diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c b/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c
index 3941a56c59..ecff3894ee 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c
@@ -150,9 +150,11 @@ gst_ffmpegauddec_finalize (GObject * object)
 {
   GstFFMpegAudDec *ffmpegdec = (GstFFMpegAudDec *) object;
 
-  if (ffmpegdec->context != NULL)
+  if (ffmpegdec->context != NULL) {
+    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegdec->context);
     av_free (ffmpegdec->context);
-  ffmpegdec->context = NULL;
+    ffmpegdec->context = NULL;
+  }
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
@@ -199,6 +201,7 @@ gst_ffmpegauddec_start (GstAudioDecoder * decoder)
   oclass = (GstFFMpegAudDecClass *) (G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS (ffmpegdec));
 
   GST_OBJECT_LOCK (ffmpegdec);
+  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegdec->context);
   if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegdec->context, oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegdec, "Failed to set context defaults");
     GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (ffmpegdec);
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c b/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
index ec789991ef..39d9f380e9 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
@@ -191,6 +191,7 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_finalize (GObject * object)
   GstFFMpegAudEnc *ffmpegaudenc = (GstFFMpegAudEnc *) object;
 
   /* clean up remaining allocated data */
+  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
   av_free (ffmpegaudenc->context);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
@@ -203,6 +204,7 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_start (GstAudioEncoder * encoder)
   GstFFMpegAudEncClass *oclass =
       (GstFFMpegAudEncClass *) G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS (ffmpegaudenc);
 
+  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
   if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegaudenc->context,
           oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegaudenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavcfg.c b/ext/libav/gstavcfg.c
index b9713148b1..a635fd4d9a 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavcfg.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavcfg.c
@@ -827,8 +827,10 @@ gst_ffmpeg_cfg_install_property (GstFFMpegVidEncClass * klass, guint base)
     }
   }
 
-  if (ctx)
+  if (ctx) {
+    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ctx);
     av_free (ctx);
+  }
 }
 
 /* returns TRUE if it is a known property for this config system,
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavdeinterlace.c b/ext/libav/gstavdeinterlace.c
index 7dd37d0dce..596477c558 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavdeinterlace.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavdeinterlace.c
@@ -209,6 +209,7 @@ gst_ffmpegdeinterlace_sink_setcaps (GstPad * pad, GstCaps * caps)
   ctx->pix_fmt = PIX_FMT_NB;
   gst_ffmpeg_caps_with_codectype (AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO, caps, ctx);
   if (ctx->pix_fmt == PIX_FMT_NB) {
+    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ctx);
     av_free (ctx);
     return FALSE;
   }
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c b/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
index fe9c54acf9..d968ebf4ab 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
@@ -268,6 +268,7 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_finalize (GObject * object)
   GstFFMpegVidDec *ffmpegdec = (GstFFMpegVidDec *) object;
 
   if (ffmpegdec->context != NULL) {
+    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegdec->context);
     av_free (ffmpegdec->context);
     ffmpegdec->context = NULL;
   }
@@ -1591,6 +1592,7 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_start (GstVideoDecoder * decoder)
   oclass = (GstFFMpegVidDecClass *) (G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS (ffmpegdec));
 
   GST_OBJECT_LOCK (ffmpegdec);
+  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegdec->context);
   if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegdec->context, oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegdec, "Failed to set context defaults");
     GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (ffmpegdec);
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c b/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
index 45c752c2d4..d1d6d7ed52 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
@@ -263,6 +263,7 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_finalize (GObject * object)
   gst_ffmpeg_cfg_finalize (ffmpegenc);
 
   /* clean up remaining allocated data */
+  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->context);
   av_free (ffmpegenc->context);
   avcodec_free_frame (&ffmpegenc->picture);
 
@@ -794,6 +795,7 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_start (GstVideoEncoder * encoder)
       (GstFFMpegVidEncClass *) G_OBJECT_GET_CLASS (ffmpegenc);
 
   /* close old session */
+  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->context);
   if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegenc->context, oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
     return FALSE;