diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/verisilicon/rockchip_vpu981_hw_av1_dec.c b/drivers/media/platform/verisilicon/rockchip_vpu981_hw_av1_dec.c
index 65e8f2d074005c03a7677280f80456cc01485d0e..e54f5fac325bd6e1f1f8d5cfb188537a8758b6b4 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/verisilicon/rockchip_vpu981_hw_av1_dec.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/verisilicon/rockchip_vpu981_hw_av1_dec.c
@@ -161,8 +161,7 @@ static int rockchip_vpu981_av1_dec_frame_ref(struct hantro_ctx *ctx,
 		av1_dec->frame_refs[i].timestamp = timestamp;
 		av1_dec->frame_refs[i].frame_type = frame->frame_type;
 		av1_dec->frame_refs[i].order_hint = frame->order_hint;
-		if (!av1_dec->frame_refs[i].vb2_ref)
-			av1_dec->frame_refs[i].vb2_ref = hantro_get_dst_buf(ctx);
+		av1_dec->frame_refs[i].vb2_ref = hantro_get_dst_buf(ctx);
 
 		for (j = 0; j < V4L2_AV1_TOTAL_REFS_PER_FRAME; j++)
 			av1_dec->frame_refs[i].order_hints[j] = frame->order_hints[j];