diff --git a/libavcodec/h264.c b/libavcodec/h264.c
index d125f54a03..777e67eec5 100644
--- a/libavcodec/h264.c
+++ b/libavcodec/h264.c
@@ -4971,8 +4971,13 @@ again:
                 hx->intra_gb_ptr =
                 hx->inter_gb_ptr = NULL;
 
-                if ((err = decode_slice_header(hx, h)) < 0)
+                if ((err = decode_slice_header(hx, h)) < 0) {
+                    /* make sure data_partitioning is cleared if it was set
+                     * before, so we don't try decoding a slice without a valid
+                     * slice header later */
+                    h->data_partitioning = 0;
                     break;
+                }
 
                 hx->data_partitioning = 1;
                 break;