diff --git a/subprojects/gst-docs/symbols/symbol_index.json b/subprojects/gst-docs/symbols/symbol_index.json
index 02270e3ebb..7741aaec80 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-docs/symbols/symbol_index.json
+++ b/subprojects/gst-docs/symbols/symbol_index.json
@@ -37478,7 +37478,6 @@
   "gst_av1_parser_parse_temporal_delimiter_obu",
   "gst_av1_parser_parse_tile_group_obu",
   "gst_av1_parser_parse_tile_list_obu",
-  "gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_loading",
   "gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_update",
   "gst_av1_parser_reset",
   "gst_av1_parser_reset_annex_b",
@@ -66199,4 +66198,4 @@
   "zbar:message",
   "zebrastripe",
   "zebrastripe:threshold"
-]
\ No newline at end of file
+]
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecparsers/gstav1parser.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecparsers/gstav1parser.c
index 5fa283c384..fb1050f369 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecparsers/gstav1parser.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecparsers/gstav1parser.c
@@ -67,10 +67,6 @@
  * should call gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_update() to update the parser's inside
  * state(such as reference information, global segmentation information, etc).
  *
- * Note: If the frame is actived by show_existing_frame in #GST_AV1_OBU_FRAME_HEADER,
- * the function of gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_loading() should be called before
- * really showing that frame.
- *
  * @since: 1.18.00
  */
 
@@ -3496,6 +3492,64 @@ gst_av1_set_frame_refs (GstAV1Parser * parser,
       frame_header->ref_frame_idx[i] = ref;
 }
 
+/* 7.21 */
+static void
+gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_loading (GstAV1Parser * parser,
+    GstAV1FrameHeaderOBU * frame_header)
+{
+  GstAV1ReferenceFrameInfo *ref_info = &(parser->state.ref_info);
+  gint idx = frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx;
+  GstAV1TileInfo *ref_tile_info = &ref_info->entry[idx].ref_tile_info;
+  const gint all_frames = (1 << GST_AV1_NUM_REF_FRAMES) - 1;
+
+  /* copy the relevant frame information as these will be needed by
+   * all subclasses. */
+  frame_header->frame_type = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_frame_type;
+  frame_header->upscaled_width = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_upscaled_width;
+  frame_header->frame_width = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_frame_width;
+  frame_header->frame_height = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_frame_height;
+  frame_header->render_width = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_render_width;
+  frame_header->render_height = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_render_height;
+
+  if (parser->seq_header->film_grain_params_present)
+    frame_header->film_grain_params =
+        ref_info->entry[idx].ref_film_grain_params;
+
+  /* the remaining is only relevant to ensure proper state update and only
+   * keyframe updates the state. */
+  if (frame_header->frame_type != GST_AV1_KEY_FRAME)
+    return;
+
+  frame_header->refresh_frame_flags = all_frames;
+  frame_header->current_frame_id = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_frame_id;
+  frame_header->order_hint = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_order_hint;
+  frame_header->segmentation_params =
+      ref_info->entry[idx].ref_segmentation_params;
+  frame_header->global_motion_params =
+      ref_info->entry[idx].ref_global_motion_params;
+  frame_header->loop_filter_params = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_lf_params;
+  frame_header->tile_info = *ref_tile_info;
+
+  parser->state.current_frame_id = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_frame_id;
+  parser->state.upscaled_width = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_upscaled_width;
+  parser->state.frame_width = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_frame_width;
+  parser->state.frame_height = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_frame_height;
+  parser->state.render_width = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_render_width;
+  parser->state.render_height = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_render_height;
+  parser->state.mi_cols = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_mi_cols;
+  parser->state.mi_rows = ref_info->entry[idx].ref_mi_rows;
+
+  memcpy (parser->state.mi_col_starts, ref_tile_info->mi_col_starts,
+      sizeof (guint32) * (GST_AV1_MAX_TILE_COLS + 1));
+  memcpy (parser->state.mi_row_starts, ref_tile_info->mi_row_starts,
+      sizeof (guint32) * (GST_AV1_MAX_TILE_ROWS + 1));
+  parser->state.tile_cols_log2 = ref_tile_info->tile_cols_log2;
+  parser->state.tile_cols = ref_tile_info->tile_cols;
+  parser->state.tile_rows_log2 = ref_tile_info->tile_rows_log2;
+  parser->state.tile_rows = ref_tile_info->tile_rows;
+  parser->state.tile_size_bytes = ref_tile_info->tile_size_bytes;
+}
+
 /* 5.9.2 */
 static GstAV1ParserResult
 gst_av1_parse_uncompressed_frame_header (GstAV1Parser * parser, GstAV1OBU * obu,
@@ -3581,16 +3635,7 @@ gst_av1_parse_uncompressed_frame_header (GstAV1Parser * parser, GstAV1OBU * obu,
         }
       }
 
-      frame_header->frame_type =
-          ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_frame_type;
-      if (frame_header->frame_type == GST_AV1_KEY_FRAME) {
-        frame_header->refresh_frame_flags = all_frames;
-      }
-
-      /* just use the frame_to_show's grain_params
-       * if (seq_header->film_grain_params_present)
-       *     load_grain_params () */
-
+      gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_loading (parser, frame_header);
       goto success;
     }
 
@@ -4174,74 +4219,6 @@ error:
   return retval;
 }
 
-/* 7.21 */
-/**
- * gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_loading:
- * @parser: the #GstAV1Parser
- * @frame_header: a #GstAV1FrameHeaderOBU to load
- *
- * Load the context of @frame_header to parser's state. This function is
- * used when we want to show already parsed frames before.
- *
- * Returns: The #GstAV1ParserResult.
- *
- * Since: 1.18
- */
-GstAV1ParserResult
-gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_loading (GstAV1Parser * parser,
-    GstAV1FrameHeaderOBU * frame_header)
-{
-  GstAV1ReferenceFrameInfo *ref_info;
-  GstAV1TileInfo *ref_tile_info;
-
-  g_return_val_if_fail (parser != NULL, GST_AV1_PARSER_INVALID_OPERATION);
-  g_return_val_if_fail (frame_header != NULL, GST_AV1_PARSER_INVALID_OPERATION);
-
-  if (!parser->seq_header) {
-    GST_WARNING ("Missing OBU Reference: seq_header");
-    return GST_AV1_PARSER_MISSING_OBU_REFERENCE;
-  }
-
-  ref_info = &(parser->state.ref_info);
-
-  if (frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx > GST_AV1_NUM_REF_FRAMES - 1)
-    return GST_AV1_PARSER_BITSTREAM_ERROR;
-
-  g_assert (ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_valid);
-
-  parser->state.current_frame_id =
-      ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_frame_id;
-  parser->state.upscaled_width =
-      ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_upscaled_width;
-  parser->state.frame_width =
-      ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_frame_width;
-  parser->state.frame_height =
-      ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_frame_height;
-  parser->state.render_width =
-      ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_render_width;
-  parser->state.render_height =
-      ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_render_height;
-  parser->state.mi_cols =
-      ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_mi_cols;
-  parser->state.mi_rows =
-      ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_mi_rows;
-
-  ref_tile_info =
-      &ref_info->entry[frame_header->frame_to_show_map_idx].ref_tile_info;
-
-  memcpy (parser->state.mi_col_starts, ref_tile_info->mi_col_starts,
-      sizeof (guint32) * (GST_AV1_MAX_TILE_COLS + 1));
-  memcpy (parser->state.mi_row_starts, ref_tile_info->mi_row_starts,
-      sizeof (guint32) * (GST_AV1_MAX_TILE_ROWS + 1));
-  parser->state.tile_cols_log2 = ref_tile_info->tile_cols_log2;
-  parser->state.tile_cols = ref_tile_info->tile_cols;
-  parser->state.tile_rows_log2 = ref_tile_info->tile_rows_log2;
-  parser->state.tile_rows = ref_tile_info->tile_rows;
-  parser->state.tile_size_bytes = ref_tile_info->tile_size_bytes;
-
-  return GST_AV1_PARSER_OK;
-}
-
 /**
  * gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_update:
  * @parser: the #GstAV1Parser
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecparsers/gstav1parser.h b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecparsers/gstav1parser.h
index f8df2efca9..a5f1c761f6 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecparsers/gstav1parser.h
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecparsers/gstav1parser.h
@@ -1820,11 +1820,6 @@ GstAV1ParserResult
 gst_av1_parser_parse_frame_obu (GstAV1Parser * parser, GstAV1OBU * obu,
     GstAV1FrameOBU * frame);
 
-GST_CODEC_PARSERS_API
-GstAV1ParserResult
-gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_loading (GstAV1Parser * parser,
-    GstAV1FrameHeaderOBU * frame_header);
-
 GST_CODEC_PARSERS_API
 GstAV1ParserResult
 gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_update (GstAV1Parser * parser,
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecs/gstav1decoder.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecs/gstav1decoder.c
index df727507bf..6fe9acc6a9 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecs/gstav1decoder.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/codecs/gstav1decoder.c
@@ -363,12 +363,6 @@ gst_av1_decoder_decode_frame_header (GstAV1Decoder * self,
       return GST_FLOW_ERROR;
     }
 
-    if (gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_loading (priv->parser,
-            &ref_picture->frame_hdr) != GST_AV1_PARSER_OK) {
-      GST_WARNING_OBJECT (self, "load the reference frame failed");
-      return GST_FLOW_ERROR;
-    }
-
     /* FIXME: duplicate picture might be optional feature like that of VP9
      * decoder baseclass */
     g_assert (klass->duplicate_picture);
@@ -380,8 +374,6 @@ gst_av1_decoder_decode_frame_header (GstAV1Decoder * self,
 
     picture->system_frame_number = priv->current_frame->system_frame_number;
     picture->frame_hdr = *frame_header;
-    picture->frame_hdr.render_width = ref_picture->frame_hdr.render_width;
-    picture->frame_hdr.render_height = ref_picture->frame_hdr.render_height;
     priv->current_picture = picture;
   } else {
     picture = gst_av1_picture_new ();
diff --git a/subprojects/gstreamer-vaapi/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecoder_av1.c b/subprojects/gstreamer-vaapi/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecoder_av1.c
index eff62e635d..e8a0e310fb 100644
--- a/subprojects/gstreamer-vaapi/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecoder_av1.c
+++ b/subprojects/gstreamer-vaapi/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapidecoder_av1.c
@@ -753,12 +753,6 @@ av1_decode_frame_header (GstVaapiDecoderAV1 * decoder,
       return GST_VAAPI_DECODER_STATUS_ERROR_UNKNOWN;
     }
 
-    if (gst_av1_parser_reference_frame_loading (priv->parser,
-            &to_show_picture->frame_header) != GST_AV1_PARSER_OK) {
-      GST_ERROR ("load frame to show ref frame failed");
-      return GST_VAAPI_DECODER_STATUS_ERROR_UNKNOWN;
-    }
-
     picture = (GstVaapiPictureAV1 *)
         gst_vaapi_picture_new_clone (GST_VAAPI_PICTURE_CAST (to_show_picture));
     if (!picture)
@@ -769,15 +763,6 @@ av1_decode_frame_header (GstVaapiDecoderAV1 * decoder,
     GST_VAAPI_PICTURE_FLAG_UNSET (picture, GST_VAAPI_PICTURE_FLAG_SKIPPED);
 
     picture->frame_header = to_show_picture->frame_header;
-    /* only update references if the frame_to_show_map_idx is a KEY FRAME */
-    if (picture->frame_header.frame_type == GST_AV1_KEY_FRAME) {
-      picture->frame_header = to_show_picture->frame_header;
-      g_assert (picture->frame_header.refresh_frame_flags ==
-          ((1 << GST_AV1_NUM_REF_FRAMES) - 1));
-    } else {
-      /* Just set to no update ref */
-      picture->frame_header.refresh_frame_flags = 0;
-    }
   } else {
     /* Resolution changed */
     if (priv->width != priv->seq_header->max_frame_width_minus_1 + 1 ||