diff --git a/libavcodec/h264.c b/libavcodec/h264.c
index 777e67eec5..4a163869d8 100644
--- a/libavcodec/h264.c
+++ b/libavcodec/h264.c
@@ -3382,11 +3382,12 @@ static int h264_slice_header_init(H264Context *h, int reinit)
 
 int ff_set_ref_count(H264Context *h)
 {
+    int ref_count[2], list_count;
     int num_ref_idx_active_override_flag;
 
     // set defaults, might be overridden a few lines later
-    h->ref_count[0] = h->pps.ref_count[0];
-    h->ref_count[1] = h->pps.ref_count[1];
+    ref_count[0] = h->pps.ref_count[0];
+    ref_count[1] = h->pps.ref_count[1];
 
     if (h->slice_type_nos != AV_PICTURE_TYPE_I) {
         unsigned max[2];
@@ -3397,27 +3398,36 @@ int ff_set_ref_count(H264Context *h)
         num_ref_idx_active_override_flag = get_bits1(&h->gb);
 
         if (num_ref_idx_active_override_flag) {
-            h->ref_count[0] = get_ue_golomb(&h->gb) + 1;
+            ref_count[0] = get_ue_golomb(&h->gb) + 1;
             if (h->slice_type_nos == AV_PICTURE_TYPE_B) {
-                h->ref_count[1] = get_ue_golomb(&h->gb) + 1;
+                ref_count[1] = get_ue_golomb(&h->gb) + 1;
             } else
                 // full range is spec-ok in this case, even for frames
-                h->ref_count[1] = 1;
+                ref_count[1] = 1;
         }
 
-        if (h->ref_count[0]-1 > max[0] || h->ref_count[1]-1 > max[1]){
-            av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "reference overflow %u > %u or %u > %u\n", h->ref_count[0]-1, max[0], h->ref_count[1]-1, max[1]);
+        if (ref_count[0]-1 > max[0] || ref_count[1]-1 > max[1]){
+            av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "reference overflow %u > %u or %u > %u\n", ref_count[0]-1, max[0], ref_count[1]-1, max[1]);
             h->ref_count[0] = h->ref_count[1] = 0;
             return AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
         }
 
         if (h->slice_type_nos == AV_PICTURE_TYPE_B)
-            h->list_count = 2;
+            list_count = 2;
         else
-            h->list_count = 1;
+            list_count = 1;
     } else {
-        h->list_count   = 0;
-        h->ref_count[0] = h->ref_count[1] = 0;
+        list_count   = 0;
+        ref_count[0] = ref_count[1] = 0;
+    }
+
+    if (list_count != h->list_count ||
+        ref_count[0] != h->ref_count[0] ||
+        ref_count[1] != h->ref_count[1]) {
+        h->ref_count[0] = ref_count[0];
+        h->ref_count[1] = ref_count[1];
+        h->list_count   = list_count;
+        return 1;
     }
 
     return 0;