diff --git a/libavcodec/vc1.c b/libavcodec/vc1.c
index f5b9a4088a..8521d87e8a 100644
--- a/libavcodec/vc1.c
+++ b/libavcodec/vc1.c
@@ -4085,6 +4085,7 @@ static int vc1_decode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
           return -1;
     }
     avctx->has_b_frames= !!(avctx->max_b_frames);
+    s->low_delay = !avctx->has_b_frames;
 
     s->mb_width = (avctx->coded_width+15)>>4;
     s->mb_height = (avctx->coded_height+15)>>4;
@@ -4145,8 +4146,6 @@ static int vc1_decode_frame(AVCodecContext *avctx,
         s->current_picture_ptr= &s->picture[i];
     }
 
-    avctx->has_b_frames= !s->low_delay;
-
     //for advanced profile we need to unescape buffer
     if (avctx->codec_id == CODEC_ID_VC1) {
         int i, buf_size2;