diff --git a/mencoder.c b/mencoder.c
index 2d9d037e22..bd2ca83d7f 100644
--- a/mencoder.c
+++ b/mencoder.c
@@ -698,6 +698,8 @@ vo_spudec=spudec_new_scaled(stream->type==STREAMTYPE_DVD?((dvd_priv_t *)(stream-
                            sh_video->disp_w, sh_video->disp_h, NULL, 0);
 }
 #endif
+if (vo_spudec)
+  spudec_set_forced_subs_only(vo_spudec, forced_subs_only);
 }
 
 ostream = open_output_stream(out_filename, 0);
diff --git a/mplayer.c b/mplayer.c
index 81fc389ae0..e62e4414ee 100644
--- a/mplayer.c
+++ b/mplayer.c
@@ -1125,8 +1125,10 @@ void init_vo_spudec(void) {
     spudec_set_font_factor(vo_spudec,font_factor);
   }
 
-  if (vo_spudec!=NULL)
+  if (vo_spudec!=NULL) {
     initialized_flags|=INITIALIZED_SPUDEC;
+    mp_property_do("sub_forced_only", M_PROPERTY_SET, &forced_subs_only, mpctx);
+  }
 }
 
 /*
@@ -3066,6 +3068,7 @@ if (edl_output_filename) {
     if(vo_vobsub){
       initialized_flags|=INITIALIZED_VOBSUB;
       vobsub_set_from_lang(vo_vobsub, dvdsub_lang);
+      mp_property_do("sub_forced_only", M_PROPERTY_SET, &forced_subs_only, mpctx);
 
       // setup global sub numbering
       mpctx->global_sub_indices[SUB_SOURCE_VOBSUB] = mpctx->global_sub_size; // the global # of the first vobsub.