diff --git a/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecDecoder.cpp b/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecDecoder.cpp
index 20b88cf3f2..8067d3e6bf 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecDecoder.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecDecoder.cpp
@@ -119,6 +119,7 @@ AVCodecDecoder::AVCodecDecoder()
 	fDecodedDataBuffer(av_frame_alloc()),
 	fDecodedDataBufferOffset(0),
 	fDecodedDataBufferSize(0),
+	fTempPacket(NULL),
 	fBufferSinkContext(NULL),
 	fBufferSourceContext(NULL),
 	fFilterGraph(NULL),
@@ -168,6 +169,8 @@ AVCodecDecoder::~AVCodecDecoder()
 #endif
 
 	delete[] fExtraData;
+
+	av_packet_free(&fTempPacket);
 }
 
 
@@ -335,9 +338,10 @@ AVCodecDecoder::Decode(void* outBuffer, int64* outFrameCount,
 void
 AVCodecDecoder::_ResetTempPacket()
 {
-	av_init_packet(&fTempPacket);
-	fTempPacket.size = 0;
-	fTempPacket.data = NULL;
+	if (fTempPacket == NULL)
+		fTempPacket = av_packet_alloc();
+	fTempPacket->size = 0;
+	fTempPacket->data = NULL;
 }
 
 
@@ -700,7 +704,7 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_DecodeVideo(void* outBuffer, int64* outFrameCount,
 status_t
 AVCodecDecoder::_DecodeNextAudioFrame()
 {
-	assert(fTempPacket.size >= 0);
+	assert(fTempPacket->size >= 0);
 	assert(fDecodedDataSizeInBytes == 0);
 		// _DecodeNextAudioFrame needs to be called on empty fDecodedData only!
 		// If this assert holds wrong we have a bug somewhere.
@@ -862,10 +866,10 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_CheckAndFixConditionsThatHintAtBrokenAudioCodeBelow()
 			"buffer! %" B_PRId32 "\n", fDecodedDataBufferSize);
 		fDecodedDataBufferSize = 0;
 	}
-	if (fTempPacket.size < 0) {
+	if (fTempPacket->size < 0) {
 		fprintf(stderr, "Decoding read past the end of the temp packet! %d\n",
-			fTempPacket.size);
-		fTempPacket.size = 0;
+			fTempPacket->size);
+		fTempPacket->size = 0;
 	}
 }
 
@@ -1003,7 +1007,7 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_MoveAudioFramesToRawDecodedAudioAndUpdateStartTimes()
 	fDecodedDataBuffer->pkt_dts += framesTimeInterval;
 	// Start time of buffer is updated in case that it contains
 	// more audio frames to move.
-	fTempPacket.dts += framesTimeInterval;
+	fTempPacket->dts += framesTimeInterval;
 	// Start time of fTempPacket is updated in case the fTempPacket
 	// contains more audio frames to decode.
 }
@@ -1056,10 +1060,10 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_DecodeNextAudioFrameChunk()
 
 			if (!fAudioDecodeError) {
 				// Report failure if not done already
-				int32 chunkBufferOffset = fTempPacket.data - fChunkBuffer;
+				int32 chunkBufferOffset = fTempPacket->data - fChunkBuffer;
 				printf("########### audio decode error, "
-					"fTempPacket.size %d, fChunkBuffer data offset %" B_PRId32
-					"\n", fTempPacket.size, chunkBufferOffset);
+					"fTempPacket->size %d, fChunkBuffer data offset %" B_PRId32
+					"\n", fTempPacket->size, chunkBufferOffset);
 				fAudioDecodeError = true;
 			}
 
@@ -1080,7 +1084,7 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_DecodeNextAudioFrameChunk()
 	This function assumes to be called only when the following assumptions
 	hold true:
 		1. fDecodedDataBufferSize equals zero.
-		2. fTempPacket.size is greater than zero.
+		2. fTempPacket->size is greater than zero.
 
 	After this function returns successfully the caller can safely make the
 	following assumptions:
@@ -1093,7 +1097,7 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_DecodeNextAudioFrameChunk()
 	When this function failed to decode at least one audio frame due to a
 	decoding error the caller can safely make the following assumptions:
 		1. fDecodedDataBufferSize equals zero.
-		2. fTempPacket.size equals zero.
+		2. fTempPacket->size equals zero.
 
 	Note: It is possible that there wasn't any audio frame decoded into
 	fDecodedDataBuffer after calling this function. This is normal and can
@@ -1122,10 +1126,10 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_DecodeSomeAudioFramesIntoEmptyDecodedDataBuffer()
 
 	if (error == AVERROR(EAGAIN)) {
 		// We need to feed more data into the decoder
-		avcodec_send_packet(fCodecContext, &fTempPacket);
+		avcodec_send_packet(fCodecContext, fTempPacket);
 
 		// All the data is always consumed by avcodec_send_packet
-		fTempPacket.size = 0;
+		fTempPacket->size = 0;
 
 		// Try again to see if we can get some decoded audio out now
 		error = avcodec_receive_frame(fCodecContext, fDecodedDataBuffer);
@@ -1258,19 +1262,19 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_DecodeNextVideoFrame()
 
 			char timestamp[AV_TS_MAX_STRING_SIZE];
 			av_ts_make_time_string(timestamp,
-				fTempPacket.dts, &fCodecContext->time_base);
-			TRACE("[v] Feed %d more bytes (dts %s)\n", fTempPacket.size,
+				fTempPacket->dts, &fCodecContext->time_base);
+			TRACE("[v] Feed %d more bytes (dts %s)\n", fTempPacket->size,
 				timestamp);
 
-			send_error = avcodec_send_packet(fCodecContext, &fTempPacket);
+			send_error = avcodec_send_packet(fCodecContext, fTempPacket);
 			if (send_error < 0 && send_error != AVERROR(EAGAIN)) {
 				TRACE("[v] AVCodecDecoder: ignoring error in decoding frame "
 				"%lld: %d\n", fFrame, error);
 			}
 
 			// Packet is consumed, clear it
-			fTempPacket.data = NULL;
-			fTempPacket.size = 0;
+			fTempPacket->data = NULL;
+			fTempPacket->size = 0;
 
 			error = avcodec_receive_frame(fCodecContext, fRawDecodedPicture);
 			if (error != 0 && error != AVERROR(EAGAIN)) {
@@ -1367,7 +1371,7 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_ApplyEssentialVideoContainerPropertiesToContext()
 status_t
 AVCodecDecoder::_LoadNextChunkIfNeededAndAssignStartTime()
 {
-	if (fTempPacket.size > 0)
+	if (fTempPacket->size > 0)
 		return B_OK;
 
 	const void* chunkBuffer = NULL;
@@ -1386,9 +1390,9 @@ AVCodecDecoder::_LoadNextChunkIfNeededAndAssignStartTime()
 	if (chunkBufferPaddingStatus != B_OK)
 		return chunkBufferPaddingStatus;
 
-	fTempPacket.data = fChunkBuffer;
-	fTempPacket.size = fChunkBufferSize;
-	fTempPacket.dts = chunkMediaHeader.start_time;
+	fTempPacket->data = fChunkBuffer;
+	fTempPacket->size = fChunkBufferSize;
+	fTempPacket->dts = chunkMediaHeader.start_time;
 		// Let FFMPEG handle the correct relationship between start_time and
 		// decoded a/v frame. By doing so we are simply copying the way how it
 		// is implemented in ffplay.c for video frames (for audio frames it
diff --git a/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecDecoder.h b/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecDecoder.h
index 5469f56ae0..c958038ca4 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecDecoder.h
+++ b/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecDecoder.h
@@ -154,7 +154,7 @@ private:
 			int32				fDecodedDataBufferOffset;
 			int32				fDecodedDataBufferSize;
 
-			AVPacket			fTempPacket;
+			AVPacket*			fTempPacket;
 
 			// video deinterlace feature
 			AVFilterContext*	fBufferSinkContext;
diff --git a/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecEncoder.cpp b/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecEncoder.cpp
index cde20a338e..bd54353930 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecEncoder.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVCodecEncoder.cpp
@@ -534,12 +534,11 @@ AVCodecEncoder::_EncodeAudio(const uint8* buffer, size_t bufferSize,
 	status_t ret;
 
 	// Encode one audio chunk/frame.
-	AVPacket packet;
-	av_init_packet(&packet);
+	AVPacket* packet = av_packet_alloc();
 	// By leaving these NULL, we let the encoder allocate memory as it needs.
 	// This way we don't risk iving a too small buffer.
-	packet.data = NULL;
-	packet.size = 0;
+	packet->data = NULL;
+	packet->size = 0;
 
 	int gotPacket = 0;
 
@@ -552,6 +551,7 @@ AVCodecEncoder::_EncodeAudio(const uint8* buffer, size_t bufferSize,
 
 		if (count < 0) {
 			TRACE("  avcodec_encode_audio() failed filling data: %d\n", count);
+			av_packet_free(&packet);
 			return B_ERROR;
 		}
 
@@ -561,11 +561,11 @@ AVCodecEncoder::_EncodeAudio(const uint8* buffer, size_t bufferSize,
 		fFramesWritten += fFrame->nb_samples;
 
 		ret = avcodec_send_frame(fCodecContext, fFrame);
-		gotPacket = avcodec_receive_packet(fCodecContext, &packet) == 0;
+		gotPacket = avcodec_receive_packet(fCodecContext, packet) == 0;
 	} else {
 		// If called with NULL, ask the encoder to flush any buffers it may
 		// have pending.
-		ret = avcodec_receive_packet(fCodecContext, &packet);
+		ret = avcodec_receive_packet(fCodecContext, packet);
 		gotPacket = (ret == 0);
 	}
 
@@ -574,6 +574,7 @@ AVCodecEncoder::_EncodeAudio(const uint8* buffer, size_t bufferSize,
 
 	if (ret != 0) {
 		TRACE("  avcodec_encode_audio() failed: %s\n", strerror(ret));
+		av_packet_free(&packet);
 		return B_ERROR;
 	}
 
@@ -581,23 +582,23 @@ AVCodecEncoder::_EncodeAudio(const uint8* buffer, size_t bufferSize,
 
 	if (gotPacket) {
 		// Setup media_encode_info, most important is the time stamp.
-		info->start_time = packet.pts;
+		info->start_time = packet->pts;
 
-		if (packet.flags & AV_PKT_FLAG_KEY)
+		if (packet->flags & AV_PKT_FLAG_KEY)
 			info->flags = B_MEDIA_KEY_FRAME;
 		else
 			info->flags = 0;
 
 		// We got a packet out of the encoder, write it to the output stream
-		ret = WriteChunk(packet.data, packet.size, info);
+		ret = WriteChunk(packet->data, packet->size, info);
 		if (ret != B_OK) {
 			TRACE("  error writing chunk: %s\n", strerror(ret));
-			av_packet_unref(&packet);
+			av_packet_free(&packet);
 			return ret;
 		}
 	}
 
-	av_packet_unref(&packet);
+	av_packet_free(&packet);
 	return B_OK;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVFormatWriter.cpp b/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVFormatWriter.cpp
index 67e51ce0d6..416de43e26 100644
--- a/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVFormatWriter.cpp
+++ b/src/add-ons/media/plugins/ffmpeg/AVFormatWriter.cpp
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ public:
 private:
 			AVFormatContext*	fFormatContext;
 			AVStream*			fStream;
-			AVPacket			fPacket;
+			AVPacket*			fPacket;
 			// Since different threads may write to the target,
 			// we need to protect the file position and I/O by a lock.
 			BLocker*			fStreamLock;
@@ -87,13 +87,14 @@ AVFormatWriter::StreamCookie::StreamCookie(AVFormatContext* context,
 	fStream(NULL),
 	fStreamLock(streamLock)
 {
-	av_init_packet(&fPacket);
+	fPacket = av_packet_alloc();
 }
 
 
 AVFormatWriter::StreamCookie::~StreamCookie()
 {
 	// fStream is freed automatically when the codec context is closed
+	av_packet_free(&fPacket);
 }
 
 
@@ -105,7 +106,7 @@ AVFormatWriter::StreamCookie::Init(media_format* format,
 
 	BAutolock _(fStreamLock);
 
-	fPacket.stream_index = fFormatContext->nb_streams;
+	fPacket->stream_index = fFormatContext->nb_streams;
 	fStream = avformat_new_stream(fFormatContext, NULL);
 
 	if (fStream == NULL) {
@@ -113,7 +114,7 @@ AVFormatWriter::StreamCookie::Init(media_format* format,
 		return B_ERROR;
 	}
 
-	fStream->id = fPacket.stream_index;
+	fStream->id = fPacket->stream_index;
 
 //	TRACE("  fStream->codecpar: %p\n", fStream->codecpar);
 	// TODO: This is a hack for now! Use avcodec_find_encoder_by_name()
@@ -302,21 +303,21 @@ AVFormatWriter::StreamCookie::WriteChunk(const void* chunkBuffer,
 
 	BAutolock _(fStreamLock);
 
-	fPacket.data = const_cast<uint8_t*>((const uint8_t*)chunkBuffer);
-	fPacket.size = chunkSize;
-	fPacket.stream_index = fStream->index;
+	fPacket->data = const_cast<uint8_t*>((const uint8_t*)chunkBuffer);
+	fPacket->size = chunkSize;
+	fPacket->stream_index = fStream->index;
 
-	fPacket.pts = int64_t((double)encodeInfo->start_time
+	fPacket->pts = int64_t((double)encodeInfo->start_time
 		* fStream->time_base.den / (1000000.0 * fStream->time_base.num)
 		+ 0.5);
 
-	fPacket.dts = fPacket.pts;
+	fPacket->dts = fPacket->pts;
 
-	fPacket.flags = 0;
+	fPacket->flags = 0;
 	if ((encodeInfo->flags & B_MEDIA_KEY_FRAME) != 0)
-		fPacket.flags |= AV_PKT_FLAG_KEY;
+		fPacket->flags |= AV_PKT_FLAG_KEY;
 
-	TRACE_PACKET("  PTS: %" PRId64 " (stream->time_base: (%d/%d)\n", fPacket.pts,
+	TRACE_PACKET("  PTS: %" PRId64 " (stream->time_base: (%d/%d)\n", fPacket->pts,
 		fStream->time_base.num, fStream->time_base.den);
 
 #if 0
@@ -325,11 +326,11 @@ AVFormatWriter::StreamCookie::WriteChunk(const void* chunkBuffer,
 	// more than one stream. For the moment, this crashes in AVPacket
 	// shuffling inside libavformat. Maybe if we want to use this, we
 	// need to allocate a separate AVPacket and copy the chunk buffer.
-	int result = av_interleaved_write_frame(fFormatContext, &fPacket);
+	int result = av_interleaved_write_frame(fFormatContext, fPacket);
 	if (result < 0)
 		TRACE("  av_interleaved_write_frame(): %d\n", result);
 #else
-	int result = av_write_frame(fFormatContext, &fPacket);
+	int result = av_write_frame(fFormatContext, fPacket);
 	if (result < 0)
 		TRACE("  av_write_frame(): %d\n", result);
 #endif