diff --git a/app/src/decoder.c b/app/src/decoder.c
index 99119aa6..7d5923b0 100644
--- a/app/src/decoder.c
+++ b/app/src/decoder.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@
 // set the decoded frame as ready for rendering, and notify
 static void
 push_frame(struct decoder *decoder) {
-    video_buffer_producer_offer_frame(decoder->video_buffer);
+    video_buffer_producer_offer_frame(decoder->video_buffer, &decoder->frame);
 }
 
 void
@@ -36,11 +36,19 @@ decoder_open(struct decoder *decoder, const AVCodec *codec) {
         return false;
     }
 
+    decoder->frame = av_frame_alloc();
+    if (!decoder->frame) {
+        avcodec_close(decoder->codec_ctx);
+        avcodec_free_context(&decoder->codec_ctx);
+        return false;
+    }
+
     return true;
 }
 
 void
 decoder_close(struct decoder *decoder) {
+    av_frame_free(&decoder->frame);
     avcodec_close(decoder->codec_ctx);
     avcodec_free_context(&decoder->codec_ctx);
 }
@@ -55,8 +63,7 @@ decoder_push(struct decoder *decoder, const AVPacket *packet) {
         LOGE("Could not send video packet: %d", ret);
         return false;
     }
-    ret = avcodec_receive_frame(decoder->codec_ctx,
-                                decoder->video_buffer->producer_frame);
+    ret = avcodec_receive_frame(decoder->codec_ctx, decoder->frame);
     if (!ret) {
         // a frame was received
         push_frame(decoder);
@@ -67,7 +74,7 @@ decoder_push(struct decoder *decoder, const AVPacket *packet) {
 #else
     int got_picture;
     int len = avcodec_decode_video2(decoder->codec_ctx,
-                                    decoder->video_buffer->decoding_frame,
+                                    decoder->frame,
                                     &got_picture,
                                     packet);
     if (len < 0) {
diff --git a/app/src/decoder.h b/app/src/decoder.h
index 27afcd8e..57cfd3af 100644
--- a/app/src/decoder.h
+++ b/app/src/decoder.h
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ struct video_buffer;
 struct decoder {
     struct video_buffer *video_buffer;
     AVCodecContext *codec_ctx;
+    AVFrame *frame;
 };
 
 void
diff --git a/app/src/video_buffer.c b/app/src/video_buffer.c
index fc5e7c93..e871a987 100644
--- a/app/src/video_buffer.c
+++ b/app/src/video_buffer.c
@@ -10,24 +10,19 @@ bool
 video_buffer_init(struct video_buffer *vb, bool wait_consumer,
                   const struct video_buffer_callbacks *cbs,
                   void *cbs_userdata) {
-    vb->producer_frame = av_frame_alloc();
-    if (!vb->producer_frame) {
-        goto error_0;
-    }
-
     vb->pending_frame = av_frame_alloc();
     if (!vb->pending_frame) {
-        goto error_1;
+        goto error_0;
     }
 
     vb->consumer_frame = av_frame_alloc();
     if (!vb->consumer_frame) {
-        goto error_2;
+        goto error_1;
     }
 
     bool ok = sc_mutex_init(&vb->mutex);
     if (!ok) {
-        goto error_3;
+        goto error_2;
     }
 
     vb->wait_consumer = wait_consumer;
@@ -54,12 +49,10 @@ video_buffer_init(struct video_buffer *vb, bool wait_consumer,
 
     return true;
 
-error_3:
-    av_frame_free(&vb->consumer_frame);
 error_2:
-    av_frame_free(&vb->pending_frame);
+    av_frame_free(&vb->consumer_frame);
 error_1:
-    av_frame_free(&vb->producer_frame);
+    av_frame_free(&vb->pending_frame);
 error_0:
     return false;
 }
@@ -72,7 +65,6 @@ video_buffer_destroy(struct video_buffer *vb) {
     sc_mutex_destroy(&vb->mutex);
     av_frame_free(&vb->consumer_frame);
     av_frame_free(&vb->pending_frame);
-    av_frame_free(&vb->producer_frame);
 }
 
 static inline void
@@ -83,7 +75,7 @@ swap_frames(AVFrame **lhs, AVFrame **rhs) {
 }
 
 void
-video_buffer_producer_offer_frame(struct video_buffer *vb) {
+video_buffer_producer_offer_frame(struct video_buffer *vb, AVFrame **pframe) {
     sc_mutex_lock(&vb->mutex);
     if (vb->wait_consumer) {
         // wait for the current (expired) frame to be consumed
@@ -93,7 +85,7 @@ video_buffer_producer_offer_frame(struct video_buffer *vb) {
     }
 
     av_frame_unref(vb->pending_frame);
-    swap_frames(&vb->producer_frame, &vb->pending_frame);
+    swap_frames(pframe, &vb->pending_frame);
 
     bool skipped = !vb->pending_frame_consumed;
     if (skipped) {
diff --git a/app/src/video_buffer.h b/app/src/video_buffer.h
index 96456f32..4741a47b 100644
--- a/app/src/video_buffer.h
+++ b/app/src/video_buffer.h
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ typedef struct AVFrame AVFrame;
  */
 
 struct video_buffer {
-    AVFrame *producer_frame;
     AVFrame *pending_frame;
     AVFrame *consumer_frame;
 
@@ -60,8 +59,9 @@ void
 video_buffer_destroy(struct video_buffer *vb);
 
 // set the producer frame as ready for consuming
+// the produced frame is exchanged with an unused allocated frame
 void
-video_buffer_producer_offer_frame(struct video_buffer *vb);
+video_buffer_producer_offer_frame(struct video_buffer *vb, AVFrame **pframe);
 
 // mark the consumer frame as consumed and return it
 // the frame is valid until the next call to this function