diff --git a/doc/APIchanges b/doc/APIchanges
index 121fbee9ce..f6ad2169a2 100644
--- a/doc/APIchanges
+++ b/doc/APIchanges
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ libavutil:     2017-10-21
 
 API changes, most recent first:
 
+2018-04-03 - xxxxxxx - lavu 56.13.100 - pixdesc.h
+  Deprecate AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL and make allocating a pseudo palette
+  optional for API users (see AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL doxygen for details).
+
 2018-04-01 - xxxxxxx - lavc 58.17.100 - avcodec.h
   Add av_packet_make_refcounted().
 
diff --git a/fftools/ffprobe.c b/fftools/ffprobe.c
index 2582649fd3..82dfe4f58a 100644
--- a/fftools/ffprobe.c
+++ b/fftools/ffprobe.c
@@ -3118,7 +3118,9 @@ static void ffprobe_show_pixel_formats(WriterContext *w)
             PRINT_PIX_FMT_FLAG(HWACCEL,   "hwaccel");
             PRINT_PIX_FMT_FLAG(PLANAR,    "planar");
             PRINT_PIX_FMT_FLAG(RGB,       "rgb");
+#if FF_API_PSEUDOPAL
             PRINT_PIX_FMT_FLAG(PSEUDOPAL, "pseudopal");
+#endif
             PRINT_PIX_FMT_FLAG(ALPHA,     "alpha");
             writer_print_section_footer(w);
         }
diff --git a/libavcodec/decode.c b/libavcodec/decode.c
index 40c8a8855c..d883a5f9fc 100644
--- a/libavcodec/decode.c
+++ b/libavcodec/decode.c
@@ -1614,7 +1614,7 @@ static int video_get_buffer(AVCodecContext *s, AVFrame *pic)
         pic->linesize[i] = 0;
     }
     if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-        desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL)
+        ((desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) && pic->data[1]))
         avpriv_set_systematic_pal2((uint32_t *)pic->data[1], pic->format);
 
     if (s->debug & FF_DEBUG_BUFFERS)
@@ -1782,9 +1782,6 @@ static void validate_avframe_allocation(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVFrame *frame)
         for (i = 0; i < num_planes; i++) {
             av_assert0(frame->data[i]);
         }
-        // For now do not enforce anything for palette of pseudopal formats
-        if (num_planes == 1 && (flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL))
-            num_planes = 2;
         // For formats without data like hwaccel allow unused pointers to be non-NULL.
         for (i = num_planes; num_planes > 0 && i < FF_ARRAY_ELEMS(frame->data); i++) {
             if (frame->data[i])
diff --git a/libavcodec/ffv1dec.c b/libavcodec/ffv1dec.c
index b4a183c5b7..7658a51685 100644
--- a/libavcodec/ffv1dec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/ffv1dec.c
@@ -950,7 +950,7 @@ static int decode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx, void *data, int *got_frame, AVPac
 
             }
             if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-                desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) {
+                desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) {
                 dst[1] = p->data[1];
                 src[1] = f->last_picture.f->data[1];
             }
diff --git a/libavcodec/rawdec.c b/libavcodec/rawdec.c
index 1893b26444..53f5b76e93 100644
--- a/libavcodec/rawdec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/rawdec.c
@@ -92,12 +92,14 @@ static av_cold int raw_init_decoder(AVCodecContext *avctx)
         return AVERROR(EINVAL);
     }
 
-    if (desc->flags & (AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL)) {
+    if (desc->flags & (AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL | FF_PSEUDOPAL)) {
         context->palette = av_buffer_alloc(AVPALETTE_SIZE);
         if (!context->palette)
             return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+#if FF_API_PSEUDOPAL
         if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL)
             avpriv_set_systematic_pal2((uint32_t*)context->palette->data, avctx->pix_fmt);
+#endif
         else {
             memset(context->palette->data, 0, AVPALETTE_SIZE);
             if (avctx->bits_per_coded_sample == 1)
@@ -423,7 +425,7 @@ static int raw_decode(AVCodecContext *avctx, void *data, int *got_frame,
     }
 
     if ((avctx->pix_fmt == AV_PIX_FMT_PAL8 && buf_size < context->frame_size) ||
-        (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL)) {
+        (desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL)) {
         frame->buf[1]  = av_buffer_ref(context->palette);
         if (!frame->buf[1]) {
             av_buffer_unref(&frame->buf[0]);
diff --git a/libavcodec/smvjpegdec.c b/libavcodec/smvjpegdec.c
index 0b05d19f7b..7ea82ebfee 100644
--- a/libavcodec/smvjpegdec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/smvjpegdec.c
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ static inline void smv_img_pnt(uint8_t *dst_data[4], uint8_t *src_data[4],
             src_linesizes[i], h, nlines);
     }
     if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-        desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL)
+        desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL)
         dst_data[1] = src_data[1];
 }
 
diff --git a/libavfilter/drawutils.c b/libavfilter/drawutils.c
index 17e26c764a..db8c7a6226 100644
--- a/libavfilter/drawutils.c
+++ b/libavfilter/drawutils.c
@@ -184,7 +184,7 @@ int ff_draw_init(FFDrawContext *draw, enum AVPixelFormat format, unsigned flags)
 
     if (!desc || !desc->name)
         return AVERROR(EINVAL);
-    if (desc->flags & ~(AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PLANAR | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_ALPHA))
+    if (desc->flags & ~(AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PLANAR | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | FF_PSEUDOPAL | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_ALPHA))
         return AVERROR(ENOSYS);
     if (format == AV_PIX_FMT_P010LE || format == AV_PIX_FMT_P010BE || format == AV_PIX_FMT_P016LE || format == AV_PIX_FMT_P016BE)
         return AVERROR(ENOSYS);
diff --git a/libavfilter/framepool.c b/libavfilter/framepool.c
index da2ac5cf69..3b178cebb8 100644
--- a/libavfilter/framepool.c
+++ b/libavfilter/framepool.c
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ FFFramePool *ff_frame_pool_video_init(AVBufferRef* (*alloc)(int size),
     }
 
     if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-        desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) {
+        desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) {
         pool->pools[1] = av_buffer_pool_init(AVPALETTE_SIZE, alloc);
         if (!pool->pools[1])
             goto fail;
@@ -227,7 +227,7 @@ AVFrame *ff_frame_pool_get(FFFramePool *pool)
         }
 
         if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-            desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) {
+            desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) {
             enum AVPixelFormat format =
                 pool->format == AV_PIX_FMT_PAL8 ? AV_PIX_FMT_BGR8 : pool->format;
 
diff --git a/libavfilter/vf_crop.c b/libavfilter/vf_crop.c
index 0fdc4949e3..84be4c7d0d 100644
--- a/libavfilter/vf_crop.c
+++ b/libavfilter/vf_crop.c
@@ -288,7 +288,7 @@ static int filter_frame(AVFilterLink *link, AVFrame *frame)
     frame->data[0] += s->y * frame->linesize[0];
     frame->data[0] += s->x * s->max_step[0];
 
-    if (!(desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL || desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL)) {
+    if (!(desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL || desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL)) {
         for (i = 1; i < 3; i ++) {
             if (frame->data[i]) {
                 frame->data[i] += (s->y >> s->vsub) * frame->linesize[i];
diff --git a/libavfilter/vf_pixdesctest.c b/libavfilter/vf_pixdesctest.c
index d6423acb91..2d0749e20b 100644
--- a/libavfilter/vf_pixdesctest.c
+++ b/libavfilter/vf_pixdesctest.c
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ static int filter_frame(AVFilterLink *inlink, AVFrame *in)
 
     /* copy palette */
     if (priv->pix_desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-        priv->pix_desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL)
+        ((priv->pix_desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) && out->data[1] && in->data[1]))
         memcpy(out->data[1], in->data[1], AVPALETTE_SIZE);
 
     for (c = 0; c < priv->pix_desc->nb_components; c++) {
diff --git a/libavfilter/vf_scale.c b/libavfilter/vf_scale.c
index 9f45032e85..f741419e7e 100644
--- a/libavfilter/vf_scale.c
+++ b/libavfilter/vf_scale.c
@@ -261,11 +261,10 @@ static int config_props(AVFilterLink *outlink)
 
     /* TODO: make algorithm configurable */
 
-    scale->input_is_pal = desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-                          desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL;
+    scale->input_is_pal = desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL;
     if (outfmt == AV_PIX_FMT_PAL8) outfmt = AV_PIX_FMT_BGR8;
     scale->output_is_pal = av_pix_fmt_desc_get(outfmt)->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-                           av_pix_fmt_desc_get(outfmt)->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL;
+                           av_pix_fmt_desc_get(outfmt)->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL;
 
     if (scale->sws)
         sws_freeContext(scale->sws);
diff --git a/libavfilter/vf_shuffleplanes.c b/libavfilter/vf_shuffleplanes.c
index 4bc7b79f87..32d2d585f3 100644
--- a/libavfilter/vf_shuffleplanes.c
+++ b/libavfilter/vf_shuffleplanes.c
@@ -69,7 +69,7 @@ static av_cold int shuffleplanes_config_input(AVFilterLink *inlink)
         }
 
         if ((desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-             desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) &&
+             desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) &&
             (i == 1) != (s->map[i] == 1)) {
             av_log(ctx, AV_LOG_ERROR,
                    "Cannot map between a palette plane and a data plane.\n");
diff --git a/libavutil/frame.c b/libavutil/frame.c
index ea13cd3ed6..00215ac29a 100644
--- a/libavutil/frame.c
+++ b/libavutil/frame.c
@@ -247,7 +247,7 @@ static int get_video_buffer(AVFrame *frame, int align)
 
         frame->data[i] = frame->buf[i]->data;
     }
-    if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL || desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) {
+    if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL || desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) {
         av_buffer_unref(&frame->buf[1]);
         frame->buf[1] = av_buffer_alloc(AVPALETTE_SIZE);
         if (!frame->buf[1])
@@ -848,7 +848,7 @@ static int calc_cropping_offsets(size_t offsets[4], const AVFrame *frame,
         int shift_x = (i == 1 || i == 2) ? desc->log2_chroma_w : 0;
         int shift_y = (i == 1 || i == 2) ? desc->log2_chroma_h : 0;
 
-        if (desc->flags & (AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) && i == 1) {
+        if (desc->flags & (AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL | FF_PSEUDOPAL) && i == 1) {
             offsets[i] = 0;
             break;
         }
diff --git a/libavutil/imgutils.c b/libavutil/imgutils.c
index 5af4fc20a0..4938a7ef67 100644
--- a/libavutil/imgutils.c
+++ b/libavutil/imgutils.c
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ int av_image_fill_pointers(uint8_t *data[4], enum AVPixelFormat pix_fmt, int hei
     size[0] = linesizes[0] * height;
 
     if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-        desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) {
+        desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) {
         data[1] = ptr + size[0]; /* palette is stored here as 256 32 bits words */
         return size[0] + 256 * 4;
     }
@@ -216,7 +216,7 @@ int av_image_alloc(uint8_t *pointers[4], int linesizes[4],
         av_free(buf);
         return ret;
     }
-    if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL || desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) {
+    if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL || (desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL && pointers[1])) {
         avpriv_set_systematic_pal2((uint32_t*)pointers[1], pix_fmt);
         if (align < 4) {
             av_log(NULL, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Formats with a palette require a minimum alignment of 4\n");
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ int av_image_alloc(uint8_t *pointers[4], int linesizes[4],
     }
 
     if ((desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-         desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) &&
+         desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) && pointers[1] &&
         pointers[1] - pointers[0] > linesizes[0] * h) {
         /* zero-initialize the padding before the palette */
         memset(pointers[0] + linesizes[0] * h, 0,
@@ -354,12 +354,13 @@ static void image_copy(uint8_t *dst_data[4], const ptrdiff_t dst_linesizes[4],
         return;
 
     if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL ||
-        desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL) {
+        desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL) {
         copy_plane(dst_data[0], dst_linesizes[0],
                    src_data[0], src_linesizes[0],
                    width, height);
         /* copy the palette */
-        memcpy(dst_data[1], src_data[1], 4*256);
+        if ((desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL) || (dst_data[1] && src_data[1]))
+            memcpy(dst_data[1], src_data[1], 4*256);
     } else {
         int i, planes_nb = 0;
 
@@ -442,7 +443,7 @@ int av_image_get_buffer_size(enum AVPixelFormat pix_fmt,
         return ret;
 
     // do not include palette for these pseudo-paletted formats
-    if (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL)
+    if (desc->flags & FF_PSEUDOPAL)
         return FFALIGN(width, align) * height;
 
     return av_image_fill_arrays(data, linesize, NULL, pix_fmt,
diff --git a/libavutil/internal.h b/libavutil/internal.h
index c77dfa7d3c..06bd561e82 100644
--- a/libavutil/internal.h
+++ b/libavutil/internal.h
@@ -360,4 +360,13 @@ void ff_check_pixfmt_descriptors(void);
  */
 int avpriv_dict_set_timestamp(AVDictionary **dict, const char *key, int64_t timestamp);
 
+// Helper macro for AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL deprecation. Code inside FFmpeg
+// should always use FF_PSEUDOPAL. Once the public API flag gets removed, all
+// code using it is dead code.
+#if FF_API_PSEUDOPAL
+#define FF_PSEUDOPAL AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL
+#else
+#define FF_PSEUDOPAL 0
+#endif
+
 #endif /* AVUTIL_INTERNAL_H */
diff --git a/libavutil/pixdesc.c b/libavutil/pixdesc.c
index e77d5f44b9..8ed52751c1 100644
--- a/libavutil/pixdesc.c
+++ b/libavutil/pixdesc.c
@@ -257,7 +257,7 @@ static const AVPixFmtDescriptor av_pix_fmt_descriptors[AV_PIX_FMT_NB] = {
         .comp = {
             { 0, 1, 0, 0, 8, 0, 7, 1 },        /* Y */
         },
-        .flags = AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL,
+        .flags = FF_PSEUDOPAL,
         .alias = "gray8,y8",
     },
     [AV_PIX_FMT_MONOWHITE] = {
@@ -362,7 +362,7 @@ static const AVPixFmtDescriptor av_pix_fmt_descriptors[AV_PIX_FMT_NB] = {
             { 0, 1, 0, 3, 3, 0, 2, 1 },        /* G */
             { 0, 1, 0, 6, 2, 0, 1, 1 },        /* B */
         },
-        .flags = AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL,
+        .flags = AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | FF_PSEUDOPAL,
     },
     [AV_PIX_FMT_BGR4] = {
         .name = "bgr4",
@@ -386,7 +386,7 @@ static const AVPixFmtDescriptor av_pix_fmt_descriptors[AV_PIX_FMT_NB] = {
             { 0, 1, 0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 1 },        /* G */
             { 0, 1, 0, 3, 1, 0, 0, 1 },        /* B */
         },
-        .flags = AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL,
+        .flags = AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | FF_PSEUDOPAL,
     },
     [AV_PIX_FMT_RGB8] = {
         .name = "rgb8",
@@ -398,7 +398,7 @@ static const AVPixFmtDescriptor av_pix_fmt_descriptors[AV_PIX_FMT_NB] = {
             { 0, 1, 0, 3, 3, 0, 2, 1 },        /* G */
             { 0, 1, 0, 0, 3, 0, 2, 1 },        /* B */
         },
-        .flags = AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL,
+        .flags = AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | FF_PSEUDOPAL,
     },
     [AV_PIX_FMT_RGB4] = {
         .name = "rgb4",
@@ -422,7 +422,7 @@ static const AVPixFmtDescriptor av_pix_fmt_descriptors[AV_PIX_FMT_NB] = {
             { 0, 1, 0, 1, 2, 0, 1, 1 },        /* G */
             { 0, 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 0, 1 },        /* B */
         },
-        .flags = AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL,
+        .flags = AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_RGB | FF_PSEUDOPAL,
     },
     [AV_PIX_FMT_NV12] = {
         .name = "nv12",
diff --git a/libavutil/pixdesc.h b/libavutil/pixdesc.h
index ea046033a3..1ab372782a 100644
--- a/libavutil/pixdesc.h
+++ b/libavutil/pixdesc.h
@@ -154,6 +154,14 @@ typedef struct AVPixFmtDescriptor {
  * in some cases be simpler. Or the data can be interpreted purely based on
  * the pixel format without using the palette.
  * An example of a pseudo-paletted format is AV_PIX_FMT_GRAY8
+ *
+ * @deprecated This flag is deprecated, and will be removed. When it is removed,
+ * the extra palette allocation in AVFrame.data[1] is removed as well. Only
+ * actual paletted formats (as indicated by AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL) will have a
+ * palette. Starting with FFmpeg versions which have this flag deprecated, the
+ * extra "pseudo" palette is already ignored, and API users are not required to
+ * allocate a palette for AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL formats (it was required
+ * before the deprecation, though).
  */
 #define AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL    (1 << 6)
 
diff --git a/libavutil/version.h b/libavutil/version.h
index d3dd2df544..d81d51011b 100644
--- a/libavutil/version.h
+++ b/libavutil/version.h
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
  */
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR  56
-#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR  12
+#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR  13
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MICRO 100
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_INT   AV_VERSION_INT(LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR, \
@@ -126,6 +126,9 @@
 #ifndef FF_API_FRAME_GET_SET
 #define FF_API_FRAME_GET_SET            (LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR < 57)
 #endif
+#ifndef FF_API_PSEUDOPAL
+#define FF_API_PSEUDOPAL                (LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR < 57)
+#endif
 
 
 /**
diff --git a/libswscale/swscale_internal.h b/libswscale/swscale_internal.h
index c9120d8f5f..1703856ab2 100644
--- a/libswscale/swscale_internal.h
+++ b/libswscale/swscale_internal.h
@@ -806,9 +806,17 @@ static av_always_inline int isPlanarRGB(enum AVPixelFormat pix_fmt)
 
 static av_always_inline int usePal(enum AVPixelFormat pix_fmt)
 {
-    const AVPixFmtDescriptor *desc = av_pix_fmt_desc_get(pix_fmt);
-    av_assert0(desc);
-    return (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PAL) || (desc->flags & AV_PIX_FMT_FLAG_PSEUDOPAL);
+    switch (pix_fmt) {
+    case AV_PIX_FMT_PAL8:
+    case AV_PIX_FMT_BGR4_BYTE:
+    case AV_PIX_FMT_BGR8:
+    case AV_PIX_FMT_GRAY8:
+    case AV_PIX_FMT_RGB4_BYTE:
+    case AV_PIX_FMT_RGB8:
+        return 1;
+    default:
+        return 0;
+    }
 }
 
 extern const uint64_t ff_dither4[2];