diff --git a/libavcodec/qpeg.c b/libavcodec/qpeg.c
index 38cf8295f2..4de1655ebb 100644
--- a/libavcodec/qpeg.c
+++ b/libavcodec/qpeg.c
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@
 
 typedef struct QpegContext{
     AVCodecContext *avctx;
-    AVFrame pic;
+    AVFrame *pic;
     uint8_t *refdata;
     uint32_t pal[256];
     GetByteContext buffer;
@@ -250,7 +250,7 @@ static int decode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx,
 {
     uint8_t ctable[128];
     QpegContext * const a = avctx->priv_data;
-    AVFrame * const p = &a->pic;
+    AVFrame * const p = a->pic;
     uint8_t* outdata;
     int delta, ret;
     const uint8_t *pal = av_packet_get_side_data(avpkt, AV_PKT_DATA_PALETTE, NULL);
@@ -265,26 +265,26 @@ static int decode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx,
         av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "reget_buffer() failed\n");
         return ret;
     }
-    outdata = a->pic.data[0];
+    outdata = p->data[0];
     bytestream2_skip(&a->buffer, 4);
     bytestream2_get_buffer(&a->buffer, ctable, 128);
     bytestream2_skip(&a->buffer, 1);
 
     delta = bytestream2_get_byte(&a->buffer);
     if(delta == 0x10) {
-        qpeg_decode_intra(a, outdata, a->pic.linesize[0], avctx->width, avctx->height);
+        qpeg_decode_intra(a, outdata, p->linesize[0], avctx->width, avctx->height);
     } else {
-        qpeg_decode_inter(a, outdata, a->pic.linesize[0], avctx->width, avctx->height, delta, ctable, a->refdata);
+        qpeg_decode_inter(a, outdata, p->linesize[0], avctx->width, avctx->height, delta, ctable, a->refdata);
     }
 
     /* make the palette available on the way out */
     if (pal) {
-        a->pic.palette_has_changed = 1;
+        p->palette_has_changed = 1;
         memcpy(a->pal, pal, AVPALETTE_SIZE);
     }
-    memcpy(a->pic.data[1], a->pal, AVPALETTE_SIZE);
+    memcpy(p->data[1], a->pal, AVPALETTE_SIZE);
 
-    if ((ret = av_frame_ref(data, &a->pic)) < 0)
+    if ((ret = av_frame_ref(data, p)) < 0)
         return ret;
 
     *got_frame      = 1;
@@ -292,25 +292,29 @@ static int decode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx,
     return avpkt->size;
 }
 
-static av_cold int decode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx){
+static av_cold int decode_end(AVCodecContext *avctx)
+{
     QpegContext * const a = avctx->priv_data;
 
-    a->avctx = avctx;
-    avctx->pix_fmt= AV_PIX_FMT_PAL8;
-    a->refdata = av_malloc(avctx->width * avctx->height);
-
-    avcodec_get_frame_defaults(&a->pic);
+    av_frame_free(&a->pic);
 
+    av_free(a->refdata);
     return 0;
 }
 
-static av_cold int decode_end(AVCodecContext *avctx){
+static av_cold int decode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx){
     QpegContext * const a = avctx->priv_data;
-    AVFrame * const p = &a->pic;
 
-    av_frame_unref(p);
+    a->avctx = avctx;
+    avctx->pix_fmt= AV_PIX_FMT_PAL8;
+    a->refdata = av_malloc(avctx->width * avctx->height);
+
+    a->pic = av_frame_alloc();
+    if (!a->pic) {
+        decode_end(avctx);
+        return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+    }
 
-    av_free(a->refdata);
     return 0;
 }