diff --git a/libavcodec/h261dec.c b/libavcodec/h261dec.c
index 4842fa0dd3..49eaee1989 100644
--- a/libavcodec/h261dec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/h261dec.c
@@ -584,15 +584,6 @@ retry:
         if (ff_MPV_common_init(s) < 0)
             return -1;
 
-    /* We need to set current_picture_ptr before reading the header,
-     * otherwise we cannot store anything in there. */
-    if (s->current_picture_ptr == NULL || s->current_picture_ptr->f.data[0]) {
-        int i = ff_find_unused_picture(s, 0);
-        if (i < 0)
-            return i;
-        s->current_picture_ptr = &s->picture[i];
-    }
-
     ret = h261_decode_picture_header(h);
 
     /* skip if the header was thrashed */
diff --git a/libavcodec/mss2.c b/libavcodec/mss2.c
index d219b67d33..3fe86203aa 100644
--- a/libavcodec/mss2.c
+++ b/libavcodec/mss2.c
@@ -377,13 +377,6 @@ static int decode_wmv9(AVCodecContext *avctx, const uint8_t *buf, int buf_size,
 
     ff_mpeg_flush(avctx);
 
-    if (s->current_picture_ptr == NULL || s->current_picture_ptr->f.data[0]) {
-        int i = ff_find_unused_picture(s, 0);
-        if (i < 0)
-            return i;
-        s->current_picture_ptr = &s->picture[i];
-    }
-
     init_get_bits(&s->gb, buf, buf_size * 8);
 
     s->loop_filter = avctx->skip_loop_filter < AVDISCARD_ALL;
diff --git a/libavcodec/vc1dec.c b/libavcodec/vc1dec.c
index ab4e098fac..141969f958 100644
--- a/libavcodec/vc1dec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/vc1dec.c
@@ -5914,15 +5914,6 @@ static int vc1_decode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx, void *data,
         }
     }
 
-    /* We need to set current_picture_ptr before reading the header,
-     * otherwise we cannot store anything in there. */
-    if (s->current_picture_ptr == NULL || s->current_picture_ptr->f.data[0]) {
-        int i = ff_find_unused_picture(s, 0);
-        if (i < 0)
-            goto err;
-        s->current_picture_ptr = &s->picture[i];
-    }
-
     // do parse frame header
     v->pic_header_flag = 0;
     v->first_pic_header_flag = 1;