diff --git a/ffmpeg.h b/ffmpeg.h
index 56eb66a6e8..c45660309e 100644
--- a/ffmpeg.h
+++ b/ffmpeg.h
@@ -490,6 +490,7 @@ extern int stdin_interaction;
 extern int frame_bits_per_raw_sample;
 extern AVIOContext *progress_avio;
 extern float max_error_rate;
+extern int vdpau_api_ver;
 
 extern const AVIOInterruptCB int_cb;
 
diff --git a/ffmpeg_opt.c b/ffmpeg_opt.c
index 4fb6fa36b1..10aaa3a6af 100644
--- a/ffmpeg_opt.c
+++ b/ffmpeg_opt.c
@@ -2984,6 +2984,9 @@ const OptionDef options[] = {
     { "hwaccel_device",   OPT_VIDEO | OPT_STRING | HAS_ARG | OPT_EXPERT |
                           OPT_SPEC | OPT_INPUT,                                  { .off = OFFSET(hwaccel_devices) },
         "select a device for HW acceleration" "devicename" },
+#if HAVE_VDPAU_X11
+    { "vdpau_api_ver", HAS_ARG | OPT_INT | OPT_EXPERT, { &vdpau_api_ver }, "" },
+#endif
 
     /* audio options */
     { "aframes",        OPT_AUDIO | HAS_ARG  | OPT_PERFILE | OPT_OUTPUT,           { .func_arg = opt_audio_frames },
diff --git a/ffmpeg_vdpau.c b/ffmpeg_vdpau.c
index fe0930695e..ef35d22ae8 100644
--- a/ffmpeg_vdpau.c
+++ b/ffmpeg_vdpau.c
@@ -57,6 +57,8 @@ typedef struct VDPAUContext {
     VdpYCbCrFormat vdpau_format;
 } VDPAUContext;
 
+int vdpau_api_ver = 2;
+
 static void vdpau_uninit(AVCodecContext *s)
 {
     InputStream  *ist = s->opaque;
@@ -291,6 +293,49 @@ fail:
     return AVERROR(EINVAL);
 }
 
+static int vdpau_old_init(AVCodecContext *s)
+{
+    InputStream *ist = s->opaque;
+    int loglevel = (ist->hwaccel_id == HWACCEL_AUTO) ? AV_LOG_VERBOSE : AV_LOG_ERROR;
+    AVVDPAUContext *vdpau_ctx;
+    VDPAUContext *ctx;
+    VdpStatus err;
+    int profile, ret;
+
+    if (!ist->hwaccel_ctx) {
+        ret = vdpau_alloc(s);
+        if (ret < 0)
+            return ret;
+    }
+    ctx       = ist->hwaccel_ctx;
+    vdpau_ctx = s->hwaccel_context;
+
+    ret = av_vdpau_get_profile(s, &profile);
+    if (ret < 0) {
+        av_log(NULL, loglevel, "No known VDPAU decoder profile for this stream.\n");
+        return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+    }
+
+    if (ctx->decoder)
+        ctx->decoder_destroy(ctx->decoder);
+
+    err = ctx->decoder_create(ctx->device, profile,
+                              s->coded_width, s->coded_height,
+                              16, &ctx->decoder);
+    if (err != VDP_STATUS_OK) {
+        av_log(NULL, loglevel, "Error creating the VDPAU decoder: %s\n",
+               ctx->get_error_string(err));
+        return AVERROR_UNKNOWN;
+    }
+
+    vdpau_ctx->decoder = ctx->decoder;
+
+    ist->hwaccel_get_buffer    = vdpau_get_buffer;
+    ist->hwaccel_retrieve_data = vdpau_retrieve_data;
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 int vdpau_init(AVCodecContext *s)
 {
     InputStream *ist = s->opaque;
@@ -300,6 +345,9 @@ int vdpau_init(AVCodecContext *s)
     VdpStatus err;
     int profile, ret;
 
+    if (vdpau_api_ver == 1)
+        return vdpau_old_init(s);
+
     if (!ist->hwaccel_ctx) {
         ret = vdpau_alloc(s);
         if (ret < 0)