diff --git a/libavformat/internal.h b/libavformat/internal.h
index 163587f416..67c35cc3e1 100644
--- a/libavformat/internal.h
+++ b/libavformat/internal.h
@@ -763,7 +763,8 @@ void ff_format_set_url(AVFormatContext *s, char *url);
  *
  * @param head  List head element
  * @param tail  List tail element
- * @param pkt   The packet being appended
+ * @param pkt   The packet being appended. The data described in it will
+ *              be made reference counted if it isn't already.
  * @param flags Any combination of FF_PACKETLIST_FLAG_* flags
  * @return 0 on success, negative AVERROR value on failure. On failure,
            the list is unchanged
diff --git a/libavformat/utils.c b/libavformat/utils.c
index 19fee40eec..9f8a5bfb63 100644
--- a/libavformat/utils.c
+++ b/libavformat/utils.c
@@ -460,6 +460,11 @@ int ff_packet_list_put(AVPacketList **packet_buffer,
             return ret;
         }
     } else {
+        ret = av_packet_make_refcounted(pkt);
+        if (ret < 0) {
+            av_free(pktl);
+            return ret;
+        }
         av_packet_move_ref(&pktl->pkt, pkt);
     }