diff --git a/libavcodec/h264_cabac.c b/libavcodec/h264_cabac.c
index 375cf90cef..11d0e32a8e 100644
--- a/libavcodec/h264_cabac.c
+++ b/libavcodec/h264_cabac.c
@@ -1915,7 +1915,6 @@ int ff_h264_decode_mb_cabac(const H264Context *h, H264SliceContext *sl)
     int dct8x8_allowed= h->pps.transform_8x8_mode;
     int decode_chroma = h->sps.chroma_format_idc == 1 || h->sps.chroma_format_idc == 2;
     const int pixel_shift = h->pixel_shift;
-    unsigned local_ref_count[2];
 
     mb_xy = sl->mb_xy = sl->mb_x + sl->mb_y*h->mb_stride;
 
@@ -2057,9 +2056,6 @@ decode_intra_mb:
         return 0;
     }
 
-    local_ref_count[0] = sl->ref_count[0] << MB_MBAFF(sl);
-    local_ref_count[1] = sl->ref_count[1] << MB_MBAFF(sl);
-
     fill_decode_caches(h, sl, mb_type);
 
     if( IS_INTRA( mb_type ) ) {
@@ -2128,10 +2124,11 @@ decode_intra_mb:
                 for( i = 0; i < 4; i++ ) {
                     if(IS_DIRECT(sl->sub_mb_type[i])) continue;
                     if(IS_DIR(sl->sub_mb_type[i], 0, list)){
-                        if (local_ref_count[list] > 1) {
+                        unsigned rc = sl->ref_count[list] << MB_MBAFF(sl);
+                        if (rc > 1) {
                             ref[list][i] = decode_cabac_mb_ref(sl, list, 4 * i);
-                            if (ref[list][i] >= (unsigned)local_ref_count[list]) {
-                                av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Reference %d >= %d\n", ref[list][i], local_ref_count[list]);
+                            if (ref[list][i] >= rc) {
+                                av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Reference %d >= %d\n", ref[list][i], rc);
                                 return -1;
                             }
                         }else
@@ -2214,10 +2211,11 @@ decode_intra_mb:
             for (list = 0; list < sl->list_count; list++) {
                 if(IS_DIR(mb_type, 0, list)){
                     int ref;
-                    if (local_ref_count[list] > 1) {
+                    unsigned rc = sl->ref_count[list] << MB_MBAFF(sl);
+                    if (rc > 1) {
                         ref= decode_cabac_mb_ref(sl, list, 0);
-                        if (ref >= (unsigned)local_ref_count[list]) {
-                            av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Reference %d >= %d\n", ref, local_ref_count[list]);
+                        if (ref >= rc) {
+                            av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Reference %d >= %d\n", ref, rc);
                             return -1;
                         }
                     }else
@@ -2242,10 +2240,11 @@ decode_intra_mb:
                     for(i=0; i<2; i++){
                         if(IS_DIR(mb_type, i, list)){
                             int ref;
-                            if (local_ref_count[list] > 1) {
+                            unsigned rc = sl->ref_count[list] << MB_MBAFF(sl);
+                            if (rc > 1) {
                                 ref= decode_cabac_mb_ref(sl, list, 8 * i);
-                                if (ref >= (unsigned)local_ref_count[list]) {
-                                    av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Reference %d >= %d\n", ref, local_ref_count[list]);
+                                if (ref >= rc) {
+                                    av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Reference %d >= %d\n", ref, rc);
                                     return -1;
                                 }
                             }else
@@ -2277,10 +2276,11 @@ decode_intra_mb:
                     for(i=0; i<2; i++){
                         if(IS_DIR(mb_type, i, list)){ //FIXME optimize
                             int ref;
-                            if (local_ref_count[list] > 1) {
+                            unsigned rc = sl->ref_count[list] << MB_MBAFF(sl);
+                            if (rc > 1) {
                                 ref = decode_cabac_mb_ref(sl, list, 4 * i);
-                                if (ref >= (unsigned)local_ref_count[list]) {
-                                    av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Reference %d >= %d\n", ref, local_ref_count[list]);
+                                if (ref >= rc) {
+                                    av_log(h->avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Reference %d >= %d\n", ref, rc);
                                     return -1;
                                 }
                             }else