diff --git a/audio/decode/dec_audio.c b/audio/decode/dec_audio.c
index 5eca89b1e2..cd83cfd55e 100644
--- a/audio/decode/dec_audio.c
+++ b/audio/decode/dec_audio.c
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ static bool is_new_segment(struct dec_audio *da, struct demux_packet *p)
         (p->start != da->start || p->end != da->end || p->codec != da->codec);
 }
 
-void audio_work(struct dec_audio *da)
+static void feed_packet(struct dec_audio *da)
 {
     if (da->current_frame || !da->ad_driver)
         return;
@@ -228,6 +228,14 @@ void audio_work(struct dec_audio *da)
         da->packet = NULL;
     }
 
+    da->current_state = DATA_AGAIN;
+}
+
+static void read_frame(struct dec_audio *da)
+{
+    if (da->current_frame || !da->ad_driver)
+        return;
+
     bool progress = da->ad_driver->receive_frame(da, &da->current_frame);
 
     da->current_state = da->current_frame ? DATA_OK : DATA_AGAIN;
@@ -271,6 +279,15 @@ void audio_work(struct dec_audio *da)
     }
 }
 
+void audio_work(struct dec_audio *da)
+{
+    read_frame(da);
+    if (!da->current_frame) {
+        feed_packet(da);
+        read_frame(da); // retry, to avoid redundant iterations
+    }
+}
+
 // Fetch an audio frame decoded with audio_work(). Returns one of:
 //  DATA_OK:    *out_frame is set to a new image
 //  DATA_WAIT:  waiting for demuxer; will receive a wakeup signal
diff --git a/video/decode/dec_video.c b/video/decode/dec_video.c
index ae0f9e27a4..243c38a0a8 100644
--- a/video/decode/dec_video.c
+++ b/video/decode/dec_video.c
@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ void video_reset(struct dec_video *d_video)
     d_video->has_broken_decoded_pts = 0;
     d_video->last_format = d_video->fixed_format = (struct mp_image_params){0};
     d_video->dropped_frames = 0;
+    d_video->may_decoder_framedrop = false;
     d_video->current_state = DATA_AGAIN;
     mp_image_unrefp(&d_video->current_mpi);
     talloc_free(d_video->packet);
@@ -400,7 +401,7 @@ static bool is_new_segment(struct dec_video *d_video, struct demux_packet *p)
          p->codec != d_video->codec);
 }
 
-void video_work(struct dec_video *d_video)
+static void feed_packet(struct dec_video *d_video)
 {
     if (d_video->current_mpi || !d_video->vd_driver)
         return;
@@ -439,18 +440,29 @@ void video_work(struct dec_video *d_video)
 
         talloc_free(d_video->packet);
         d_video->packet = NULL;
+
+        d_video->may_decoder_framedrop = framedrop_type == 1;
     }
 
+    d_video->current_state = DATA_AGAIN;
+}
+
+static void read_frame(struct dec_video *d_video)
+{
+    if (d_video->current_mpi || !d_video->vd_driver)
+        return;
+
     bool progress = receive_frame(d_video, &d_video->current_mpi);
 
     d_video->current_state = DATA_OK;
     if (!progress) {
         d_video->current_state = DATA_EOF;
     } else if (!d_video->current_mpi) {
-        if (framedrop_type == 1)
+        if (d_video->may_decoder_framedrop)
             d_video->dropped_frames += 1;
         d_video->current_state = DATA_AGAIN;
     }
+    d_video->may_decoder_framedrop = false;
 
     bool segment_ended = d_video->current_state == DATA_EOF;
 
@@ -487,6 +499,15 @@ void video_work(struct dec_video *d_video)
     }
 }
 
+void video_work(struct dec_video *d_video)
+{
+    read_frame(d_video);
+    if (!d_video->current_mpi) {
+        feed_packet(d_video);
+        read_frame(d_video); // retry, to avoid redundant iterations
+    }
+}
+
 // Fetch an image decoded with video_work(). Returns one of:
 //  DATA_OK:    *out_mpi is set to a new image
 //  DATA_WAIT:  waiting for demuxer; will receive a wakeup signal
diff --git a/video/decode/dec_video.h b/video/decode/dec_video.h
index d8d47a827c..426dd967db 100644
--- a/video/decode/dec_video.h
+++ b/video/decode/dec_video.h
@@ -77,6 +77,7 @@ struct dec_video {
     struct demux_packet *new_segment;
     struct demux_packet *packet;
     bool framedrop_enabled;
+    bool may_decoder_framedrop;
     struct mp_image *current_mpi;
     int current_state;
 };