diff --git a/doc/APIchanges b/doc/APIchanges
index ee317193c5..48b0ac8795 100644
--- a/doc/APIchanges
+++ b/doc/APIchanges
@@ -13,6 +13,10 @@ libavutil:     2014-08-09
 
 API changes, most recent first:
 
+2014-10-13 - xxxxxxx - lavc 55.03.0 - avcodec.h
+  Add AVCodecContext.initial_padding. Deprecate the use of AVCodecContext.delay
+  for audio encoding.
+
 2014-09-xx - xxxxxxx - lavu 54.04.0 - pixdesc.h
   Add API to return the name of frame and context color properties.
 
diff --git a/libavcodec/aacenc.c b/libavcodec/aacenc.c
index 55aa2f1a2f..fa0ac0031a 100644
--- a/libavcodec/aacenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/aacenc.c
@@ -777,7 +777,7 @@ static av_cold int aac_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     for (i = 0; i < 428; i++)
         ff_aac_pow34sf_tab[i] = sqrt(ff_aac_pow2sf_tab[i] * sqrt(ff_aac_pow2sf_tab[i]));
 
-    avctx->delay = 1024;
+    avctx->initial_padding = 1024;
     ff_af_queue_init(avctx, &s->afq);
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/libavcodec/ac3enc.c b/libavcodec/ac3enc.c
index 5c02e7f9de..13666efc21 100644
--- a/libavcodec/ac3enc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/ac3enc.c
@@ -2436,7 +2436,7 @@ av_cold int ff_ac3_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
         return ret;
 
     avctx->frame_size = AC3_BLOCK_SIZE * s->num_blocks;
-    avctx->delay      = AC3_BLOCK_SIZE;
+    avctx->initial_padding = AC3_BLOCK_SIZE;
 
     s->bitstream_mode = avctx->audio_service_type;
     if (s->bitstream_mode == AV_AUDIO_SERVICE_TYPE_KARAOKE)
diff --git a/libavcodec/audio_frame_queue.c b/libavcodec/audio_frame_queue.c
index 0a8b25c6e3..82c16a11a3 100644
--- a/libavcodec/audio_frame_queue.c
+++ b/libavcodec/audio_frame_queue.c
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@ av_cold void ff_af_queue_init(AVCodecContext *avctx, AudioFrameQueue *afq)
 {
     afq->avctx             = avctx;
     afq->next_pts          = AV_NOPTS_VALUE;
-    afq->remaining_delay   = avctx->delay;
-    afq->remaining_samples = avctx->delay;
+    afq->remaining_delay   = avctx->initial_padding;
+    afq->remaining_samples = avctx->initial_padding;
     afq->frame_queue       = NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/libavcodec/avcodec.h b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
index f0fa7a959f..a24ce407c9 100644
--- a/libavcodec/avcodec.h
+++ b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
@@ -1191,16 +1191,7 @@ typedef struct AVCodecContext {
      *   encoded input.
      *
      * Audio:
-     *   For encoding, this is the number of "priming" samples added by the
-     *   encoder to the beginning of the stream. The decoded output will be
-     *   delayed by this many samples relative to the input to the encoder (or
-     *   more, if the decoder adds its own padding).
-     *   The timestamps on the output packets are adjusted by the encoder so
-     *   that they always refer to the first sample of the data actually
-     *   contained in the packet, including any added padding.
-     *   E.g. if the timebase is 1/samplerate and the timestamp of the first
-     *   input sample is 0, the timestamp of the first output packet will be
-     *   -delay.
+     *   For encoding, this field is unused (see initial_padding).
      *
      *   For decoding, this is the number of samples the decoder needs to
      *   output before the decoder's output is valid. When seeking, you should
@@ -2780,6 +2771,23 @@ typedef struct AVCodecContext {
      * use AVOptions to set this field.
      */
     int side_data_only_packets;
+
+    /**
+     * Audio only. The number of "priming" samples (padding) inserted by the
+     * encoder at the beginning of the audio. I.e. this number of leading
+     * decoded samples must be discarded by the caller to get the original audio
+     * without leading padding.
+     *
+     * - decoding: unused
+     * - encoding: Set by libavcodec. The timestamps on the output packets are
+     *             adjusted by the encoder so that they always refer to the
+     *             first sample of the data actually contained in the packet,
+     *             including any added padding.  E.g. if the timebase is
+     *             1/samplerate and the timestamp of the first input sample is
+     *             0, the timestamp of the first output packet will be
+     *             -initial_padding.
+     */
+    int initial_padding;
 } AVCodecContext;
 
 /**
diff --git a/libavcodec/g722enc.c b/libavcodec/g722enc.c
index e7b67dad4f..be437946c6 100644
--- a/libavcodec/g722enc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/g722enc.c
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ static av_cold int g722_encode_init(AVCodecContext * avctx)
            a common packet size for VoIP applications */
         avctx->frame_size = 320;
     }
-    avctx->delay = 22;
+    avctx->initial_padding = 22;
 
     if (avctx->trellis) {
         /* validate trellis */
@@ -375,7 +375,7 @@ static int g722_encode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVPacket *avpkt,
     }
 
     if (frame->pts != AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
-        avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->delay);
+        avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->initial_padding);
     *got_packet_ptr = 1;
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/libavcodec/libfaac.c b/libavcodec/libfaac.c
index 9b5b11af8a..ad51a03181 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libfaac.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libfaac.c
@@ -157,7 +157,7 @@ static av_cold int Faac_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
         goto error;
     }
 
-    avctx->delay = FAAC_DELAY_SAMPLES;
+    avctx->initial_padding = FAAC_DELAY_SAMPLES;
     ff_af_queue_init(avctx, &s->afq);
 
     return 0;
diff --git a/libavcodec/libfdk-aacenc.c b/libavcodec/libfdk-aacenc.c
index 34717d4e86..d45fad2676 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libfdk-aacenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libfdk-aacenc.c
@@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ static av_cold int aac_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     }
 
     avctx->frame_size = info.frameLength;
-    avctx->delay      = info.encoderDelay;
+    avctx->initial_padding = info.encoderDelay;
     ff_af_queue_init(avctx, &s->afq);
 
     if (avctx->flags & CODEC_FLAG_GLOBAL_HEADER) {
diff --git a/libavcodec/libmp3lame.c b/libavcodec/libmp3lame.c
index b7a323a8a0..23f1581e13 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libmp3lame.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libmp3lame.c
@@ -137,7 +137,7 @@ static av_cold int mp3lame_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     }
 
     /* get encoder delay */
-    avctx->delay = lame_get_encoder_delay(s->gfp) + 528 + 1;
+    avctx->initial_padding = lame_get_encoder_delay(s->gfp) + 528 + 1;
     ff_af_queue_init(avctx, &s->afq);
 
     avctx->frame_size  = lame_get_framesize(s->gfp);
diff --git a/libavcodec/libopencore-amr.c b/libavcodec/libopencore-amr.c
index 6b459590d7..0704e94b47 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libopencore-amr.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libopencore-amr.c
@@ -200,7 +200,7 @@ static av_cold int amr_nb_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     }
 
     avctx->frame_size  = 160;
-    avctx->delay       =  50;
+    avctx->initial_padding = 50;
     ff_af_queue_init(avctx, &s->afq);
 
     s->enc_state = Encoder_Interface_init(s->enc_dtx);
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ static int amr_nb_encode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVPacket *avpkt,
                 return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
             memcpy(flush_buf, samples, frame->nb_samples * sizeof(*flush_buf));
             samples = flush_buf;
-            if (frame->nb_samples < avctx->frame_size - avctx->delay)
+            if (frame->nb_samples < avctx->frame_size - avctx->initial_padding)
                 s->enc_last_frame = -1;
         }
         if ((ret = ff_af_queue_add(&s->afq, frame)) < 0) {
diff --git a/libavcodec/libopusenc.c b/libavcodec/libopusenc.c
index 9af8bcda7e..ee9655beef 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libopusenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libopusenc.c
@@ -87,7 +87,7 @@ static void libopus_write_header(AVCodecContext *avctx, int stream_count,
     bytestream_put_buffer(&p, "OpusHead", 8);
     bytestream_put_byte(&p, 1); /* Version */
     bytestream_put_byte(&p, channels);
-    bytestream_put_le16(&p, avctx->delay); /* Lookahead samples at 48kHz */
+    bytestream_put_le16(&p, avctx->initial_padding); /* Lookahead samples at 48kHz */
     bytestream_put_le32(&p, avctx->sample_rate); /* Original sample rate */
     bytestream_put_le16(&p, 0); /* Gain of 0dB is recommended. */
 
@@ -277,7 +277,7 @@ static int av_cold libopus_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
         goto fail;
     }
 
-    ret = opus_multistream_encoder_ctl(enc, OPUS_GET_LOOKAHEAD(&avctx->delay));
+    ret = opus_multistream_encoder_ctl(enc, OPUS_GET_LOOKAHEAD(&avctx->initial_padding));
     if (ret != OPUS_OK)
         av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_WARNING,
                "Unable to get number of lookahead samples: %s\n",
diff --git a/libavcodec/libspeexenc.c b/libavcodec/libspeexenc.c
index 651d7ace0b..98f89b214f 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libspeexenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libspeexenc.c
@@ -235,7 +235,7 @@ static av_cold int encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     s->header.frames_per_packet = s->frames_per_packet;
 
     /* set encoding delay */
-    speex_encoder_ctl(s->enc_state, SPEEX_GET_LOOKAHEAD, &avctx->delay);
+    speex_encoder_ctl(s->enc_state, SPEEX_GET_LOOKAHEAD, &avctx->initial_padding);
     ff_af_queue_init(avctx, &s->afq);
 
     /* create header packet bytes from header struct */
diff --git a/libavcodec/libtwolame.c b/libavcodec/libtwolame.c
index def5feeb9d..400985ad32 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libtwolame.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libtwolame.c
@@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ static av_cold int twolame_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     int ret;
 
     avctx->frame_size = TWOLAME_SAMPLES_PER_FRAME;
-    avctx->delay      = 512 - 32 + 1;
+    avctx->initial_padding = 512 - 32 + 1;
 
     s->glopts = twolame_init();
     if (!s->glopts)
@@ -151,7 +151,7 @@ static int twolame_encode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVPacket *avpkt,
     avpkt->duration = ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, frame->nb_samples);
     if (frame) {
         if (frame->pts != AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
-            avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->delay);
+            avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->initial_padding);
     } else {
         avpkt->pts = s->next_pts;
     }
diff --git a/libavcodec/libvo-aacenc.c b/libavcodec/libvo-aacenc.c
index 9450792311..6dd71174d3 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libvo-aacenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libvo-aacenc.c
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ static av_cold int aac_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     int index, ret;
 
     avctx->frame_size = FRAME_SIZE;
-    avctx->delay      = ENC_DELAY;
+    avctx->initial_padding = ENC_DELAY;
     s->last_frame     = 2;
     ff_af_queue_init(avctx, &s->afq);
 
diff --git a/libavcodec/libvo-amrwbenc.c b/libavcodec/libvo-amrwbenc.c
index b255ba5504..da3941b312 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libvo-amrwbenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libvo-amrwbenc.c
@@ -93,7 +93,7 @@ static av_cold int amr_wb_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     s->last_bitrate    = avctx->bit_rate;
 
     avctx->frame_size  = 320;
-    avctx->delay       =  80;
+    avctx->initial_padding =  80;
 
     s->state     = E_IF_init();
 
@@ -131,7 +131,7 @@ static int amr_wb_encode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVPacket *avpkt,
     }
 
     if (frame->pts != AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
-        avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->delay);
+        avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->initial_padding);
 
     avpkt->size = size;
     *got_packet_ptr = 1;
diff --git a/libavcodec/libvorbis.c b/libavcodec/libvorbis.c
index 4b4caaac17..07973e6379 100644
--- a/libavcodec/libvorbis.c
+++ b/libavcodec/libvorbis.c
@@ -322,8 +322,8 @@ static int libvorbis_encode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVPacket *avpkt,
     if (duration > 0) {
         /* we do not know encoder delay until we get the first packet from
          * libvorbis, so we have to update the AudioFrameQueue counts */
-        if (!avctx->delay) {
-            avctx->delay              = duration;
+        if (!avctx->initial_padding) {
+            avctx->initial_padding    = duration;
             s->afq.remaining_delay   += duration;
             s->afq.remaining_samples += duration;
         }
diff --git a/libavcodec/mpegaudioenc.c b/libavcodec/mpegaudioenc.c
index 51a6f5be5a..4e074a582d 100644
--- a/libavcodec/mpegaudioenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/mpegaudioenc.c
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ static av_cold int MPA_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     bitrate = bitrate / 1000;
     s->nb_channels = channels;
     avctx->frame_size = MPA_FRAME_SIZE;
-    avctx->delay      = 512 - 32 + 1;
+    avctx->initial_padding = 512 - 32 + 1;
 
     /* encoding freq */
     s->lsf = 0;
@@ -735,7 +735,7 @@ static int MPA_encode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVPacket *avpkt,
     encode_frame(s, bit_alloc, padding);
 
     if (frame->pts != AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
-        avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->delay);
+        avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->initial_padding);
 
     avpkt->size = put_bits_count(&s->pb) / 8;
     *got_packet_ptr = 1;
diff --git a/libavcodec/nellymoserenc.c b/libavcodec/nellymoserenc.c
index 5732163476..9a84591456 100644
--- a/libavcodec/nellymoserenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/nellymoserenc.c
@@ -165,7 +165,7 @@ static av_cold int encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     }
 
     avctx->frame_size = NELLY_SAMPLES;
-    avctx->delay      = NELLY_BUF_LEN;
+    avctx->initial_padding = NELLY_BUF_LEN;
     ff_af_queue_init(avctx, &s->afq);
     s->avctx = avctx;
     if ((ret = ff_mdct_init(&s->mdct_ctx, 8, 0, 32768.0)) < 0)
diff --git a/libavcodec/ra144enc.c b/libavcodec/ra144enc.c
index 7627adc0a7..fd04766561 100644
--- a/libavcodec/ra144enc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/ra144enc.c
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ static av_cold int ra144_encode_init(AVCodecContext * avctx)
         return -1;
     }
     avctx->frame_size = NBLOCKS * BLOCKSIZE;
-    avctx->delay      = avctx->frame_size;
+    avctx->initial_padding = avctx->frame_size;
     avctx->bit_rate = 8000;
     ractx = avctx->priv_data;
     ractx->lpc_coef[0] = ractx->lpc_tables[0];
diff --git a/libavcodec/utils.c b/libavcodec/utils.c
index 89f249f093..b28a659f0a 100644
--- a/libavcodec/utils.c
+++ b/libavcodec/utils.c
@@ -1240,6 +1240,11 @@ int attribute_align_arg avcodec_open2(AVCodecContext *avctx, const AVCodec *code
         }
     }
 
+#if FF_API_AUDIOENC_DELAY
+    if (av_codec_is_encoder(avctx->codec))
+        avctx->delay = avctx->initial_padding;
+#endif
+
     if (av_codec_is_decoder(avctx->codec)) {
         /* validate channel layout from the decoder */
         if (avctx->channel_layout) {
@@ -1447,6 +1452,10 @@ int attribute_align_arg avcodec_encode_audio2(AVCodecContext *avctx,
 end:
     av_frame_free(&padded_frame);
 
+#if FF_API_AUDIOENC_DELAY
+    avctx->delay = avctx->initial_padding;
+#endif
+
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/libavcodec/version.h b/libavcodec/version.h
index 90b1f10f65..c44686d6ec 100644
--- a/libavcodec/version.h
+++ b/libavcodec/version.h
@@ -29,8 +29,8 @@
 #include "libavutil/version.h"
 
 #define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR 56
-#define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MINOR  2
-#define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MICRO  2
+#define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MINOR  3
+#define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MICRO  0
 
 #define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_INT  AV_VERSION_INT(LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR, \
                                                LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MINOR, \
@@ -153,5 +153,8 @@
 #ifndef FF_API_AFD
 #define FF_API_AFD               (LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR < 57)
 #endif
+#ifndef FF_API_AUDIOENC_DELAY
+#define FF_API_AUDIOENC_DELAY    (LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR < 58)
+#endif
 
 #endif /* AVCODEC_VERSION_H */
diff --git a/libavcodec/wmaenc.c b/libavcodec/wmaenc.c
index 95fc199ef8..e801663d66 100644
--- a/libavcodec/wmaenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/wmaenc.c
@@ -92,8 +92,7 @@ static av_cold int encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     avctx->block_align = block_align;
     avctx->bit_rate    = avctx->block_align * 8LL * avctx->sample_rate /
                          s->frame_len;
-    avctx->frame_size  =
-    avctx->delay       = s->frame_len;
+    avctx->frame_size = avctx->initial_padding = s->frame_len;
 
     return 0;
 }
@@ -420,7 +419,7 @@ static int encode_superframe(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVPacket *avpkt,
     flush_put_bits(&s->pb);
 
     if (frame->pts != AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
-        avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->delay);
+        avpkt->pts = frame->pts - ff_samples_to_time_base(avctx, avctx->initial_padding);
 
     avpkt->size     = avctx->block_align;
     *got_packet_ptr = 1;