diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkencoder-private.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkencoder-private.c
index fff554eba4..20f740f84c 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkencoder-private.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkencoder-private.c
@@ -377,7 +377,6 @@ gst_vulkan_encoder_new_video_session_parameters (GstVulkanEncoder * self,
  * @in_buffer: (transfer none): the input #GstBuffer.
  * @width: the picture width
  * @height: the picture height
- * @is_ref: the picture reference flag
  * @nb_refs: the picture number of references
  *
  * Create a new vulkan encode picture from the input buffer.
@@ -387,7 +386,7 @@ gst_vulkan_encoder_new_video_session_parameters (GstVulkanEncoder * self,
  */
 GstVulkanEncoderPicture *
 gst_vulkan_encoder_picture_new (GstVulkanEncoder * self, GstBuffer * in_buffer,
-    int width, int height, gsize size, gboolean is_ref, gint nb_refs)
+    int width, int height, gsize size, gint nb_refs)
 {
   GstVulkanEncoderPicture *pic;
   GstVulkanEncoderPrivate *priv;
@@ -423,7 +422,6 @@ gst_vulkan_encoder_picture_new (GstVulkanEncoder * self, GstBuffer * in_buffer,
       VK_BUFFER_USAGE_VIDEO_ENCODE_DST_BIT_KHR, size_aligned);
   pic->width = width;
   pic->height = height;
-  pic->is_ref = is_ref;
   pic->nb_refs = nb_refs;
   pic->packed_headers =
       g_ptr_array_new_with_free_func ((GDestroyNotify) gst_buffer_unref);
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkencoder-private.h b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkencoder-private.h
index a630345c55..3f4e5bc7d9 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkencoder-private.h
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/gst-libs/gst/vulkan/gstvkencoder-private.h
@@ -40,7 +40,6 @@ typedef struct _GstVulkanEncoderPicture GstVulkanEncoderPicture;
 
 /**
  * GstVulkanEncoderPicture:
- * @is_ref: picture is reference
  * @nb_refs: number of references
  * @slotIndex: slot index
  * @packed_headers: packed headers
@@ -59,7 +58,6 @@ typedef struct _GstVulkanEncoderPicture GstVulkanEncoderPicture;
  */
 struct _GstVulkanEncoderPicture
 {
-  gboolean is_ref;
   gint nb_refs;
   gint slotIndex;
 
@@ -187,7 +185,6 @@ GstVulkanEncoderPicture* gst_vulkan_encoder_picture_new         (GstVulkanEncode
                                                                  gint width,
                                                                  gint height,
                                                                  gsize size,
-                                                                 gboolean is_ref,
                                                                  gint nb_refs);
 GST_VULKAN_API
 void                     gst_vulkan_encoder_picture_free        (GstVulkanEncoderPicture * pic);
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/check/libs/vkvideoencodeh264.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/check/libs/vkvideoencodeh264.c
index 77f9cfbc86..3c89dd39d5 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/check/libs/vkvideoencodeh264.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/check/libs/vkvideoencodeh264.c
@@ -47,6 +47,8 @@ typedef struct
 {
   GstVulkanEncoderPicture *picture;
 
+  gboolean is_ref;
+
   VkVideoEncodeH264NaluSliceInfoKHR slice_info;
   VkVideoEncodeH264PictureInfoKHR enc_pic_info;
   VkVideoEncodeH264DpbSlotInfoKHR dpb_slot_info;
@@ -61,13 +63,14 @@ typedef struct
 } GstVulkanH264EncodeFrame;
 
 static GstVulkanH264EncodeFrame *
-_h264_encode_frame_new (GstVulkanEncoderPicture * picture)
+_h264_encode_frame_new (GstVulkanEncoderPicture * picture, gboolean is_ref)
 {
   GstVulkanH264EncodeFrame *frame;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (picture, NULL);
   frame = g_new (GstVulkanH264EncodeFrame, 1);
   frame->picture = picture;
+  frame->is_ref = is_ref;
 
   return frame;
 }
@@ -357,7 +360,7 @@ allocate_frame (GstVulkanEncoder * enc, int width,
   upload_buffer_to_image(img_pool, in_buffer, &img_buffer);
 
   frame = _h264_encode_frame_new (gst_vulkan_encoder_picture_new (enc,
-      img_buffer, width, height, width * height * 3, is_ref, nb_refs));
+      img_buffer, width, height, width * height * 3, nb_refs), is_ref);
   fail_unless (frame);
   fail_unless (frame->picture);
   gst_buffer_unref (in_buffer);
@@ -407,15 +410,15 @@ encode_frame (GstVulkanEncoder * enc, GstVulkanH264EncodeFrame * frame,
   frame->pic_info = (StdVideoEncodeH264PictureInfo) {
     /* *INDENT-OFF* */
     .flags = (StdVideoEncodeH264PictureInfoFlags) {
-        .IdrPicFlag = (slice_type == STD_VIDEO_H264_SLICE_TYPE_I && picture->is_ref),
-        .is_reference = picture->is_ref, /* TODO: Check why it creates a deadlock in query result when TRUE  */
+        .IdrPicFlag = (slice_type == STD_VIDEO_H264_SLICE_TYPE_I && frame->is_ref),
+        .is_reference = frame->is_ref,   /* TODO: Check why it creates a deadlock in query result when TRUE  */
         .no_output_of_prior_pics_flag = 0,
         .long_term_reference_flag = 0,
         .adaptive_ref_pic_marking_mode_flag = 0,
     },
     .seq_parameter_set_id = sps_id,
     .pic_parameter_set_id = pps_id,
-    .primary_pic_type = PICTURE_TYPE (slice_type, picture->is_ref),
+    .primary_pic_type = PICTURE_TYPE (slice_type, frame->is_ref),
     .frame_num = frame_num,
     .PicOrderCnt = picture->pic_order_cnt,
     /* *INDENT-ON* */
@@ -513,7 +516,7 @@ encode_frame (GstVulkanEncoder * enc, GstVulkanH264EncodeFrame * frame,
     .flags = {
       .used_for_long_term_reference = 0,
     },
-    .primary_pic_type = PICTURE_TYPE (slice_type, picture->is_ref),
+    .primary_pic_type = PICTURE_TYPE (slice_type, frame->is_ref),
     .FrameNum = frame_num,
     .PicOrderCnt = picture->pic_order_cnt,
     .long_term_pic_num = 0,
diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/check/libs/vkvideoencodeh265.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/check/libs/vkvideoencodeh265.c
index 22b64e0207..139bb65240 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/check/libs/vkvideoencodeh265.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/tests/check/libs/vkvideoencodeh265.c
@@ -49,6 +49,8 @@ typedef struct
 {
   GstVulkanEncoderPicture *picture;
 
+  gboolean is_ref;
+
   VkVideoEncodeH265PictureInfoKHR enc_pic_info;
   VkVideoEncodeH265NaluSliceSegmentInfoKHR slice_info;
   VkVideoEncodeH265DpbSlotInfoKHR dpb_slot_info;
@@ -66,13 +68,14 @@ typedef struct
 
 
 static GstVulkanH265EncodeFrame *
-_h265_encode_frame_new (GstVulkanEncoderPicture * picture)
+_h265_encode_frame_new (GstVulkanEncoderPicture * picture, gboolean is_ref)
 {
   GstVulkanH265EncodeFrame *frame;
 
   g_return_val_if_fail (picture, NULL);
   frame = g_new (GstVulkanH265EncodeFrame, 1);
   frame->picture = picture;
+  frame->is_ref = is_ref;
 
   return frame;
 }
@@ -364,7 +367,7 @@ allocate_frame (GstVulkanEncoder * enc, int width,
   upload_buffer_to_image(img_pool, in_buffer, &img_buffer);
 
   frame = _h265_encode_frame_new (gst_vulkan_encoder_picture_new (enc,
-      img_buffer, width, height, width * height * 3, is_ref, nb_refs));
+      img_buffer, width, height, width * height * 3, nb_refs), is_ref);
   fail_unless (frame);
   fail_unless (frame->picture);
   gst_buffer_unref (in_buffer);
@@ -394,7 +397,7 @@ encode_frame (GstVulkanEncoder * enc, GstVulkanH265EncodeFrame * frame,
   guint qp_p = 26;
   guint qp_b = 26;
   GstVulkanEncoderPicture *picture = frame->picture;
-  gint picture_type = PICTURE_TYPE(slice_type, picture->is_ref);
+  gint picture_type = PICTURE_TYPE(slice_type, frame->is_ref);
 
   GST_DEBUG ("Encoding frame num: %d", frame_num);
 
@@ -482,7 +485,7 @@ encode_frame (GstVulkanEncoder * enc, GstVulkanH265EncodeFrame * frame,
   frame->pic_info = (StdVideoEncodeH265PictureInfo) {
     /* *INDENT-OFF* */
     .flags = (StdVideoEncodeH265PictureInfoFlags) {
-          .is_reference = picture->is_ref,
+          .is_reference = frame->is_ref,
           .IrapPicFlag = (picture_type == STD_VIDEO_H265_PICTURE_TYPE_IDR),
           .used_for_long_term_reference = 0,
           .discardable_flag = 0,