diff --git a/libavcodec/avcodec.h b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
index 5114c5d1dc..69fae719fe 100644
--- a/libavcodec/avcodec.h
+++ b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
@@ -2821,14 +2821,13 @@ typedef struct AVCodecContext {
      */
     int error_rate;
 
+#if FF_API_CODEC_PKT
     /**
-     * Current packet as passed into the decoder, to avoid having
-     * to pass the packet into every function. Currently only valid
-     * inside lavc and get/release_buffer callbacks.
-     * - decoding: set by avcodec_decode_*, read by get_buffer() for setting pkt_pts
-     * - encoding: unused
+     * @deprecated this field is not supposed to be accessed from outside lavc
      */
+    attribute_deprecated
     AVPacket *pkt;
+#endif
 
     /**
      * VBV delay coded in the last frame (in periods of a 27 MHz clock).
diff --git a/libavcodec/crystalhd.c b/libavcodec/crystalhd.c
index 94f8c85bb9..12a8f8e02b 100644
--- a/libavcodec/crystalhd.c
+++ b/libavcodec/crystalhd.c
@@ -915,8 +915,8 @@ static int decode(AVCodecContext *avctx, void *data, int *got_frame, AVPacket *a
                 H264Context *h = priv->parser->priv_data;
 
                 index = av_parser_parse2(priv->parser, avctx, &pout, &psize,
-                                         in_data, len, avctx->pkt->pts,
-                                         avctx->pkt->dts, 0);
+                                         in_data, len, avctx->internal->pkt->pts,
+                                         avctx->internal->pkt->dts, 0);
                 if (index < 0) {
                     av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_WARNING,
                            "CrystalHD: Failed to parse h.264 packet to "
@@ -950,7 +950,7 @@ static int decode(AVCodecContext *avctx, void *data, int *got_frame, AVPacket *a
              * avoiding mangling so we need to build a mapping to values
              * we know will not be mangled.
              */
-            uint64_t pts = opaque_list_push(priv, avctx->pkt->pts, pic_type);
+            uint64_t pts = opaque_list_push(priv, avctx->internal->pkt->pts, pic_type);
             if (!pts) {
                 if (free_data) {
                     av_freep(&in_data);
diff --git a/libavcodec/internal.h b/libavcodec/internal.h
index 2e216a1f28..6a89696d68 100644
--- a/libavcodec/internal.h
+++ b/libavcodec/internal.h
@@ -97,6 +97,12 @@ typedef struct AVCodecInternal {
 
     void *thread_ctx;
 
+    /**
+     * Current packet as passed into the decoder, to avoid having to pass the
+     * packet into every function.
+     */
+    AVPacket *pkt;
+
     /**
      * temporary buffer used for encoders to store their bitstream
      */
diff --git a/libavcodec/pthread_frame.c b/libavcodec/pthread_frame.c
index b46304fb01..cfbc9643ee 100644
--- a/libavcodec/pthread_frame.c
+++ b/libavcodec/pthread_frame.c
@@ -656,7 +656,6 @@ int ff_frame_thread_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
         }
 
         *copy = *src;
-        copy->pkt = &p->avpkt;
 
         copy->internal = av_malloc(sizeof(AVCodecInternal));
         if (!copy->internal) {
@@ -665,6 +664,7 @@ int ff_frame_thread_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
         }
         *copy->internal = *src->internal;
         copy->internal->thread_ctx = p;
+        copy->internal->pkt = &p->avpkt;
 
         if (!i) {
             src = copy;
diff --git a/libavcodec/rawdec.c b/libavcodec/rawdec.c
index dd47f532fd..3f4a8fc86d 100644
--- a/libavcodec/rawdec.c
+++ b/libavcodec/rawdec.c
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "avcodec.h"
+#include "internal.h"
 #include "raw.h"
 #include "libavutil/avassert.h"
 #include "libavutil/buffer.h"
@@ -182,9 +183,9 @@ static int raw_decode(AVCodecContext *avctx, void *data, int *got_frame,
     frame->pict_type        = AV_PICTURE_TYPE_I;
     frame->key_frame        = 1;
     frame->reordered_opaque = avctx->reordered_opaque;
-    frame->pkt_pts          = avctx->pkt->pts;
-    av_frame_set_pkt_pos     (frame, avctx->pkt->pos);
-    av_frame_set_pkt_duration(frame, avctx->pkt->duration);
+    frame->pkt_pts          = avctx->internal->pkt->pts;
+    av_frame_set_pkt_pos     (frame, avctx->internal->pkt->pos);
+    av_frame_set_pkt_duration(frame, avctx->internal->pkt->duration);
 
     if (context->tff >= 0) {
         frame->interlaced_frame = 1;
diff --git a/libavcodec/utils.c b/libavcodec/utils.c
index 92374f4888..17ca9c782b 100644
--- a/libavcodec/utils.c
+++ b/libavcodec/utils.c
@@ -729,11 +729,11 @@ FF_ENABLE_DEPRECATION_WARNINGS
 
 int ff_init_buffer_info(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVFrame *frame)
 {
-    if (avctx->pkt) {
-        frame->pkt_pts = avctx->pkt->pts;
-        av_frame_set_pkt_pos     (frame, avctx->pkt->pos);
-        av_frame_set_pkt_duration(frame, avctx->pkt->duration);
-        av_frame_set_pkt_size    (frame, avctx->pkt->size);
+    if (avctx->internal->pkt) {
+        frame->pkt_pts = avctx->internal->pkt->pts;
+        av_frame_set_pkt_pos     (frame, avctx->internal->pkt->pos);
+        av_frame_set_pkt_duration(frame, avctx->internal->pkt->duration);
+        av_frame_set_pkt_size    (frame, avctx->internal->pkt->size);
     } else {
         frame->pkt_pts = AV_NOPTS_VALUE;
         av_frame_set_pkt_pos     (frame, -1);
@@ -2026,7 +2026,7 @@ static int add_metadata_from_side_data(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVFrame *frame)
     const uint8_t *side_metadata;
     const uint8_t *end;
 
-    side_metadata = av_packet_get_side_data(avctx->pkt,
+    side_metadata = av_packet_get_side_data(avctx->internal->pkt,
                                             AV_PKT_DATA_STRINGS_METADATA, &size);
     if (!side_metadata)
         goto end;
@@ -2084,7 +2084,7 @@ int attribute_align_arg avcodec_decode_video2(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVFrame *pi
                 goto fail;
         }
 
-        avctx->pkt = &tmp;
+        avctx->internal->pkt = &tmp;
         if (HAVE_THREADS && avctx->active_thread_type & FF_THREAD_FRAME)
             ret = ff_thread_decode_frame(avctx, picture, got_picture_ptr,
                                          &tmp);
@@ -2110,7 +2110,7 @@ int attribute_align_arg avcodec_decode_video2(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVFrame *pi
 fail:
         emms_c(); //needed to avoid an emms_c() call before every return;
 
-        avctx->pkt = NULL;
+        avctx->internal->pkt = NULL;
         if (did_split) {
             av_packet_free_side_data(&tmp);
             if(ret == tmp.size)
@@ -2233,7 +2233,7 @@ int attribute_align_arg avcodec_decode_audio4(AVCodecContext *avctx,
                 goto fail;
         }
 
-        avctx->pkt = &tmp;
+        avctx->internal->pkt = &tmp;
         if (HAVE_THREADS && avctx->active_thread_type & FF_THREAD_FRAME)
             ret = ff_thread_decode_frame(avctx, frame, got_frame_ptr, &tmp);
         else {
@@ -2257,7 +2257,7 @@ int attribute_align_arg avcodec_decode_audio4(AVCodecContext *avctx,
                 frame->sample_rate = avctx->sample_rate;
         }
 
-        side= av_packet_get_side_data(avctx->pkt, AV_PKT_DATA_SKIP_SAMPLES, &side_size);
+        side= av_packet_get_side_data(avctx->internal->pkt, AV_PKT_DATA_SKIP_SAMPLES, &side_size);
         if(side && side_size>=10) {
             avctx->internal->skip_samples = AV_RL32(side);
             av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_DEBUG, "skip %d samples due to side data\n",
@@ -2312,7 +2312,7 @@ int attribute_align_arg avcodec_decode_audio4(AVCodecContext *avctx,
             }
         }
 fail:
-        avctx->pkt = NULL;
+        avctx->internal->pkt = NULL;
         if (did_split) {
             av_packet_free_side_data(&tmp);
             if(ret == tmp.size)
@@ -2454,7 +2454,7 @@ int avcodec_decode_subtitle2(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVSubtitle *sub,
         if (ret < 0) {
             *got_sub_ptr = 0;
         } else {
-            avctx->pkt = &pkt_recoded;
+            avctx->internal->pkt = &pkt_recoded;
 
             if (avctx->pkt_timebase.den && avpkt->pts != AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
                 sub->pts = av_rescale_q(avpkt->pts,
@@ -2491,7 +2491,7 @@ int avcodec_decode_subtitle2(AVCodecContext *avctx, AVSubtitle *sub,
                 sub->format = 0;
             else if (avctx->codec_descriptor->props & AV_CODEC_PROP_TEXT_SUB)
                 sub->format = 1;
-            avctx->pkt = NULL;
+            avctx->internal->pkt = NULL;
         }
 
         if (did_split) {
diff --git a/libavcodec/version.h b/libavcodec/version.h
index f0430dacce..ba5b31dfc0 100644
--- a/libavcodec/version.h
+++ b/libavcodec/version.h
@@ -111,5 +111,8 @@
 #ifndef FF_API_THREAD_OPAQUE
 #define FF_API_THREAD_OPAQUE     (LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR < 56)
 #endif
+#ifndef FF_API_CODEC_PKT
+#define FF_API_CODEC_PKT         (LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR < 56)
+#endif
 
 #endif /* AVCODEC_VERSION_H */