diff --git a/libmpcodecs/vd_ffmpeg.c b/libmpcodecs/vd_ffmpeg.c
index 05bc318267..5a45fef6d8 100644
--- a/libmpcodecs/vd_ffmpeg.c
+++ b/libmpcodecs/vd_ffmpeg.c
@@ -610,9 +610,6 @@ static struct mp_image *decode(struct sh_video *sh, struct demux_packet *packet,
     int dr1 = ctx->do_dr1;
     AVPacket pkt;
 
-    if (len <= 0)
-        return NULL;        // skipped frame
-
     if (!dr1)
         avctx->draw_horiz_band = NULL;
 
diff --git a/mplayer.c b/mplayer.c
index f20c167706..3452b5df0f 100644
--- a/mplayer.c
+++ b/mplayer.c
@@ -2804,7 +2804,9 @@ static double update_video_nocorrect_pts(struct MPContext *mpctx)
         frame_time = sh_video->next_frame_time;
         if (mpctx->restart_playback)
             frame_time = 0;
-        int in_size = video_read_frame(sh_video, &sh_video->next_frame_time,
+        int in_size = 0;
+        while (!in_size)
+            in_size = video_read_frame(sh_video, &sh_video->next_frame_time,
                                        &packet, force_fps);
         if (in_size < 0) {
 #ifdef CONFIG_DVDNAV
@@ -2903,7 +2905,15 @@ static double update_video(struct MPContext *mpctx)
         int in_size = 0;
         unsigned char *buf = NULL;
         pts = MP_NOPTS_VALUE;
-        struct demux_packet *pkt = ds_get_packet2(mpctx->d_video, false);
+        struct demux_packet *pkt;
+        while (1) {
+            pkt = ds_get_packet2(mpctx->d_video, false);
+            if (!pkt || pkt->len)
+                break;
+            /* Packets with size 0 are assumed to not correspond to frames,
+             * but to indicate the absence of a frame in formats like AVI
+             * that must have packets at fixed timecode intervals. */
+        }
         if (pkt) {
             in_size = pkt->len;
             buf = pkt->buffer;