diff --git a/libavcodec/avcodec.h b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
index 83514e676d..bb84d158a3 100644
--- a/libavcodec/avcodec.h
+++ b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
@@ -954,7 +954,12 @@ typedef struct AVCodecContext {
      * - decoding: unused
      */
     int strict_std_compliance;
-    
+#define FF_COMPLIANCE_VERY_STRICT   2 ///< strictly conform to a older more strict version of the spec or reference software
+#define FF_COMPLIANCE_STRICT        1 ///< strictly conform to all the things in the spec no matter what consequences
+#define FF_COMPLIANCE_NORMAL        0
+#define FF_COMPLIANCE_INOFFICIAL   -1 ///< allow inofficial extensions
+#define FF_COMPLIANCE_EXPERIMENTAL -2 ///< allow non standarized experimental things
+
     /**
      * qscale offset between ip and b frames.
      * if > 0 then the last p frame quantizer will be used (q= lastp_q*factor+offset)
diff --git a/libavcodec/ffv1.c b/libavcodec/ffv1.c
index 107eab1bcc..57ed9adb52 100644
--- a/libavcodec/ffv1.c
+++ b/libavcodec/ffv1.c
@@ -550,9 +550,9 @@ static int encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     FFV1Context *s = avctx->priv_data;
     int i;
 
-    if(avctx->strict_std_compliance >= 0){
+    if(avctx->strict_std_compliance >FF_COMPLIANCE_EXPERIMENTAL){
         av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "this codec is under development, files encoded with it may not be decodeable with future versions!!!\n"
-               "use vstrict=-1 / -strict -1 to use it anyway\n");
+               "use vstrict=-2 / -strict -2 to use it anyway\n");
         return -1;
     }
         
diff --git a/libavcodec/g726.c b/libavcodec/g726.c
index bc9374d3e6..efc3c5faef 100644
--- a/libavcodec/g726.c
+++ b/libavcodec/g726.c
@@ -327,7 +327,7 @@ static int g726_init(AVCodecContext * avctx)
         av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "G726: unsupported audio format\n");
 	return -1;
     }
-    if (avctx->sample_rate != 8000 && avctx->strict_std_compliance>=0) {
+    if (avctx->sample_rate != 8000 && avctx->strict_std_compliance>FF_COMPLIANCE_INOFFICIAL) {
         av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "G726: unsupported audio format\n");
 	return -1;
     }
diff --git a/libavcodec/h263.c b/libavcodec/h263.c
index 80a283bb56..0077d83b18 100644
--- a/libavcodec/h263.c
+++ b/libavcodec/h263.c
@@ -2408,9 +2408,9 @@ void mpeg4_encode_picture_header(MpegEncContext * s, int picture_number)
     
     if(s->pict_type==I_TYPE){
         if(!(s->flags&CODEC_FLAG_GLOBAL_HEADER)){
-            if(s->strict_std_compliance < 2) //HACK, the reference sw is buggy
+            if(s->strict_std_compliance < FF_COMPLIANCE_VERY_STRICT) //HACK, the reference sw is buggy
                 mpeg4_encode_visual_object_header(s);
-            if(s->strict_std_compliance < 2 || picture_number==0) //HACK, the reference sw is buggy
+            if(s->strict_std_compliance < FF_COMPLIANCE_VERY_STRICT || picture_number==0) //HACK, the reference sw is buggy
                 mpeg4_encode_vol_header(s, 0, 0);
         }
         if(!(s->workaround_bugs & FF_BUG_MS))
diff --git a/libavcodec/huffyuv.c b/libavcodec/huffyuv.c
index d2f3585754..ebb1340ac8 100644
--- a/libavcodec/huffyuv.c
+++ b/libavcodec/huffyuv.c
@@ -541,8 +541,8 @@ static int encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
         }
         if(s->interlaced != ( s->height > 288 ))
             av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_INFO, "using huffyuv 2.2.0 or newer interlacing flag\n");
-    }else if(avctx->strict_std_compliance>=0){
-        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "This codec is under development; files encoded with it may not be decodable with future versions!!! Set vstrict=-1 / -strict -1 to use it anyway.\n");
+    }else if(avctx->strict_std_compliance>FF_COMPLIANCE_EXPERIMENTAL){
+        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "This codec is under development; files encoded with it may not be decodable with future versions!!! Set vstrict=-2 / -strict -2 to use it anyway.\n");
         return -1;
     }
     
diff --git a/libavcodec/mpeg12.c b/libavcodec/mpeg12.c
index 47c7887424..ba77a915c9 100644
--- a/libavcodec/mpeg12.c
+++ b/libavcodec/mpeg12.c
@@ -203,7 +203,7 @@ static int find_frame_rate_index(MpegEncContext *s){
     for(i=1;i<14;i++) {
         int64_t n0= 1001LL/frame_rate_tab[i].den*frame_rate_tab[i].num*s->avctx->time_base.num;
         int64_t n1= 1001LL*s->avctx->time_base.den;
-        if(s->avctx->strict_std_compliance >= 0 && i>=9) break;
+        if(s->avctx->strict_std_compliance > FF_COMPLIANCE_INOFFICIAL && i>=9) break;
 
         d = ABS(n0 - n1);
         if(d < dmin){
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ static int encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
         return -1;
 
     if(find_frame_rate_index(s) < 0){
-        if(s->strict_std_compliance >=0){
+        if(s->strict_std_compliance > FF_COMPLIANCE_EXPERIMENTAL){
             av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "MPEG1/2 does not support %d/%d fps\n", avctx->time_base.den, avctx->time_base.num);
             return -1;
         }else{
diff --git a/libavcodec/mpegvideo.c b/libavcodec/mpegvideo.c
index 4aaee760cf..1426c221f9 100644
--- a/libavcodec/mpegvideo.c
+++ b/libavcodec/mpegvideo.c
@@ -898,12 +898,12 @@ int MPV_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     }
 
     if(avctx->codec_id == CODEC_ID_MJPEG || avctx->codec_id == CODEC_ID_LJPEG){
-        if(avctx->strict_std_compliance>=0 && avctx->pix_fmt != PIX_FMT_YUVJ420P){
+        if(avctx->strict_std_compliance>FF_COMPLIANCE_INOFFICIAL && avctx->pix_fmt != PIX_FMT_YUVJ420P){
             av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "colorspace not supported in jpeg\n");
             return -1;
         }
     }else{
-        if(avctx->strict_std_compliance>=0 && avctx->pix_fmt != PIX_FMT_YUV420P){
+        if(avctx->strict_std_compliance>FF_COMPLIANCE_INOFFICIAL && avctx->pix_fmt != PIX_FMT_YUV420P){
             av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "colorspace not supported\n");
             return -1;
         }
diff --git a/libavcodec/snow.c b/libavcodec/snow.c
index e34cbac0f3..596d15d3e5 100644
--- a/libavcodec/snow.c
+++ b/libavcodec/snow.c
@@ -3340,9 +3340,9 @@ static int encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     SnowContext *s = avctx->priv_data;
     int plane_index;
 
-    if(avctx->strict_std_compliance >= 0){
+    if(avctx->strict_std_compliance > FF_COMPLIANCE_EXPERIMENTAL){
         av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "this codec is under development, files encoded with it may not be decodable with future versions!!!\n"
-               "use vstrict=-1 / -strict -1 to use it anyway\n");
+               "use vstrict=-2 / -strict -2 to use it anyway\n");
         return -1;
     }
  
diff --git a/tests/regression.sh b/tests/regression.sh
index 5e478cd067..ded5442c5a 100755
--- a/tests/regression.sh
+++ b/tests/regression.sh
@@ -290,7 +290,7 @@ file=${outfile}huffyuv.avi
 do_ffmpeg $file -y -f pgmyuv -i $raw_src -an -vcodec huffyuv -pix_fmt yuv422p $file
 
 # huffyuv decoding
-do_ffmpeg $raw_dst -y -i $file -f rawvideo -strict -1 -pix_fmt yuv420p $raw_dst
+do_ffmpeg $raw_dst -y -i $file -f rawvideo -strict -2 -pix_fmt yuv420p $raw_dst
 fi
 
 ###################################
@@ -437,7 +437,7 @@ fi
 if [ -n "$do_ffv1" ] ; then
 # ffv1 encoding
 file=${outfile}ffv1.avi
-do_ffmpeg $file -y -strict -1 -f pgmyuv -i $raw_src -an -vcodec ffv1 $file
+do_ffmpeg $file -y -strict -2 -f pgmyuv -i $raw_src -an -vcodec ffv1 $file
 
 # ffv1 decoding
 do_ffmpeg $raw_dst -y -i $file -f rawvideo $raw_dst 
@@ -447,14 +447,14 @@ fi
 if [ -n "$do_snow" ] ; then
 # snow encoding
 file=${outfile}snow.avi
-do_ffmpeg $file -y -strict -1 -f pgmyuv -i $raw_src -an -vcodec snow -qscale 2 $file
+do_ffmpeg $file -y -strict -2 -f pgmyuv -i $raw_src -an -vcodec snow -qscale 2 $file
 
 # snow decoding
 do_ffmpeg $raw_dst -y -i $file -f rawvideo $raw_dst 
 
 # snow encoding
 file=${outfile}snow53.avi
-do_ffmpeg $file -y -strict -1 -f pgmyuv -i $raw_src -an -vcodec snow -pred 1 -qpel -4mv $file
+do_ffmpeg $file -y -strict -2 -f pgmyuv -i $raw_src -an -vcodec snow -pred 1 -qpel -4mv $file
 
 # snow decoding
 do_ffmpeg $raw_dst -y -i $file -f rawvideo $raw_dst