diff --git a/libavcodec/vc1dec.c b/libavcodec/vc1dec.c
index 47940fb886..b702b76060 100644
--- a/libavcodec/vc1dec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/vc1dec.c
@@ -539,12 +539,6 @@ static av_cold int vc1_decode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     ff_h264chroma_init(&v->h264chroma, 8);
     ff_qpeldsp_init(&s->qdsp);
 
-    // Must happen after calling ff_vc1_decode_end
-    // to avoid de-allocating the sprite_output_frame
-    v->sprite_output_frame = av_frame_alloc();
-    if (!v->sprite_output_frame)
-        return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
-
     avctx->has_b_frames = !!avctx->max_b_frames;
 
     if (v->color_prim == 1 || v->color_prim == 5 || v->color_prim == 6)
@@ -577,20 +571,15 @@ static av_cold int vc1_decode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
             v->sprite_height > 1 << 14 ||
             v->output_width  > 1 << 14 ||
             v->output_height > 1 << 14) {
-            ret = AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
-            goto error;
+            return AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
         }
 
         if ((v->sprite_width&1) || (v->sprite_height&1)) {
             avpriv_request_sample(avctx, "odd sprites support");
-            ret = AVERROR_PATCHWELCOME;
-            goto error;
+            return AVERROR_PATCHWELCOME;
         }
     }
     return 0;
-error:
-    av_frame_free(&v->sprite_output_frame);
-    return ret;
 }
 
 /** Close a VC1/WMV3 decoder
@@ -1147,6 +1136,11 @@ image:
         avctx->height = avctx->coded_height = v->output_height;
         if (avctx->skip_frame >= AVDISCARD_NONREF)
             goto end;
+        if (!v->sprite_output_frame &&
+            !(v->sprite_output_frame = av_frame_alloc())) {
+            ret = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
+            goto err;
+        }
 #if CONFIG_WMV3IMAGE_DECODER || CONFIG_VC1IMAGE_DECODER
         if ((ret = vc1_decode_sprites(v, &s->gb)) < 0)
             goto err;