diff --git a/libavcodec/h261enc.c b/libavcodec/h261enc.c
index bb9960542a..24ef577aa6 100644
--- a/libavcodec/h261enc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/h261enc.c
@@ -68,7 +68,7 @@ void ff_h261_encode_picture_header(MpegEncContext *s, int picture_number)
 
     put_bits(&s->pb, 1, 0); /* split screen off */
     put_bits(&s->pb, 1, 0); /* camera  off */
-    put_bits(&s->pb, 1, 0); /* freeze picture release off */
+    put_bits(&s->pb, 1, s->pict_type == AV_PICTURE_TYPE_I); /* freeze picture release on/off */
 
     format = ff_h261_get_picture_format(s->width, s->height);
 
diff --git a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth1-h261 b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth1-h261
index 716eecdb5e..65efd6011c 100644
--- a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth1-h261
+++ b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth1-h261
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-db4087f42cc63b7a9f892ac3a085e8d9 *tests/data/fate/vsynth1-h261.avi
+5a1114f9356235172ba9ad13f88108cf *tests/data/fate/vsynth1-h261.avi
 707550 tests/data/fate/vsynth1-h261.avi
 85fde92037c2ccecc02e2d6c21a169b0 *tests/data/fate/vsynth1-h261.out.rawvideo
 stddev:    9.11 PSNR: 28.93 MAXDIFF:  113 bytes:  7603200/  7603200
diff --git a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth1-h261-trellis b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth1-h261-trellis
index 3f621c146f..87b078b0d5 100644
--- a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth1-h261-trellis
+++ b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth1-h261-trellis
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-19ab4e95eab4c8f328a07ea49480359f *tests/data/fate/vsynth1-h261-trellis.avi
+02b4109ce5343b7ef24fb11c2635498a *tests/data/fate/vsynth1-h261-trellis.avi
 655416 tests/data/fate/vsynth1-h261-trellis.avi
 70ceba944548ba680b1101c91707ea25 *tests/data/fate/vsynth1-h261-trellis.out.rawvideo
 stddev:    8.75 PSNR: 29.28 MAXDIFF:   90 bytes:  7603200/  7603200
diff --git a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth2-h261 b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth2-h261
index d2be188f75..cc46cfc10c 100644
--- a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth2-h261
+++ b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth2-h261
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-9c0593e0f2529c326c1e23754aab4be7 *tests/data/fate/vsynth2-h261.avi
+49ae672f343b45e9d18523634176b857 *tests/data/fate/vsynth2-h261.avi
 257938 tests/data/fate/vsynth2-h261.avi
 8962b6ea3153a828e5a4df68e1d5da44 *tests/data/fate/vsynth2-h261.out.rawvideo
 stddev:    7.21 PSNR: 30.97 MAXDIFF:   96 bytes:  7603200/  7603200
diff --git a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth2-h261-trellis b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth2-h261-trellis
index 886713121f..b9c694f016 100644
--- a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth2-h261-trellis
+++ b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth2-h261-trellis
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-d1b1559cbc0cee8af629514edd71d608 *tests/data/fate/vsynth2-h261-trellis.avi
+f5e0cfc70bbe4f4048c15be88dea4378 *tests/data/fate/vsynth2-h261-trellis.avi
 249856 tests/data/fate/vsynth2-h261-trellis.avi
 15452237f6c333690d3e05f354f63196 *tests/data/fate/vsynth2-h261-trellis.out.rawvideo
 stddev:    7.10 PSNR: 31.10 MAXDIFF:   96 bytes:  7603200/  7603200
diff --git a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth_lena-h261 b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth_lena-h261
index 50749772fa..2522ad938f 100644
--- a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth_lena-h261
+++ b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth_lena-h261
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-c04b1e1b102a59e678743c6e8b6ccddf *tests/data/fate/vsynth_lena-h261.avi
+9a2104849cbcf03a612e5906ef4d264b *tests/data/fate/vsynth_lena-h261.avi
 191064 tests/data/fate/vsynth_lena-h261.avi
 08f65e9aeeeaf189548c2bb417d5114f *tests/data/fate/vsynth_lena-h261.out.rawvideo
 stddev:    6.37 PSNR: 32.03 MAXDIFF:   77 bytes:  7603200/  7603200
diff --git a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth_lena-h261-trellis b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth_lena-h261-trellis
index 05e4c47399..a306508032 100644
--- a/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth_lena-h261-trellis
+++ b/tests/ref/vsynth/vsynth_lena-h261-trellis
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-c835142acd32a6b448fe2666daa07944 *tests/data/fate/vsynth_lena-h261-trellis.avi
+41522be50f14b7fff6b1fb8d10b1ff00 *tests/data/fate/vsynth_lena-h261-trellis.avi
 184586 tests/data/fate/vsynth_lena-h261-trellis.avi
 f9df8cd110a2f3d9706dd2f29a1d0a89 *tests/data/fate/vsynth_lena-h261-trellis.out.rawvideo
 stddev:    6.32 PSNR: 32.11 MAXDIFF:   89 bytes:  7603200/  7603200