diff --git a/command.c b/command.c
index 57ce7d8d20..07b0513d5d 100644
--- a/command.c
+++ b/command.c
@@ -1968,7 +1968,7 @@ static int mp_property_ass_use_margins(m_option_t *prop, int action,
             return M_PROPERTY_ERROR;
     case M_PROPERTY_STEP_UP:
     case M_PROPERTY_STEP_DOWN:
-        ass_force_reload = 1;
+        mpctx->osd->ass_force_reload = true;
     default:
         return m_property_flag(prop, action, arg, &ass_use_margins);
     }
@@ -2012,7 +2012,7 @@ static int mp_property_sub_scale(m_option_t *prop, int action, void *arg,
 #ifdef CONFIG_ASS
         if (opts->ass_enabled) {
             ass_font_scale = *(float *) arg;
-            ass_force_reload = 1;
+            mpctx->osd->ass_force_reload = true;
         }
 #endif
         text_font_scale_factor = *(float *) arg;
@@ -2026,7 +2026,7 @@ static int mp_property_sub_scale(m_option_t *prop, int action, void *arg,
             ass_font_scale += (arg ? *(float *) arg : 0.1) *
                               (action == M_PROPERTY_STEP_UP ? 1.0 : -1.0);
             M_PROPERTY_CLAMP(prop, ass_font_scale);
-            ass_force_reload = 1;
+            mpctx->osd->ass_force_reload = true;
         }
 #endif
         text_font_scale_factor += (arg ? *(float *) arg : 0.1) *
diff --git a/libmpcodecs/vf_ass.c b/libmpcodecs/vf_ass.c
index 4047316a50..a3a47f6b9e 100644
--- a/libmpcodecs/vf_ass.c
+++ b/libmpcodecs/vf_ass.c
@@ -356,14 +356,16 @@ static int render_frame(struct vf_instance *vf, mp_image_t *mpi,
 
 static int put_image(struct vf_instance *vf, mp_image_t *mpi, double pts)
 {
+    struct osd_state *osd = vf->priv->osd;
     ASS_Image *images = 0;
-    ASS_Renderer *renderer = vf->priv->osd->vsfilter_aspect ?
+    ASS_Renderer *renderer = osd->vsfilter_aspect ?
         vf->priv->renderer_vsfilter : vf->priv->renderer_realaspect;
-    if (sub_visibility && renderer && vf->priv->osd->ass_track
-	&& (pts != MP_NOPTS_VALUE))
-        images = mp_ass_render_frame(renderer,
-                                     vf->priv->osd->ass_track,
-				     (pts + sub_delay) * 1000 + .5, NULL);
+    if (sub_visibility && renderer && osd->ass_track
+            && (pts != MP_NOPTS_VALUE)) {
+        mp_ass_reload_options(renderer, vf->opts, &osd->ass_force_reload);
+        images = ass_render_frame(renderer, osd->ass_track,
+                                  (pts + sub_delay) * 1000 + .5, NULL);
+    }
 
     prepare_image(vf, mpi);
     if (images)
diff --git a/libmpcodecs/vf_vo.c b/libmpcodecs/vf_vo.c
index 8bbaf465b3..8f2f541fb4 100644
--- a/libmpcodecs/vf_vo.c
+++ b/libmpcodecs/vf_vo.c
@@ -175,10 +175,10 @@ static int control(struct vf_instance *vf, int request, void* data)
                 ass_set_aspect_ratio(renderer, scale, 1);
             }
 
-            images.imgs = mp_ass_render_frame(renderer,
-                                              osd->ass_track,
-                                              (pts+sub_delay) * 1000 + .5,
-                                              &images.changed);
+            mp_ass_reload_options(renderer, vf->opts, &osd->ass_force_reload);
+            images.imgs = ass_render_frame(renderer, osd->ass_track,
+                                           (pts+sub_delay) * 1000 + .5,
+                                           &images.changed);
             if (!vf->priv->prev_visibility)
                 images.changed = 2;
             vf->priv->prev_visibility = true;
diff --git a/sub/ass_mp.c b/sub/ass_mp.c
index 9a7b89a1ed..94c17b83f0 100644
--- a/sub/ass_mp.c
+++ b/sub/ass_mp.c
@@ -316,16 +316,13 @@ ASS_Library *mp_ass_init(void)
     return priv;
 }
 
-int ass_force_reload = 0;       // flag set if global ass-related settings were changed
-
-ASS_Image *mp_ass_render_frame(ASS_Renderer *priv, ASS_Track *track,
-                               long long now, int *detect_change)
+void mp_ass_reload_options(ASS_Renderer *priv, struct MPOpts *opts,
+                           bool *need_reload)
 {
-    if (ass_force_reload) {
-        ass_set_margins(priv, ass_top_margin, ass_bottom_margin, 0, 0);
-        ass_set_use_margins(priv, ass_use_margins);
-        ass_set_font_scale(priv, ass_font_scale);
-        ass_force_reload = 0;
-    }
-    return ass_render_frame(priv, track, now, detect_change);
+    if (!*need_reload)
+        return;
+    ass_set_margins(priv, ass_top_margin, ass_bottom_margin, 0, 0);
+    ass_set_use_margins(priv, ass_use_margins);
+    ass_set_font_scale(priv, ass_font_scale);
+    *need_reload = false;
 }
diff --git a/sub/ass_mp.h b/sub/ass_mp.h
index 0e60b71103..02c55c8a12 100644
--- a/sub/ass_mp.h
+++ b/sub/ass_mp.h
@@ -52,9 +52,8 @@ void mp_ass_configure(ASS_Renderer *priv, int w, int h, bool unscaled);
 void mp_ass_configure_fonts(ASS_Renderer *priv);
 ASS_Library *mp_ass_init(void);
 
-extern int ass_force_reload;
-ASS_Image *mp_ass_render_frame(ASS_Renderer *priv, ASS_Track *track,
-                               long long now, int *detect_change);
+void mp_ass_reload_options(ASS_Renderer *priv, struct MPOpts *opts,
+                           bool *need_reload);
 
 #else /* CONFIG_ASS */
 
diff --git a/sub/sub.h b/sub/sub.h
index 90a742f8e7..30a7919aa1 100644
--- a/sub/sub.h
+++ b/sub/sub.h
@@ -70,6 +70,8 @@ typedef struct mp_osd_obj_s {
 
 struct osd_state {
     struct ass_library *ass_library;
+    // flag to signal reinitialization due to ass-related option changes
+    bool ass_force_reload;
     unsigned char osd_text[128];
     struct font_desc *sub_font;
     struct ass_track *ass_track;