diff --git a/libavcodec/avcodec.h b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
index 99cd1d1381..e0904ccf0d 100644
--- a/libavcodec/avcodec.h
+++ b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
@@ -1524,6 +1524,20 @@ void img_resample(ImgReSampleContext *s,
 
 void img_resample_close(ImgReSampleContext *s);
 
+/**
+ * Allocate memory for a picture.  Call avpicture_free to free it.
+ *
+ * @param picture the picture to be filled in.
+ * @param pix_fmt the format of the picture.
+ * @param width the width of the picture.
+ * @param height the height of the picture.
+ * @return 0 if successful, -1 if not.
+ */
+int avpicture_alloc(AVPicture *picture, int pix_fmt, int width, int height);
+
+/* Free a picture previously allocated by avpicture_alloc. */
+void avpicture_free(AVPicture *picture);
+
 int avpicture_fill(AVPicture *picture, uint8_t *ptr,
                    int pix_fmt, int width, int height);
 int avpicture_layout(const AVPicture* src, int pix_fmt, int width, int height,
diff --git a/libavcodec/imgconvert.c b/libavcodec/imgconvert.c
index 98ab7d53d6..f154e4437e 100644
--- a/libavcodec/imgconvert.c
+++ b/libavcodec/imgconvert.c
@@ -1613,7 +1613,7 @@ static ConvertEntry convert_table[PIX_FMT_NB][PIX_FMT_NB] = {
     },
 };
 
-static int avpicture_alloc(AVPicture *picture,
+int avpicture_alloc(AVPicture *picture,
                            int pix_fmt, int width, int height)
 {
     unsigned int size;
@@ -1630,7 +1630,7 @@ static int avpicture_alloc(AVPicture *picture,
     return -1;
 }
 
-static void avpicture_free(AVPicture *picture)
+void avpicture_free(AVPicture *picture)
 {
     av_free(picture->data[0]);
 }