diff --git a/libavcodec/dnxhddec.c b/libavcodec/dnxhddec.c
index 41c72cdce6..d113c1db7b 100644
--- a/libavcodec/dnxhddec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/dnxhddec.c
@@ -193,7 +193,7 @@ static int dnxhd_decode_header(DNXHDContext *ctx, AVFrame *frame,
         return AVERROR_INVALIDDATA;
     }
     if (buf[5] & 2) { /* interlaced */
-        ctx->cur_field = buf[5] & 1;
+        ctx->cur_field = first_field ? buf[5] & 1 : !ctx->cur_field;
         frame->interlaced_frame = 1;
         frame->top_field_first  = first_field ^ ctx->cur_field;
         av_log(ctx->avctx, AV_LOG_DEBUG,