diff --git a/doc/APIchanges b/doc/APIchanges
index a35501a2bd..21c7d92657 100644
--- a/doc/APIchanges
+++ b/doc/APIchanges
@@ -15,6 +15,10 @@ libavutil:     2012-10-22
 
 API changes, most recent first:
 
+2014-04-xx - xxxxxxx - avcodec.h
+  Deprecate CODEC_FLAG_INPUT_PRESERVED. Its functionality is replaced by passing
+  reference-counted frames to encoders.
+
 2014-04-29 - 1bf6396 - lavc 55.60.100 - avcodec.h
   Add AVCodecDescriptor.mime_types field.
 
diff --git a/libavcodec/avcodec.h b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
index d3ad82edb4..d2028fa306 100644
--- a/libavcodec/avcodec.h
+++ b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
@@ -747,12 +747,13 @@ typedef struct RcOverride{
 #define CODEC_FLAG_QPEL   0x0010  ///< Use qpel MC.
 #define CODEC_FLAG_GMC    0x0020  ///< Use GMC.
 #define CODEC_FLAG_MV0    0x0040  ///< Always try a MB with MV=<0,0>.
+#if FF_API_INPUT_PRESERVED
 /**
- * The parent program guarantees that the input for B-frames containing
- * streams is not written to for at least s->max_b_frames+1 frames, if
- * this is not set the input will be copied.
+ * @deprecated passing reference-counted frames to the encoders replaces this
+ * flag
  */
 #define CODEC_FLAG_INPUT_PRESERVED 0x0100
+#endif
 #define CODEC_FLAG_PASS1           0x0200   ///< Use internal 2pass ratecontrol in first pass mode.
 #define CODEC_FLAG_PASS2           0x0400   ///< Use internal 2pass ratecontrol in second pass mode.
 #define CODEC_FLAG_GRAY            0x2000   ///< Only decode/encode grayscale.
diff --git a/libavcodec/mpegvideo_enc.c b/libavcodec/mpegvideo_enc.c
index cd5c19e1e3..38caf2da6e 100644
--- a/libavcodec/mpegvideo_enc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/mpegvideo_enc.c
@@ -1217,8 +1217,7 @@ static int estimate_best_b_count(MpegEncContext *s)
 
     c->width        = s->width  >> scale;
     c->height       = s->height >> scale;
-    c->flags        = CODEC_FLAG_QSCALE | CODEC_FLAG_PSNR |
-                      CODEC_FLAG_INPUT_PRESERVED;
+    c->flags        = CODEC_FLAG_QSCALE | CODEC_FLAG_PSNR;
     c->flags       |= s->avctx->flags & CODEC_FLAG_QPEL;
     c->mb_decision  = s->avctx->mb_decision;
     c->me_cmp       = s->avctx->me_cmp;
diff --git a/libavcodec/options_table.h b/libavcodec/options_table.h
index efebd44d77..d4421ad45c 100644
--- a/libavcodec/options_table.h
+++ b/libavcodec/options_table.h
@@ -56,7 +56,9 @@ static const AVOption avcodec_options[] = {
 {"qscale", "use fixed qscale", 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, {.i64 = CODEC_FLAG_QSCALE }, INT_MIN, INT_MAX, 0, "flags"},
 {"gmc", "use gmc", 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, {.i64 = CODEC_FLAG_GMC }, INT_MIN, INT_MAX, V|E, "flags"},
 {"mv0", "always try a mb with mv=<0,0>", 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, {.i64 = CODEC_FLAG_MV0 }, INT_MIN, INT_MAX, V|E, "flags"},
+#if FF_API_INPUT_PRESERVED
 {"input_preserved", NULL, 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, {.i64 = CODEC_FLAG_INPUT_PRESERVED }, INT_MIN, INT_MAX, 0, "flags"},
+#endif
 {"pass1", "use internal 2-pass ratecontrol in first  pass mode", 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, {.i64 = CODEC_FLAG_PASS1 }, INT_MIN, INT_MAX, 0, "flags"},
 {"pass2", "use internal 2-pass ratecontrol in second pass mode", 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, {.i64 = CODEC_FLAG_PASS2 }, INT_MIN, INT_MAX, 0, "flags"},
 {"gray", "only decode/encode grayscale", 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, {.i64 = CODEC_FLAG_GRAY }, INT_MIN, INT_MAX, V|E|D, "flags"},
diff --git a/libavcodec/version.h b/libavcodec/version.h
index 44ec052198..290a0c4875 100644
--- a/libavcodec/version.h
+++ b/libavcodec/version.h
@@ -147,5 +147,8 @@
 #ifndef FF_API_ARCH_SPARC
 #define FF_API_ARCH_SPARC        (LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR < 56)
 #endif
+#ifndef FF_API_INPUT_PRESERVED
+#define FF_API_INPUT_PRESERVED   (LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR < 57)
+#endif
 
 #endif /* AVCODEC_VERSION_H */