diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg.h b/fftools/ffmpeg.h
index 927e402f7c..92e56ee80c 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg.h
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg.h
@@ -324,6 +324,8 @@ typedef struct FilterGraph {
     int         nb_outputs;
 } FilterGraph;
 
+typedef struct Decoder Decoder;
+
 typedef struct InputStream {
     const AVClass *class;
 
@@ -343,10 +345,10 @@ typedef struct InputStream {
      * concurrently by the demuxing thread.
      */
     AVCodecParameters *par;
+    Decoder *decoder;
     AVCodecContext *dec_ctx;
     const AVCodec *dec;
     const AVCodecDescriptor *codec_desc;
-    AVFrame *decoded_frame;
     AVPacket *pkt;
 
     AVRational framerate_guessed;
@@ -812,6 +814,7 @@ AVBufferRef *hw_device_for_filter(void);
 int hwaccel_decode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx);
 
 int dec_open(InputStream *ist);
+void dec_free(Decoder **pdec);
 
 /**
  * Submit a packet for decoding
diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg_dec.c b/fftools/ffmpeg_dec.c
index 8946bf538d..c62d10847a 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg_dec.c
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg_dec.c
@@ -31,6 +31,45 @@
 
 #include "ffmpeg.h"
 
+struct Decoder {
+    AVFrame         *frame;
+};
+
+void dec_free(Decoder **pdec)
+{
+    Decoder *dec = *pdec;
+
+    if (!dec)
+        return;
+
+    av_frame_free(&dec->frame);
+
+    av_freep(pdec);
+}
+
+static int dec_alloc(Decoder **pdec)
+{
+    Decoder *dec;
+
+    *pdec = NULL;
+
+    dec = av_mallocz(sizeof(*dec));
+    if (!dec)
+        return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+
+    dec->frame = av_frame_alloc();
+    if (!dec->frame)
+        goto fail;
+
+
+    *pdec = dec;
+
+    return 0;
+fail:
+    dec_free(&dec);
+    return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+}
+
 static int send_frame_to_filters(InputStream *ist, AVFrame *decoded_frame)
 {
     int i, ret;
@@ -373,6 +412,7 @@ static int send_filter_eof(InputStream *ist)
 
 int dec_packet(InputStream *ist, const AVPacket *pkt, int no_eof)
 {
+    Decoder *d = ist->decoder;
     AVCodecContext *dec = ist->dec_ctx;
     const char *type_desc = av_get_media_type_string(dec->codec_type);
     int ret;
@@ -407,7 +447,7 @@ int dec_packet(InputStream *ist, const AVPacket *pkt, int no_eof)
     }
 
     while (1) {
-        AVFrame *frame = ist->decoded_frame;
+        AVFrame *frame = d->frame;
 
         update_benchmark(NULL);
         ret = avcodec_receive_frame(dec, frame);
@@ -690,6 +730,10 @@ int dec_open(InputStream *ist)
         return AVERROR(EINVAL);
     }
 
+    ret = dec_alloc(&ist->decoder);
+    if (ret < 0)
+        return ret;
+
     ist->dec_ctx->opaque                = ist;
     ist->dec_ctx->get_format            = get_format;
 
diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg_demux.c b/fftools/ffmpeg_demux.c
index 33322ac565..29691cf68b 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg_demux.c
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg_demux.c
@@ -815,7 +815,8 @@ static void ist_free(InputStream **pist)
     if (!ist)
         return;
 
-    av_frame_free(&ist->decoded_frame);
+    dec_free(&ist->decoder);
+
     av_packet_free(&ist->pkt);
     av_dict_free(&ist->decoder_opts);
     avsubtitle_free(&ist->prev_sub.subtitle);
@@ -1196,10 +1197,6 @@ static void add_input_streams(const OptionsContext *o, Demuxer *d)
             exit_program(1);
         }
 
-        ist->decoded_frame = av_frame_alloc();
-        if (!ist->decoded_frame)
-            report_and_exit(AVERROR(ENOMEM));
-
         ist->pkt = av_packet_alloc();
         if (!ist->pkt)
             report_and_exit(AVERROR(ENOMEM));