diff --git a/libavcodec/hevc.c b/libavcodec/hevc.c
index 73899c94e2..0b14c74ac8 100644
--- a/libavcodec/hevc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/hevc.c
@@ -461,6 +461,7 @@ static int hls_slice_header(HEVCContext *s)
             return AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
         }
 
+        // when flag is not present, picture is inferred to be output
         sh->pic_output_flag = 1;
         if (s->pps->output_flag_present_flag)
             sh->pic_output_flag = get_bits1(gb);
diff --git a/libavcodec/hevc_refs.c b/libavcodec/hevc_refs.c
index 24d55d15be..136cc6ff0e 100644
--- a/libavcodec/hevc_refs.c
+++ b/libavcodec/hevc_refs.c
@@ -144,10 +144,12 @@ int ff_hevc_set_new_ref(HEVCContext *s, AVFrame **frame, int poc)
     *frame = ref->frame;
     s->ref = ref;
 
+    if (s->sh.pic_output_flag)
+        ref->flags = HEVC_FRAME_FLAG_OUTPUT | HEVC_FRAME_FLAG_SHORT_REF;
+    else
+        ref->flags = HEVC_FRAME_FLAG_SHORT_REF;
+
     ref->poc      = poc;
-    ref->flags    = HEVC_FRAME_FLAG_OUTPUT | HEVC_FRAME_FLAG_SHORT_REF;
-    if (s->sh.pic_output_flag == 0)
-        ref->flags &= ~(HEVC_FRAME_FLAG_OUTPUT);
     ref->sequence = s->seq_decode;
     ref->window   = s->sps->output_window;