diff --git a/libavcodec/x264.c b/libavcodec/x264.c
index b08678779a..c9df820f5d 100644
--- a/libavcodec/x264.c
+++ b/libavcodec/x264.c
@@ -225,6 +225,7 @@ X264_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
     x4->params.analyse.i_me_range = avctx->me_range;
     x4->params.analyse.i_subpel_refine = avctx->me_subpel_quality;
 
+    x4->params.analyse.b_bidir_me = (avctx->bidir_refine > 0);
     x4->params.analyse.b_bframe_rdo = (avctx->flags2 & CODEC_FLAG2_BRDO);
     x4->params.analyse.b_mixed_references =
         (avctx->flags2 & CODEC_FLAG2_MIXED_REFS);