diff --git a/libavfilter/vf_tinterlace.c b/libavfilter/vf_tinterlace.c
index ac8350300d..62e8d46d25 100644
--- a/libavfilter/vf_tinterlace.c
+++ b/libavfilter/vf_tinterlace.c
@@ -165,8 +165,7 @@ static void start_frame(AVFilterLink *inlink, AVFilterBufferRef *picref)
     AVFilterContext *ctx = inlink->dst;
     TInterlaceContext *tinterlace = ctx->priv;
 
-    if (tinterlace->cur)
-        avfilter_unref_buffer(tinterlace->cur);
+    avfilter_unref_buffer(tinterlace->cur);
     tinterlace->cur  = tinterlace->next;
     tinterlace->next = picref;
 }