diff --git a/libavcodec/vaapi_encode_h265.c b/libavcodec/vaapi_encode_h265.c
index 2777632fb6..2f59161346 100644
--- a/libavcodec/vaapi_encode_h265.c
+++ b/libavcodec/vaapi_encode_h265.c
@@ -944,26 +944,23 @@ static int vaapi_encode_h265_init_picture_params(AVCodecContext *avctx,
 
     vpic->nal_unit_type = hpic->slice_nal_unit;
 
+    vpic->pic_fields.bits.reference_pic_flag = pic->is_reference;
     switch (pic->type) {
     case PICTURE_TYPE_IDR:
         vpic->pic_fields.bits.idr_pic_flag       = 1;
         vpic->pic_fields.bits.coding_type        = 1;
-        vpic->pic_fields.bits.reference_pic_flag = 1;
         break;
     case PICTURE_TYPE_I:
         vpic->pic_fields.bits.idr_pic_flag       = 0;
         vpic->pic_fields.bits.coding_type        = 1;
-        vpic->pic_fields.bits.reference_pic_flag = 1;
         break;
     case PICTURE_TYPE_P:
         vpic->pic_fields.bits.idr_pic_flag       = 0;
         vpic->pic_fields.bits.coding_type        = 2;
-        vpic->pic_fields.bits.reference_pic_flag = 1;
         break;
     case PICTURE_TYPE_B:
         vpic->pic_fields.bits.idr_pic_flag       = 0;
         vpic->pic_fields.bits.coding_type        = 3;
-        vpic->pic_fields.bits.reference_pic_flag = 0;
         break;
     default:
         av_assert0(0 && "invalid picture type");