diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/video/gstvideodecoder.c b/gst-libs/gst/video/gstvideodecoder.c
index c2808b0722..ca73a461f7 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/video/gstvideodecoder.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/video/gstvideodecoder.c
@@ -436,8 +436,6 @@ static void gst_video_decoder_reset (GstVideoDecoder * decoder, gboolean full,
 static GstFlowReturn gst_video_decoder_decode_frame (GstVideoDecoder * decoder,
     GstVideoCodecFrame * frame);
 
-static void gst_video_decoder_release_frame (GstVideoDecoder * dec,
-    GstVideoCodecFrame * frame);
 static GstClockTime gst_video_decoder_get_frame_duration (GstVideoDecoder *
     decoder, GstVideoCodecFrame * frame);
 static GstVideoCodecFrame *gst_video_decoder_new_frame (GstVideoDecoder *
@@ -2345,18 +2343,31 @@ no_output_buffer:
   }
 }
 
-static void
+/**
+ * gst_video_decoder_release_frame:
+ * @dec: a #GstVideoDecoder
+ * @frame: (transfer full): the #GstVideoCodecFrame to release
+ *
+ * Similar to gst_video_decoder_drop_frame(), but simply releases @frame
+ * without any processing other than removing it from list of pending frames,
+ * after which it is considered finished and released.
+ *
+ * Since: 1.4
+ */
+void
 gst_video_decoder_release_frame (GstVideoDecoder * dec,
     GstVideoCodecFrame * frame)
 {
   GList *link;
 
   /* unref once from the list */
+  GST_VIDEO_DECODER_STREAM_LOCK (dec);
   link = g_list_find (dec->priv->frames, frame);
   if (link) {
     gst_video_codec_frame_unref (frame);
     dec->priv->frames = g_list_delete_link (dec->priv->frames, link);
   }
+  GST_VIDEO_DECODER_STREAM_UNLOCK (dec);
 
   /* unref because this function takes ownership */
   gst_video_codec_frame_unref (frame);
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/video/gstvideodecoder.h b/gst-libs/gst/video/gstvideodecoder.h
index 1bdb37dcdd..abe2fbb421 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/video/gstvideodecoder.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/video/gstvideodecoder.h
@@ -366,6 +366,9 @@ GstFlowReturn    gst_video_decoder_finish_frame (GstVideoDecoder *decoder,
 GstFlowReturn    gst_video_decoder_drop_frame (GstVideoDecoder *dec,
 					       GstVideoCodecFrame *frame);
 
+void             gst_video_decoder_release_frame (GstVideoDecoder * dec,
+						  GstVideoCodecFrame * frame);
+
 void             gst_video_decoder_merge_tags (GstVideoDecoder *dec,
                                                const GstTagList *tags,
                                                GstTagMergeMode mode);