diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c b/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c
index 38eaf6a5c7..b837bbee0e 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c
@@ -158,16 +158,12 @@ gst_ffmpegauddec_finalize (GObject * object)
 static void
 gst_ffmpegauddec_close (GstFFMpegAudDec * ffmpegdec)
 {
-  if (!ffmpegdec->opened)
-    return;
-
   GST_LOG_OBJECT (ffmpegdec, "closing libav codec");
 
   gst_caps_replace (&ffmpegdec->last_caps, NULL);
   gst_buffer_replace (&ffmpegdec->outbuf, NULL);
 
-  if (ffmpegdec->opened)
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegdec->context);
+  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegdec->context);
   ffmpegdec->opened = FALSE;
 
   if (ffmpegdec->context->extradata) {
@@ -297,9 +293,6 @@ gst_ffmpegauddec_set_format (GstAudioDecoder * decoder, GstCaps * caps)
     gst_ffmpegauddec_drain (ffmpegdec);
     GST_OBJECT_LOCK (ffmpegdec);
     gst_ffmpegauddec_close (ffmpegdec);
-
-    /* and reset the defaults that were set when a context is created */
-    avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegdec->context, oclass->in_plugin);
   }
 
   /* get size and so */
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c b/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
index 67c7653eb9..d57db644c5 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
@@ -192,10 +192,8 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_stop (GstAudioEncoder * encoder)
   GstFFMpegAudEnc *ffmpegaudenc = (GstFFMpegAudEnc *) encoder;
 
   /* close old session */
-  if (ffmpegaudenc->opened) {
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
-    ffmpegaudenc->opened = FALSE;
-  }
+  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
+  ffmpegaudenc->opened = FALSE;
 
   return TRUE;
 }
@@ -243,9 +241,6 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_set_format (GstAudioEncoder * encoder, GstAudioInfo * info)
     ffmpegaudenc->opened = FALSE;
   }
 
-  /* set defaults */
-  avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegaudenc->context, oclass->in_plugin);
-
   /* if we set it in _getcaps we should set it also in _link */
   ffmpegaudenc->context->strict_std_compliance = -1;
 
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavcfg.c b/ext/libav/gstavcfg.c
index 4ce9456f46..1d7c9d7850 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavcfg.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavcfg.c
@@ -738,10 +738,8 @@ gst_ffmpeg_cfg_install_property (GstFFMpegVidEncClass * klass, guint base)
   prop_id = base;
   g_return_if_fail (base > 0);
 
-  ctx = avcodec_alloc_context3 (NULL);
-  if (ctx)
-    avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ctx, NULL);
-  else
+  ctx = avcodec_alloc_context3 (klass->in_plugin);
+  if (!ctx)
     g_warning ("could not get context");
 
   for (list = property_list; list; list = list->next) {
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavdemux.c b/ext/libav/gstavdemux.c
index 2204b7729f..49bc2e1396 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavdemux.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavdemux.c
@@ -336,7 +336,11 @@ gst_ffmpegdemux_close (GstFFMpegDemux * demux)
     gst_ffmpegdata_close (demux->context->pb);
   else
     gst_ffmpeg_pipe_close (demux->context->pb);
+  demux->context->pb = NULL;
   avformat_close_input (&demux->context);
+  if (demux->context)
+    avformat_free_context (demux->context);
+  demux->context = NULL;
 
   GST_OBJECT_LOCK (demux);
   demux->opened = FALSE;
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavmux.c b/ext/libav/gstavmux.c
index 299e9f2e61..0d5beeddaf 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavmux.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavmux.c
@@ -324,7 +324,7 @@ gst_ffmpegmux_init (GstFFMpegMux * ffmpegmux, GstFFMpegMuxClass * g_class)
   gst_collect_pads_set_function (ffmpegmux->collect,
       (GstCollectPadsFunction) gst_ffmpegmux_collected, ffmpegmux);
 
-  ffmpegmux->context = g_new0 (AVFormatContext, 1);
+  ffmpegmux->context = avformat_alloc_context ();
   ffmpegmux->context->oformat = oclass->in_plugin;
   ffmpegmux->context->nb_streams = 0;
   ffmpegmux->opened = FALSE;
@@ -382,7 +382,9 @@ gst_ffmpegmux_finalize (GObject * object)
 {
   GstFFMpegMux *ffmpegmux = (GstFFMpegMux *) object;
 
-  g_free (ffmpegmux->context);
+  avformat_free_context (ffmpegmux->context);
+  ffmpegmux->context = NULL;
+
   gst_object_unref (ffmpegmux->collect);
 
   if (G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize)
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c b/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
index bd34f19ea2..9555fa7c6e 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
@@ -268,10 +268,7 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_finalize (GObject * object)
     ffmpegdec->context = NULL;
   }
 
-  if (ffmpegdec->picture != NULL) {
-    av_free (ffmpegdec->picture);
-    ffmpegdec->picture = NULL;
-  }
+  avcodec_free_frame (&ffmpegdec->picture);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
@@ -281,9 +278,6 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_finalize (GObject * object)
 static void
 gst_ffmpegviddec_close (GstFFMpegVidDec * ffmpegdec)
 {
-  if (!ffmpegdec->opened)
-    return;
-
   GST_LOG_OBJECT (ffmpegdec, "closing ffmpeg codec");
 
   gst_caps_replace (&ffmpegdec->last_caps, NULL);
@@ -393,9 +387,6 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_set_format (GstVideoDecoder * decoder,
     gst_ffmpegviddec_drain (ffmpegdec);
     GST_OBJECT_LOCK (ffmpegdec);
     gst_ffmpegviddec_close (ffmpegdec);
-
-    /* and reset the defaults that were set when a context is created */
-    avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegdec->context, oclass->in_plugin);
   }
 
   /* set buffer functions */
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c b/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
index e4cb1bdf18..7b24c45a48 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
@@ -253,15 +253,9 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_finalize (GObject * object)
 
   gst_ffmpeg_cfg_finalize (ffmpegenc);
 
-  /* close old session */
-  if (ffmpegenc->opened) {
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->context);
-    ffmpegenc->opened = FALSE;
-  }
-
   /* clean up remaining allocated data */
   av_free (ffmpegenc->context);
-  av_free (ffmpegenc->picture);
+  avcodec_free_frame (&ffmpegenc->picture);
 
   g_free (ffmpegenc->filename);
 
@@ -300,9 +294,6 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_set_format (GstVideoEncoder * encoder,
     ffmpegenc->opened = FALSE;
   }
 
-  /* set defaults */
-  avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegenc->context, oclass->in_plugin);
-
   /* if we set it in _getcaps we should set it also in _link */
   ffmpegenc->context->strict_std_compliance = -1;
 
@@ -808,10 +799,9 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_stop (GstVideoEncoder * encoder)
   GstFFMpegVidEnc *ffmpegenc = (GstFFMpegVidEnc *) encoder;
 
   gst_ffmpegvidenc_flush_buffers (ffmpegenc, FALSE);
-  if (ffmpegenc->opened) {
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->context);
-    ffmpegenc->opened = FALSE;
-  }
+  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->context);
+  ffmpegenc->opened = FALSE;
+
   if (ffmpegenc->file) {
     fclose (ffmpegenc->file);
     ffmpegenc->file = NULL;