diff --git a/gst/law/mulaw-encode.c b/gst/law/mulaw-encode.c
index 8450fef4d6..ed943af528 100644
--- a/gst/law/mulaw-encode.c
+++ b/gst/law/mulaw-encode.c
@@ -101,6 +101,7 @@ gst_mulawenc_set_format (GstAudioEncoder * audioenc, GstAudioInfo * info)
   GstCaps *base_caps;
   GstStructure *structure;
   GstMuLawEnc *mulawenc = GST_MULAWENC (audioenc);
+  gboolean ret;
 
   mulawenc->rate = info->rate;
   mulawenc->channels = info->channels;
@@ -119,7 +120,10 @@ gst_mulawenc_set_format (GstAudioEncoder * audioenc, GstAudioInfo * info)
 
   gst_mulawenc_set_tags (mulawenc);
 
-  return gst_audio_encoder_set_output_format (audioenc, base_caps);
+  ret = gst_audio_encoder_set_output_format (audioenc, base_caps);
+  gst_caps_unref (base_caps);
+
+  return ret;
 }
 
 static GstFlowReturn
diff --git a/tests/check/elements/mulawenc.c b/tests/check/elements/mulawenc.c
index a0a45644b1..982184cf10 100644
--- a/tests/check/elements/mulawenc.c
+++ b/tests/check/elements/mulawenc.c
@@ -20,12 +20,10 @@
 #endif
 
 #include <gst/check/gstcheck.h>
+#include <string.h>
 
-GList *buffers = NULL;
-
-GstPad *mysrcpad, *mysinkpad;
-GstElement *mulawenc = NULL;
-
+static GstPad *mysrcpad, *mysinkpad;
+static GstElement *mulawenc = NULL;
 
 static GstStaticPadTemplate sinktemplate = GST_STATIC_PAD_TEMPLATE ("sink",
     GST_PAD_SINK,
@@ -33,7 +31,6 @@ static GstStaticPadTemplate sinktemplate = GST_STATIC_PAD_TEMPLATE ("sink",
     GST_STATIC_CAPS ("audio/x-mulaw," "rate = (int) 8000," "channels = (int) 1")
     );
 
-
 static GstStaticPadTemplate srctemplate = GST_STATIC_PAD_TEMPLATE ("src",
     GST_PAD_SRC,
     GST_PAD_ALWAYS,
@@ -83,8 +80,6 @@ mulawenc_teardown (void)
 
   gst_pad_set_active (mysrcpad, FALSE);
   gst_pad_set_active (mysinkpad, FALSE);
-  gst_object_unref (mysrcpad);
-  gst_object_unref (mysinkpad);
   gst_check_teardown_src_pad (mulawenc);
   gst_check_teardown_sink_pad (mulawenc);
   gst_check_teardown_element (mulawenc);
@@ -119,14 +114,14 @@ check_for_maximum_bitrate (GstPad * pad, GstEvent ** eventp, gpointer user_data)
 GST_START_TEST (test_one_buffer)
 {
   GstBuffer *buffer;
-  int buf_size = 4096;
-  unsigned char *dp;
+  gint buf_size = 4096;
+  guint8 *dp;
 
   fail_unless (gst_element_set_state (mulawenc, GST_STATE_PLAYING) ==
       GST_STATE_CHANGE_SUCCESS, "could not change state to playing");
 
   buffer = gst_buffer_new ();
-  dp = g_malloc (buf_size);
+  dp = g_malloc0 (buf_size);
   gst_buffer_append_memory (buffer,
       gst_memory_new_wrapped (0, dp, buf_size, 0, buf_size, dp, g_free));
   ASSERT_BUFFER_REFCOUNT (buffer, "buffer", 1);
@@ -142,15 +137,15 @@ GST_END_TEST;
 GST_START_TEST (test_tags)
 {
   GstBuffer *buffer;
-  int buf_size = 4096;
-  unsigned char *dp;
+  gint buf_size = 4096;
+  guint8 *dp;
   gboolean found_maximum_bitrate = FALSE;
 
   fail_unless (gst_element_set_state (mulawenc, GST_STATE_PLAYING) ==
       GST_STATE_CHANGE_SUCCESS, "could not change state to playing");
 
   buffer = gst_buffer_new ();
-  dp = g_malloc (buf_size);
+  dp = g_malloc0 (buf_size);
   gst_buffer_append_memory (buffer,
       gst_memory_new_wrapped (0, dp, buf_size, 0, buf_size, dp, g_free));
   ASSERT_BUFFER_REFCOUNT (buffer, "buffer", 1);