diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index d3e203a852..389a519055 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -231,6 +231,7 @@ SOURCES = talloc.c \
           sub/find_subfiles.c \
           sub/img_convert.c \
           sub/sd_lavc.c \
+          sub/sd_lavc_conv.c \
           sub/sd_microdvd.c \
           sub/sd_movtext.c \
           sub/sd_spu.c \
diff --git a/sub/dec_sub.c b/sub/dec_sub.c
index 49ecd5c009..ec9af94abb 100644
--- a/sub/dec_sub.c
+++ b/sub/dec_sub.c
@@ -35,6 +35,7 @@ extern const struct sd_functions sd_spu;
 extern const struct sd_functions sd_movtext;
 extern const struct sd_functions sd_srt;
 extern const struct sd_functions sd_microdvd;
+extern const struct sd_functions sd_lavc_conv;
 
 static const struct sd_functions *sd_list[] = {
 #ifdef CONFIG_ASS
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ static const struct sd_functions *sd_list[] = {
     &sd_movtext,
     &sd_srt,
     &sd_microdvd,
+    &sd_lavc_conv,
     NULL
 };
 
@@ -159,6 +161,14 @@ static void read_sub_data(struct dec_sub *sub, struct sub_data *subdata)
         sub_decode(sub, &pkt);
     }
 
+    struct sd *sd = sub_get_last_sd(sub);
+    // Hack for broken FFmpeg packet format: make sd_ass keep the subtitle
+    // events on reset(), even though broken FFmpeg ASS packets were received
+    // (from sd_lavc_conv.c). Normally, these events are removed on seek/reset,
+    // but this is obviously unwanted in this case.
+    if (sd && sd->driver->fix_events)
+        sd->driver->fix_events(sd);
+
     talloc_free(temp);
 }
 
diff --git a/sub/sd.h b/sub/sd.h
index dbb6af835f..20dce8003d 100644
--- a/sub/sd.h
+++ b/sub/sd.h
@@ -44,6 +44,8 @@ struct sd_functions {
     void (*reset)(struct sd *sd);
     void (*uninit)(struct sd *sd);
 
+    void (*fix_events)(struct sd *sd);
+
     // decoder
     void (*get_bitmaps)(struct sd *sd, struct mp_osd_res dim, double pts,
                         struct sub_bitmaps *res);
diff --git a/sub/sd_ass.c b/sub/sd_ass.c
index 405cef323a..d8951df96f 100644
--- a/sub/sd_ass.c
+++ b/sub/sd_ass.c
@@ -254,6 +254,12 @@ static char *get_text(struct sd *sd, double pts)
     return ctx->last_text;
 }
 
+static void fix_events(struct sd *sd)
+{
+    struct sd_ass_priv *ctx = sd->priv;
+    ctx->flush_on_seek = false;
+}
+
 static void reset(struct sd *sd)
 {
     struct sd_ass_priv *ctx = sd->priv;
@@ -281,6 +287,7 @@ const struct sd_functions sd_ass = {
     .decode = decode,
     .get_bitmaps = get_bitmaps,
     .get_text = get_text,
+    .fix_events = fix_events,
     .reset = reset,
     .uninit = uninit,
 };
diff --git a/sub/sd_lavc_conv.c b/sub/sd_lavc_conv.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e45e743499
--- /dev/null
+++ b/sub/sd_lavc_conv.c
@@ -0,0 +1,132 @@
+/*
+ * This file is part of mpv.
+ *
+ * mpv is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
+ * the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or
+ * (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * mpv is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+ * with mpv.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <assert.h>
+
+#include <libavcodec/avcodec.h>
+#include <libavutil/intreadwrite.h>
+#include <libavutil/common.h>
+
+#include "talloc.h"
+#include "core/mp_msg.h"
+#include "core/av_common.h"
+#include "sd.h"
+
+struct sd_lavc_priv {
+    AVCodecContext *avctx;
+};
+
+static bool supports_format(const char *format)
+{
+    enum AVCodecID cid = mp_codec_to_av_codec_id(format);
+    const AVCodecDescriptor *desc = avcodec_descriptor_get(cid);
+    // These are documented to support AVSubtitleRect->ass.
+    return desc && (desc->props & AV_CODEC_PROP_TEXT_SUB);
+}
+
+static int init(struct sd *sd)
+{
+    struct sd_lavc_priv *priv = talloc_zero(NULL, struct sd_lavc_priv);
+    AVCodecContext *avctx = NULL;
+    AVCodec *codec = avcodec_find_decoder(mp_codec_to_av_codec_id(sd->codec));
+    if (!codec)
+        goto error;
+    avctx = avcodec_alloc_context3(codec);
+    if (!avctx)
+        goto error;
+    avctx->extradata_size = sd->extradata_len;
+    avctx->extradata = sd->extradata;
+    if (avcodec_open2(avctx, codec, NULL) < 0)
+        goto error;
+    // Documented as "set by libavcodec", but there is no other way
+    avctx->time_base = (AVRational) {1, 1000};
+    priv->avctx = avctx;
+    sd->priv = priv;
+    sd->output_codec = "ass";
+    sd->output_extradata = avctx->subtitle_header;
+    sd->output_extradata_len = avctx->subtitle_header_size;
+    return 0;
+
+ error:
+    mp_msg(MSGT_SUBREADER, MSGL_ERR,
+           "Could not open libavcodec subtitle converter\n");
+    av_free(avctx);
+    talloc_free(priv);
+    return -1;
+}
+
+static void decode(struct sd *sd, struct demux_packet *packet)
+{
+    struct sd_lavc_priv *priv = sd->priv;
+    AVCodecContext *avctx = priv->avctx;
+    double ts = av_q2d(av_inv_q(avctx->time_base));
+    AVSubtitle sub = {0};
+    AVPacket pkt;
+    int ret, got_sub;
+
+    av_init_packet(&pkt);
+    pkt.data = packet->buffer;
+    pkt.size = packet->len;
+    pkt.pts = packet->pts == MP_NOPTS_VALUE ? AV_NOPTS_VALUE : packet->pts * ts;
+    pkt.duration = packet->duration * ts;
+
+    ret = avcodec_decode_subtitle2(avctx, &sub, &got_sub, &pkt);
+    if (ret < 0) {
+        mp_msg(MSGT_OSD, MSGL_ERR, "Error decoding subtitle\n");
+    } else if (got_sub) {
+        for (int i = 0; i < sub.num_rects; i++) {
+            char *ass_line = sub.rects[i]->ass;
+            if (!ass_line)
+                break;
+            // This might contain embedded timestamps, using the "old" ffmpeg
+            // ASS packet format, in which case pts/duration might be ignored
+            // at a later point.
+            sd_conv_add_packet(sd, ass_line, strlen(ass_line),
+                               packet->pts, packet->duration);
+        }
+    }
+
+    av_free_packet(&pkt);
+    avsubtitle_free(&sub);
+}
+
+static void reset(struct sd *sd)
+{
+    struct sd_lavc_priv *priv = sd->priv;
+
+    avcodec_flush_buffers(priv->avctx);
+    sd_conv_def_reset(sd);
+}
+
+static void uninit(struct sd *sd)
+{
+    struct sd_lavc_priv *priv = sd->priv;
+
+    avcodec_close(priv->avctx);
+    av_free(priv->avctx);
+    talloc_free(priv);
+}
+
+const struct sd_functions sd_lavc_conv = {
+    .supports_format = supports_format,
+    .init = init,
+    .decode = decode,
+    .get_converted = sd_conv_def_get_converted,
+    .reset = reset,
+    .uninit = uninit,
+};