diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencoder_h264.c b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencoder_h264.c
index a382412456..34018286bf 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencoder_h264.c
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencoder_h264.c
@@ -730,6 +730,7 @@ struct _GstVaapiEncoderH264
   guint32 idr_num;
   guint8 pic_order_cnt_type;
   guint8 delta_pic_order_always_zero_flag;
+  guint num_ref_frames;
 
   GstBuffer *sps_data;
   GstBuffer *subset_sps_data;
@@ -3104,6 +3105,9 @@ gst_vaapi_encoder_h264_set_property (GstVaapiEncoder * base_encoder,
     case GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_COMPLIANCE_MODE:
       encoder->compliance_mode = g_value_get_enum (value);
       break;
+    case GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_NUM_REF_FRAMES:
+      encoder->num_ref_frames = g_value_get_uint (value);
+      break;
 
     default:
       return GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_STATUS_ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER;
@@ -3171,6 +3175,18 @@ gst_vaapi_encoder_h264_get_default_properties (void)
           "Max B-Frames", "Number of B-frames between I and P", 0, 10, 0,
           G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
 
+  /**
+   * GstVaapiEncoderH264:refs:
+   *
+   * The number of reference frames.
+   * If B frame is encoded, it will add 1 reference frame more.
+   */
+  GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_PROPERTIES_APPEND (props,
+      GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_NUM_REF_FRAMES,
+      g_param_spec_uint ("refs", "Number of Reference Frames",
+          "Number of reference frames", 1, 8, 1,
+          G_PARAM_READWRITE | G_PARAM_STATIC_STRINGS));
+
   /**
    * GstVaapiEncoderH264:init-qp:
    *
diff --git a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencoder_h264.h b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencoder_h264.h
index dec2ea974a..181cadec18 100644
--- a/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencoder_h264.h
+++ b/gst-libs/gst/vaapi/gstvaapiencoder_h264.h
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ typedef struct _GstVaapiEncoderH264 GstVaapiEncoderH264;
  * @GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_NUM_VIEWS: Number of views per frame.
  * @GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_VIEW_IDS: View IDs
  * @GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_COMPLIANCE_MODE: Relax Compliance restrictions
+ * @GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_NUM_REF_FRAMES: Maximum number of reference frames.
  *
  * The set of H.264 encoder specific configurable properties.
  */
@@ -64,6 +65,7 @@ typedef enum {
   GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_VIEW_IDS = -9,
   GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_AUD = -10,
   GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_COMPLIANCE_MODE = -11,
+  GST_VAAPI_ENCODER_H264_PROP_NUM_REF_FRAMES = -12,
 } GstVaapiEncoderH264Prop;
 
 GstVaapiEncoder *