diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c b/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
index a53ecfbedc..29d7e722d9 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
@@ -485,7 +485,7 @@ static int
 gst_ffmpegviddec_get_buffer (AVCodecContext * context, AVFrame * picture)
 {
   GstVideoCodecFrame *frame;
-  GstFFMpegVidDecVideoFrame *dframe = NULL;
+  GstFFMpegVidDecVideoFrame *dframe;
   GstFFMpegVidDec *ffmpegdec;
   gint c;
   GstVideoInfo *info;
@@ -583,10 +583,6 @@ invalid_frame:
   }
 fallback:
   {
-    if (dframe)
-      gst_ffmpegviddec_video_frame_free (dframe);
-    picture->opaque = NULL;
-
     return avcodec_default_get_buffer (context, picture);
   }
 duplicate_frame:
@@ -673,8 +669,7 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_release_buffer (AVCodecContext * context, AVFrame * picture)
   /* we remove the opaque data now */
   picture->opaque = NULL;
 
-  if (frame)
-    gst_ffmpegviddec_video_frame_free (frame);
+  gst_ffmpegviddec_video_frame_free (frame);
 
   /* zero out the reference in ffmpeg */
   for (i = 0; i < 4; i++) {