diff --git a/libavcodec/avcodec.h b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
index a9dbff7235..8572a7be07 100644
--- a/libavcodec/avcodec.h
+++ b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
@@ -3262,6 +3262,11 @@ typedef struct AVCodec {
      * Will be called when seeking
      */
     void (*flush)(AVCodecContext *);
+    /**
+     * Internal codec capabilities.
+     * See FF_CODEC_CAP_* in internal.h
+     */
+    int caps_internal;
 } AVCodec;
 
 int av_codec_get_max_lowres(const AVCodec *codec);
diff --git a/libavcodec/internal.h b/libavcodec/internal.h
index f4e12e8084..3d0cd5b582 100644
--- a/libavcodec/internal.h
+++ b/libavcodec/internal.h
@@ -33,6 +33,16 @@
 #include "avcodec.h"
 #include "config.h"
 
+/**
+ * Codec is thread safe.
+ */
+#define FF_CODEC_CAP_INIT_THREADSAFE        (1 << 0)
+/**
+ * Codec cleans up memory on init failure.
+ */
+#define FF_CODEC_CAP_INIT_CLEANUP           (1 << 1)
+
+
 #define FF_SANE_NB_CHANNELS 63U
 
 #define FF_SIGNBIT(x) ((x) >> CHAR_BIT * sizeof(x) - 1)
@@ -157,7 +167,7 @@ int ff_init_buffer_info(AVCodecContext *s, AVFrame *frame);
 void avpriv_color_frame(AVFrame *frame, const int color[4]);
 
 extern volatile int ff_avcodec_locked;
-int ff_lock_avcodec(AVCodecContext *log_ctx);
+int ff_lock_avcodec(AVCodecContext *log_ctx, AVCodec *codec);
 int ff_unlock_avcodec(void);
 
 int avpriv_lock_avformat(void);
diff --git a/libavcodec/utils.c b/libavcodec/utils.c
index b3749af340..14a4d7b6c5 100644
--- a/libavcodec/utils.c
+++ b/libavcodec/utils.c
@@ -1318,7 +1318,7 @@ int attribute_align_arg ff_codec_open2_recursive(AVCodecContext *avctx, const AV
 
     ret = avcodec_open2(avctx, codec, options);
 
-    ff_lock_avcodec(avctx);
+    ff_lock_avcodec(avctx, codec);
     return ret;
 }
 
@@ -1348,7 +1348,7 @@ int attribute_align_arg avcodec_open2(AVCodecContext *avctx, const AVCodec *code
     if (options)
         av_dict_copy(&tmp, *options, 0);
 
-    ret = ff_lock_avcodec(avctx);
+    ret = ff_lock_avcodec(avctx, codec);
     if (ret < 0)
         return ret;
 
@@ -1477,7 +1477,7 @@ int attribute_align_arg avcodec_open2(AVCodecContext *avctx, const AVCodec *code
     if (CONFIG_FRAME_THREAD_ENCODER) {
         ff_unlock_avcodec(); //we will instanciate a few encoders thus kick the counter to prevent false detection of a problem
         ret = ff_frame_thread_encoder_init(avctx, options ? *options : NULL);
-        ff_lock_avcodec(avctx);
+        ff_lock_avcodec(avctx, codec);
         if (ret < 0)
             goto free_and_end;
     }
@@ -1704,6 +1704,10 @@ end:
 
     return ret;
 free_and_end:
+    if (avctx->codec &&
+        (avctx->codec->caps_internal & FF_CODEC_CAP_INIT_CLEANUP))
+        avctx->codec->close(avctx);
+
     av_dict_free(&tmp);
     if (codec->priv_class && codec->priv_data_size)
         av_opt_free(avctx->priv_data);
@@ -3600,14 +3604,15 @@ int av_lockmgr_register(int (*cb)(void **mutex, enum AVLockOp op))
     return 0;
 }
 
-int ff_lock_avcodec(AVCodecContext *log_ctx)
+int ff_lock_avcodec(AVCodecContext *log_ctx, AVCodec *codec)
 {
     if (lockmgr_cb) {
         if ((*lockmgr_cb)(&codec_mutex, AV_LOCK_OBTAIN))
             return -1;
     }
     entangled_thread_counter++;
-    if (entangled_thread_counter != 1) {
+    if (entangled_thread_counter != 1 &&
+        !(codec->caps_internal & FF_CODEC_CAP_INIT_THREADSAFE)) {
         av_log(log_ctx, AV_LOG_ERROR,
                "Insufficient thread locking. At least %d threads are "
                "calling avcodec_open2() at the same time right now.\n",