diff --git a/libavcodec/h264_ps.c b/libavcodec/h264_ps.c
index f288ca2a4f..4a5f66e184 100644
--- a/libavcodec/h264_ps.c
+++ b/libavcodec/h264_ps.c
@@ -457,8 +457,7 @@ int ff_h264_decode_seq_parameter_set(GetBitContext *gb, AVCodecContext *avctx,
     sps->ref_frame_count = get_ue_golomb_31(gb);
     if (avctx->codec_tag == MKTAG('S', 'M', 'V', '2'))
         sps->ref_frame_count = FFMAX(2, sps->ref_frame_count);
-    if (sps->ref_frame_count > H264_MAX_PICTURE_COUNT - 2 ||
-        sps->ref_frame_count > 16U) {
+    if (sps->ref_frame_count > MAX_DELAYED_PIC_COUNT) {
         av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR,
                "too many reference frames %d\n", sps->ref_frame_count);
         goto fail;