb), playsink);
     /* use the sink to control the volume and mute */
     if (playsink->volume_changed) {
       g_object_set (G_OBJECT (chain->volume), "volume", playsink->volume, NULL);
       playsink->volume_changed = FALSE;
     }
     if (playsink->mute_changed) {
-      if (chain->mute) {
-        g_object_set (chain->mute, "mute", playsink->mute, NULL);
-      } else {
-        if (playsink->mute)
-          g_object_set (chain->volume, "volume", (gdouble) 0.0, NULL);
-      }
+      g_object_set (chain->volume, "mute", playsink->mute, NULL);
       playsink->mute_changed = FALSE;
     }
   } else {
@@ -2848,14 +2826,13 @@ gen_audio_chain (GstPlaySink * playsink, gboolean raw)
             G_CALLBACK (notify_volume_cb), playsink);
 
         /* volume also has the mute property */
-        chain->mute = chain->volume;
-        chain->notify_mute_id = g_signal_connect (chain->mute, "notify::mute",
+        chain->notify_mute_id = g_signal_connect (chain->volume, "notify::mute",
             G_CALLBACK (notify_mute_cb), playsink);
 
         /* configure with the latest volume and mute */
         g_object_set (G_OBJECT (chain->volume), "volume", playsink->volume,
             NULL);
-        g_object_set (G_OBJECT (chain->mute), "mute", playsink->mute, NULL);
+        g_object_set (G_OBJECT (chain->volume), "mute", playsink->mute, NULL);
       }
     }
   }
@@ -2980,11 +2957,16 @@ setup_audio_chain (GstPlaySink * playsink, gboolean raw)
   /* Disconnect signals */
   disconnect_audio_chain (chain, playsink);
 
-  /* check if the sink, or something within the sink, has the volume property.
-   * If it does we don't need to add a volume element.  */
-  elem =
-      gst_play_sink_find_property_sinks (playsink, chain->sink, "volume",
-      G_TYPE_DOUBLE);
+  /* check if the sink, or something within the sink, implements the
+   * streamvolume interface. If it does we don't need to add a volume element.  */
+  if (GST_IS_BIN (chain->sink))
+    elem =
+        gst_bin_get_by_interface (GST_BIN_CAST (chain->sink),
+        GST_TYPE_STREAM_VOLUME);
+  else if (GST_IS_STREAM_VOLUME (chain->sink))
+    elem = gst_object_ref (chain->sink);
+  else
+    elem = NULL;
   if (elem) {
     chain->volume = elem;
 
@@ -2998,19 +2980,10 @@ setup_audio_chain (GstPlaySink * playsink, gboolean raw)
 
     chain->notify_volume_id = g_signal_connect (chain->volume, "notify::volume",
         G_CALLBACK (notify_volume_cb), playsink);
-    /* if the sink also has a mute property we can use this as well. We'll only
-     * use the mute property if there is a volume property. We can simulate the
-     * mute with the volume otherwise. */
-    chain->mute =
-        gst_play_sink_find_property_sinks (playsink, chain->sink, "mute",
-        G_TYPE_BOOLEAN);
-    if (chain->mute) {
-      GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (playsink, "the sink has a mute property");
-      chain->notify_mute_id = g_signal_connect (chain->mute, "notify::mute",
-          G_CALLBACK (notify_mute_cb), playsink);
-      g_object_set (chain->mute, "mute", playsink->mute, NULL);
-      playsink->mute_changed = FALSE;
-    }
+    chain->notify_mute_id = g_signal_connect (chain->volume, "notify::mute",
+        G_CALLBACK (notify_mute_cb), playsink);
+    g_object_set (chain->volume, "mute", playsink->mute, NULL);
+    playsink->mute_changed = FALSE;
 
     g_object_set (chain->conv, "use-volume", FALSE, NULL);
   } else if (conv) {
@@ -3021,18 +2994,17 @@ setup_audio_chain (GstPlaySink * playsink, gboolean raw)
 
     if (conv->volume && (playsink->flags & GST_PLAY_FLAG_SOFT_VOLUME)) {
       chain->volume = conv->volume;
-      chain->mute = chain->volume;
 
       chain->notify_volume_id =
           g_signal_connect (chain->volume, "notify::volume",
           G_CALLBACK (notify_volume_cb), playsink);
 
-      chain->notify_mute_id = g_signal_connect (chain->mute, "notify::mute",
+      chain->notify_mute_id = g_signal_connect (chain->volume, "notify::mute",
           G_CALLBACK (notify_mute_cb), playsink);
 
       /* configure with the latest volume and mute */
       g_object_set (G_OBJECT (chain->volume), "volume", playsink->volume, NULL);
-      g_object_set (G_OBJECT (chain->mute), "mute", playsink->mute, NULL);
+      g_object_set (G_OBJECT (chain->volume), "mute", playsink->mute, NULL);
     }
 
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (playsink, "reusing existing volume element");
@@ -3501,7 +3473,6 @@ gst_play_sink_do_reconfigure (GstPlaySink * playsink)
         activate_chain (GST_PLAY_CHAIN (playsink->audiochain), FALSE);
         disconnect_audio_chain (playsink->audiochain, playsink);
         playsink->audiochain->volume = NULL;
-        playsink->audiochain->mute = NULL;
         if (playsink->audiochain->ts_offset)
           gst_object_unref (playsink->audiochain->ts_offset);
         playsink->audiochain->ts_offset = NULL;
@@ -3610,7 +3581,6 @@ gst_play_sink_do_reconfigure (GstPlaySink * playsink)
       if (playsink->audiochain->sink_volume) {
         disconnect_audio_chain (playsink->audiochain, playsink);
         playsink->audiochain->volume = NULL;
-        playsink->audiochain->mute = NULL;
         if (playsink->audiochain->ts_offset)
           gst_object_unref (playsink->audiochain->ts_offset);
         playsink->audiochain->ts_offset = NULL;
@@ -4813,11 +4783,10 @@ gst_play_sink_change_state (GstElement * element, GstStateChange transition)
       /* fall through */
     case GST_STATE_CHANGE_READY_TO_NULL:
       if (playsink->audiochain && playsink->audiochain->sink_volume) {
-        /* remove our links to the mute and volume elements when they were
+        /* remove our links to the volume elements when they were
          * provided by a sink */
         disconnect_audio_chain (playsink->audiochain, playsink);
         playsink->audiochain->volume = NULL;
-        playsink->audiochain->mute = NULL;
       }
 
       if (playsink->audiochain && playsink->audiochain->ts_offset) {