diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c b/subprojects/gst-libav/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c
index baf7aa55a9d986e331a5c8fae322990f71ef4498..b03a724001faed74ecdf4593c81623e83b1917a1 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavauddec.c
@@ -168,12 +168,7 @@ gst_ffmpegauddec_finalize (GObject * object)
   GstFFMpegAudDec *ffmpegdec = (GstFFMpegAudDec *) object;
 
   av_frame_free (&ffmpegdec->frame);
-
-  if (ffmpegdec->context != NULL) {
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegdec->context);
-    av_free (ffmpegdec->context);
-    ffmpegdec->context = NULL;
-  }
+  avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegdec->context);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
@@ -193,14 +188,12 @@ gst_ffmpegauddec_close (GstFFMpegAudDec * ffmpegdec, gboolean reset)
   gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegdec->context);
   ffmpegdec->opened = FALSE;
 
-  if (ffmpegdec->context->extradata) {
-    av_free (ffmpegdec->context->extradata);
-    ffmpegdec->context->extradata = NULL;
-  }
+  av_freep (&ffmpegdec->context->extradata);
 
   if (reset) {
-    if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegdec->context,
-            oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
+    avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegdec->context);
+    ffmpegdec->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+    if (ffmpegdec->context == NULL) {
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegdec, "Failed to set context defaults");
       return FALSE;
     }
@@ -219,8 +212,9 @@ 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) {
+  avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegdec->context);
+  ffmpegdec->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+  if (ffmpegdec->context == NULL) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegdec, "Failed to set context defaults");
     GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (ffmpegdec);
     return FALSE;
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c b/subprojects/gst-libav/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
index 3ff64325954a9ee9dd0ee99115768d7370dbb15f..689982f3e8bb0ee113d3badf63b4d0efc213a713 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavaudenc.c
@@ -175,10 +175,8 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_finalize (GObject * object)
 
   /* clean up remaining allocated data */
   av_frame_free (&ffmpegaudenc->frame);
-  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
-  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->refcontext);
-  av_free (ffmpegaudenc->context);
-  av_free (ffmpegaudenc->refcontext);
+  avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegaudenc->context);
+  avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegaudenc->refcontext);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
@@ -193,9 +191,9 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_start (GstAudioEncoder * encoder)
   ffmpegaudenc->opened = FALSE;
   ffmpegaudenc->need_reopen = FALSE;
 
-  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
-  if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegaudenc->context,
-          oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
+  avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegaudenc->context);
+  ffmpegaudenc->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+  if (ffmpegaudenc->context == NULL) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegaudenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
     return FALSE;
   }
@@ -241,10 +239,10 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_set_format (GstAudioEncoder * encoder, GstAudioInfo * info)
 
   /* close old session */
   if (ffmpegaudenc->opened) {
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
+    avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegaudenc->context);
     ffmpegaudenc->opened = FALSE;
-    if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegaudenc->context,
-            oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
+    ffmpegaudenc->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+    if (ffmpegaudenc->context == NULL) {
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegaudenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
       return FALSE;
     }
@@ -286,11 +284,11 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_set_format (GstAudioEncoder * encoder, GstAudioInfo * info)
   /* open codec */
   if (gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_open (ffmpegaudenc->context, oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
     gst_caps_unref (allowed_caps);
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
+    avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegaudenc->context);
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegaudenc, "avenc_%s: Failed to open FFMPEG codec",
         oclass->in_plugin->name);
-    if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegaudenc->context,
-            oclass->in_plugin) < 0)
+    ffmpegaudenc->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+    if (ffmpegaudenc->context == NULL)
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegaudenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
 
     if ((oclass->in_plugin->capabilities & AV_CODEC_CAP_EXPERIMENTAL) &&
@@ -312,10 +310,10 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_set_format (GstAudioEncoder * encoder, GstAudioInfo * info)
 
   if (!other_caps) {
     gst_caps_unref (allowed_caps);
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
+    avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegaudenc->context);
     GST_DEBUG ("Unsupported codec - no caps found");
-    if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegaudenc->context,
-            oclass->in_plugin) < 0)
+    ffmpegaudenc->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+    if (ffmpegaudenc->context == NULL)
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegaudenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
     return FALSE;
   }
@@ -331,10 +329,10 @@ gst_ffmpegaudenc_set_format (GstAudioEncoder * encoder, GstAudioInfo * info)
 
   if (!gst_audio_encoder_set_output_format (GST_AUDIO_ENCODER (ffmpegaudenc),
           icaps)) {
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegaudenc->context);
+    avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegaudenc->context);
     gst_caps_unref (icaps);
-    if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegaudenc->context,
-            oclass->in_plugin) < 0)
+    ffmpegaudenc->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+    if (ffmpegaudenc->context == NULL)
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegaudenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
     return FALSE;
   }
@@ -403,8 +401,8 @@ buffer_info_free (void *opaque, guint8 * data)
     gst_buffer_unmap (info->buffer, &info->map);
     gst_buffer_unref (info->buffer);
   } else {
-    av_free (info->ext_data);
-    av_free (info->ext_data_array);
+    av_freep (&info->ext_data);
+    av_freep (&info->ext_data_array);
   }
   g_slice_free (BufferInfo, info);
 }
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.c b/subprojects/gst-libav/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.c
index ebd4e0490cababb895fcc3624c1631963e2da0af..df3aa6bc181f4b67cb4b9a208746b2c393472ea1 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavcodecmap.c
@@ -2355,7 +2355,7 @@ gst_ffmpeg_codecid_to_caps (enum AVCodecID codec_id,
   }
 
   if (buildcaps) {
-    AVCodec *codec;
+    const AVCodec *codec;
 
     if ((codec = avcodec_find_decoder (codec_id)) ||
         (codec = avcodec_find_encoder (codec_id))) {
@@ -3001,6 +3001,7 @@ gst_ffmpeg_videoinfo_to_context (GstVideoInfo * info, AVCodecContext * context)
     context->color_range = AVCOL_RANGE_JPEG;
   } else {
     context->color_range = AVCOL_RANGE_MPEG;
+    context->strict_std_compliance = FF_COMPLIANCE_UNOFFICIAL;
   }
 }
 
@@ -4373,7 +4374,7 @@ gst_ffmpeg_caps_to_codecid (const GstCaps * caps, AVCodecContext * context)
     audio = TRUE;
   } else if (!strncmp (mimetype, "audio/x-gst-av-", 15)) {
     gchar ext[16];
-    AVCodec *codec;
+    const AVCodec *codec;
 
     if (strlen (mimetype) <= 30 &&
         sscanf (mimetype, "audio/x-gst-av-%s", ext) == 1) {
@@ -4385,7 +4386,7 @@ gst_ffmpeg_caps_to_codecid (const GstCaps * caps, AVCodecContext * context)
     }
   } else if (!strncmp (mimetype, "video/x-gst-av-", 15)) {
     gchar ext[16];
-    AVCodec *codec;
+    const AVCodec *codec;
 
     if (strlen (mimetype) <= 30 &&
         sscanf (mimetype, "video/x-gst-av-%s", ext) == 1) {
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavutils.c b/subprojects/gst-libav/ext/libav/gstavutils.c
index 3780cff4f82c7558f2a67e28d47195ee75f9ce04..f3878c37e273d2d8a75305c604f42275acebb79a 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavutils.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavutils.c
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 const gchar *
 gst_ffmpeg_get_codecid_longname (enum AVCodecID codec_id)
 {
-  AVCodec *codec;
+  const AVCodec *codec;
   /* Let's use what ffmpeg can provide us */
 
   if ((codec = avcodec_find_decoder (codec_id)) ||
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c b/subprojects/gst-libav/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
index a14b6df3064adc1c1bee42a7c66bc3ba454d367a..f5197fbe143985ccc6bb9c17f49c87d4c27fd437 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavviddec.c
@@ -340,12 +340,7 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_finalize (GObject * object)
   GstFFMpegVidDec *ffmpegdec = (GstFFMpegVidDec *) object;
 
   av_frame_free (&ffmpegdec->picture);
-
-  if (ffmpegdec->context != NULL) {
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegdec->context);
-    av_free (ffmpegdec->context);
-    ffmpegdec->context = NULL;
-  }
+  avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegdec->context);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
@@ -395,13 +390,11 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_close (GstFFMpegVidDec * ffmpegdec, gboolean reset)
 
   gst_buffer_replace (&ffmpegdec->palette, NULL);
 
-  if (ffmpegdec->context->extradata) {
-    av_free (ffmpegdec->context->extradata);
-    ffmpegdec->context->extradata = NULL;
-  }
+  av_freep (&ffmpegdec->context->extradata);
   if (reset) {
-    if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegdec->context,
-            oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
+    avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegdec->context);
+    ffmpegdec->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+    if (ffmpegdec->context == NULL) {
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegdec, "Failed to set context defaults");
       return FALSE;
     }
@@ -1801,7 +1794,7 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_video_frame (GstFFMpegVidDec * ffmpegdec,
     if (side_data) {
       GST_LOG_OBJECT (ffmpegdec,
           "Found CC side data of type AV_FRAME_DATA_A53_CC, size %d",
-          side_data->size);
+          (int) side_data->size);
       GST_MEMDUMP ("A53 CC", side_data->data, side_data->size);
 
       /* do not add closed caption meta if it already exists */
@@ -2086,8 +2079,9 @@ 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) {
+  avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegdec->context);
+  ffmpegdec->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+  if (ffmpegdec->context == NULL) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegdec, "Failed to set context defaults");
     GST_OBJECT_UNLOCK (ffmpegdec);
     return FALSE;
@@ -2382,10 +2376,10 @@ gst_ffmpegviddec_get_property (GObject * object,
 
   switch (prop_id) {
     case PROP_LOWRES:
-      g_value_set_enum (value, ffmpegdec->context->lowres);
+      g_value_set_enum (value, ffmpegdec->lowres);
       break;
     case PROP_SKIPFRAME:
-      g_value_set_enum (value, ffmpegdec->context->skip_frame);
+      g_value_set_enum (value, ffmpegdec->skip_frame);
       break;
     case PROP_DIRECT_RENDERING:
       g_value_set_boolean (value, ffmpegdec->direct_rendering);
diff --git a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c b/subprojects/gst-libav/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
index 0468d88804cecb63926ea71a912bf782ee8d500c..2ed9e5ae64a10c9cf8c5695b6c7738795e83f708 100644
--- a/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
+++ b/ext/libav/gstavvidenc.c
@@ -224,8 +224,8 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_finalize (GObject * object)
   av_frame_free (&ffmpegenc->picture);
   gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->context);
   gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->refcontext);
-  av_free (ffmpegenc->context);
-  av_free (ffmpegenc->refcontext);
+  av_freep (&ffmpegenc->context);
+  av_freep (&ffmpegenc->refcontext);
 
   G_OBJECT_CLASS (parent_class)->finalize (object);
 }
@@ -247,10 +247,10 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_set_format (GstVideoEncoder * encoder,
 
   /* close old session */
   if (ffmpegenc->opened) {
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->context);
+    avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegenc->context);
     ffmpegenc->opened = FALSE;
-    if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegenc->context,
-            oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
+    ffmpegenc->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+    if (ffmpegenc->context == NULL) {
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
       return FALSE;
     }
@@ -454,9 +454,9 @@ bad_input_fmt:
   }
 close_codec:
   {
-    gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->context);
-    if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegenc->context,
-            oclass->in_plugin) < 0)
+    avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegenc->context);
+    ffmpegenc->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+    if (ffmpegenc->context == NULL)
       GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
     goto cleanup_stats_in;
   }
@@ -896,8 +896,9 @@ gst_ffmpegvidenc_start (GstVideoEncoder * encoder)
   ffmpegenc->need_reopen = FALSE;
 
   /* close old session */
-  gst_ffmpeg_avcodec_close (ffmpegenc->context);
-  if (avcodec_get_context_defaults3 (ffmpegenc->context, oclass->in_plugin) < 0) {
+  avcodec_free_context (&ffmpegenc->context);
+  ffmpegenc->context = avcodec_alloc_context3 (oclass->in_plugin);
+  if (ffmpegenc->context == NULL) {
     GST_DEBUG_OBJECT (ffmpegenc, "Failed to set context defaults");
     return FALSE;
   }