diff --git a/libavcodec/nvenc.c b/libavcodec/nvenc.c
index 316e4a3679..158e304a0c 100644
--- a/libavcodec/nvenc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/nvenc.c
@@ -949,9 +949,9 @@ static av_cold int nvenc_setup_h264_config(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     h264->repeatSPSPPS  = (avctx->flags & AV_CODEC_FLAG_GLOBAL_HEADER) ? 0 : 1;
     h264->outputAUD     = ctx->aud;
 
-    if (avctx->refs >= 0) {
+    if (ctx->dpb_size >= 0) {
         /* 0 means "let the hardware decide" */
-        h264->maxNumRefFrames = avctx->refs;
+        h264->maxNumRefFrames = ctx->dpb_size;
     }
     if (avctx->gop_size >= 0) {
         h264->idrPeriod = cc->gopLength;
@@ -1041,9 +1041,9 @@ static av_cold int nvenc_setup_hevc_config(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     hevc->repeatSPSPPS  = (avctx->flags & AV_CODEC_FLAG_GLOBAL_HEADER) ? 0 : 1;
     hevc->outputAUD     = ctx->aud;
 
-    if (avctx->refs >= 0) {
+    if (ctx->dpb_size >= 0) {
         /* 0 means "let the hardware decide" */
-        hevc->maxNumRefFramesInDPB = avctx->refs;
+        hevc->maxNumRefFramesInDPB = ctx->dpb_size;
     }
     if (avctx->gop_size >= 0) {
         hevc->idrPeriod = cc->gopLength;
@@ -1175,7 +1175,7 @@ static av_cold int nvenc_setup_encoder(AVCodecContext *avctx)
 
     if (ctx->bluray_compat) {
         ctx->aud = 1;
-        avctx->refs = FFMIN(FFMAX(avctx->refs, 0), 6);
+        ctx->dpb_size = FFMIN(FFMAX(avctx->refs, 0), 6);
         avctx->max_b_frames = FFMIN(avctx->max_b_frames, 3);
         switch (avctx->codec->id) {
         case AV_CODEC_ID_H264:
diff --git a/libavcodec/nvenc.h b/libavcodec/nvenc.h
index ddd6168409..892a001f69 100644
--- a/libavcodec/nvenc.h
+++ b/libavcodec/nvenc.h
@@ -192,6 +192,7 @@ typedef struct NvencContext
     int coder;
     int b_ref_mode;
     int a53_cc;
+    int dpb_size;
 } NvencContext;
 
 int ff_nvenc_encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx);
diff --git a/libavcodec/nvenc_h264.c b/libavcodec/nvenc_h264.c
index a6623f5f35..d5c7370aaa 100644
--- a/libavcodec/nvenc_h264.c
+++ b/libavcodec/nvenc_h264.c
@@ -138,6 +138,8 @@ static const AVOption options[] = {
     { "middle",       "",                                   0,                    AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, { .i64 = 2 }, 0, 0,       VE, "b_ref_mode" },
 #endif
     { "a53cc",        "Use A53 Closed Captions (if available)", OFFSET(a53_cc),   AV_OPT_TYPE_BOOL,  { .i64 = 1 }, 0, 1, VE },
+    { "dpb_size",     "Specifies the DPB size used for encoding (0 means automatic)",
+                                                            OFFSET(dpb_size),     AV_OPT_TYPE_INT,   { .i64 = 0 }, 0, INT_MAX, VE },
     { NULL }
 };
 
diff --git a/libavcodec/nvenc_hevc.c b/libavcodec/nvenc_hevc.c
index d567d960ba..c668b97f86 100644
--- a/libavcodec/nvenc_hevc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/nvenc_hevc.c
@@ -127,6 +127,8 @@ static const AVOption options[] = {
     { "each",         "",                                   0,                    AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, { .i64 = 1 }, 0, 0,       VE, "b_ref_mode" },
     { "middle",       "",                                   0,                    AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST, { .i64 = 2 }, 0, 0,       VE, "b_ref_mode" },
 #endif
+    { "dpb_size",     "Specifies the DPB size used for encoding (0 means automatic)",
+                                                            OFFSET(dpb_size),     AV_OPT_TYPE_INT,   { .i64 = 0 }, 0, INT_MAX, VE },
     { NULL }
 };