diff --git a/src/gallium/frontends/omx/bellagio/vid_dec_h265.c b/src/gallium/frontends/omx/bellagio/vid_dec_h265.c
index 68ee619b546..322c1aaafa2 100644
--- a/src/gallium/frontends/omx/bellagio/vid_dec_h265.c
+++ b/src/gallium/frontends/omx/bellagio/vid_dec_h265.c
@@ -958,13 +958,13 @@ static void vid_dec_h265_Decode(vid_dec_PrivateType *priv,
    if (nal_unit_type == NAL_UNIT_TYPE_SPS) {
       struct vl_rbsp rbsp;
 
-      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, ~0);
+      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, ~0, /* emulation_bytes */ true);
       seq_parameter_set(priv, &rbsp);
 
    } else if (nal_unit_type == NAL_UNIT_TYPE_PPS) {
       struct vl_rbsp rbsp;
 
-      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, ~0);
+      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, ~0, /* emulation_bytes */ true);
       picture_parameter_set(priv, &rbsp);
 
    } else if (is_slice_picture(nal_unit_type)) {
@@ -986,7 +986,7 @@ static void vid_dec_h265_Decode(vid_dec_PrivateType *priv,
       priv->bytes_left = (vl_vlc_bits_left(vlc) - bits) / 8;
       priv->slice = vlc->data;
 
-      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, 128);
+      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, 128, /* emulation_bytes */ true);
       slice_header(priv, &rbsp, nal_unit_type);
 
       vid_dec_h265_BeginFrame(priv);
diff --git a/src/gallium/frontends/omx/vid_dec_h264_common.c b/src/gallium/frontends/omx/vid_dec_h264_common.c
index 1412ef560b5..fcf5c99d644 100644
--- a/src/gallium/frontends/omx/vid_dec_h264_common.c
+++ b/src/gallium/frontends/omx/vid_dec_h264_common.c
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ void vid_dec_h264_Decode(vid_dec_PrivateType *priv, struct vl_vlc *vlc, unsigned
 
    if (nal_unit_type == 7) {
       struct vl_rbsp rbsp;
-      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, ~0);
+      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, ~0, /* emulation_bytes */ true);
       seq_parameter_set(priv, &rbsp);
 #if ENABLE_ST_OMX_TIZONIA
       update_port_parameters(priv);
@@ -1010,7 +1010,7 @@ void vid_dec_h264_Decode(vid_dec_PrivateType *priv, struct vl_vlc *vlc, unsigned
 
    } else if (nal_unit_type == 8) {
       struct vl_rbsp rbsp;
-      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, ~0);
+      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, ~0, /* emulation_bytes */ true);
       picture_parameter_set(priv, &rbsp);
 
    } else if (nal_unit_type == 1 || nal_unit_type == 5) {
@@ -1032,7 +1032,7 @@ void vid_dec_h264_Decode(vid_dec_PrivateType *priv, struct vl_vlc *vlc, unsigned
       priv->bytes_left = (vl_vlc_bits_left(vlc) - bits) / 8;
       priv->slice = vlc->data;
 
-      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, 128);
+      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, vlc, 128, /* emulation_bytes */ true);
       slice_header(priv, &rbsp, nal_ref_idc, nal_unit_type);
 
       vid_dec_h264_BeginFrame(priv);
diff --git a/src/gallium/frontends/va/picture_h264_enc.c b/src/gallium/frontends/va/picture_h264_enc.c
index 87b427b0ec5..c12ee99a369 100644
--- a/src/gallium/frontends/va/picture_h264_enc.c
+++ b/src/gallium/frontends/va/picture_h264_enc.c
@@ -486,7 +486,7 @@ vlVaHandleVAEncPackedHeaderDataBufferTypeH264(vlVaContext *context, vlVaBuffer *
       unsigned nal_unit_type = vl_vlc_get_uimsbf(&vlc, 5);
 
       struct vl_rbsp rbsp;
-      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, &vlc, ~0);
+      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, &vlc, ~0, true);
 
       switch(nal_unit_type) {
       case H264_NAL_SPS:
diff --git a/src/gallium/frontends/va/picture_hevc_enc.c b/src/gallium/frontends/va/picture_hevc_enc.c
index ae9a74715a7..860404c925b 100644
--- a/src/gallium/frontends/va/picture_hevc_enc.c
+++ b/src/gallium/frontends/va/picture_hevc_enc.c
@@ -465,7 +465,7 @@ vlVaHandleVAEncPackedHeaderDataBufferTypeHEVC(vlVaContext *context, vlVaBuffer *
       vl_vlc_eatbits(&vlc, 3);
 
       struct vl_rbsp rbsp;
-      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, &vlc, ~0);
+      vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, &vlc, ~0, true);
 
       switch(nal_unit_type) {
       case HEVC_NAL_SPS:
diff --git a/src/util/vl_rbsp.h b/src/util/vl_rbsp.h
index c2d9b2b5c33..0842b0f1490 100644
--- a/src/util/vl_rbsp.h
+++ b/src/util/vl_rbsp.h
@@ -44,12 +44,14 @@ struct vl_rbsp {
    struct vl_vlc nal;
    unsigned escaped;
    unsigned removed;
+   bool emulation_bytes;
 };
 
 /**
  * Initialize the RBSP object
  */
-static inline void vl_rbsp_init(struct vl_rbsp *rbsp, struct vl_vlc *nal, unsigned num_bits)
+static inline void vl_rbsp_init(struct vl_rbsp *rbsp, struct vl_vlc *nal, unsigned num_bits,
+                                bool emulation_bytes)
 {
    unsigned valid, bits_left = vl_vlc_bits_left(nal);
    int i;
@@ -57,6 +59,13 @@ static inline void vl_rbsp_init(struct vl_rbsp *rbsp, struct vl_vlc *nal, unsign
    /* copy the position */
    rbsp->nal = *nal;
 
+   rbsp->escaped = 0;
+   rbsp->removed = 0;
+   rbsp->emulation_bytes = emulation_bytes;
+
+   if (!rbsp->emulation_bytes)
+      return;
+
    /* search for the end of the NAL unit */
    while (vl_vlc_search_byte(nal, num_bits, 0x00)) {
       if (vl_vlc_peekbits(nal, 24) == 0x000001 ||
@@ -79,7 +88,6 @@ static inline void vl_rbsp_init(struct vl_rbsp *rbsp, struct vl_vlc *nal, unsign
    valid = vl_vlc_valid_bits(&rbsp->nal);
 
    rbsp->escaped = (valid >= 16) ? 16 : ((valid >= 8) ? 8 : 0);
-   rbsp->removed = 0;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -96,13 +104,14 @@ static inline void vl_rbsp_fillbits(struct vl_rbsp *rbsp)
 
    vl_vlc_fillbits(&rbsp->nal);
 
+   /* nothing to do if no emulation prevention bytes in bitstream */
+   if (!rbsp->emulation_bytes)
+      return;
+
    /* abort if we have less than 24 bits left in this nal */
    if (vl_vlc_bits_left(&rbsp->nal) < 24)
       return;
 
-   /* check that we have enough bits left from the last fillbits */
-   assert(valid >= rbsp->escaped);
-
    /* handle the already escaped bits */
    valid -= rbsp->escaped;
 
diff --git a/src/vulkan/runtime/vk_video.c b/src/vulkan/runtime/vk_video.c
index 0e90f18ae90..16a684bfcd5 100644
--- a/src/vulkan/runtime/vk_video.c
+++ b/src/vulkan/runtime/vk_video.c
@@ -723,7 +723,7 @@ vk_video_parse_h265_slice_header(const struct VkVideoDecodeInfoKHR *frame_info,
    vl_vlc_get_uimsbf(&vlc, 3); /* nuh_temporal_id_plus1 */
 
    struct vl_rbsp rbsp;
-   vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, &vlc, 128);
+   vl_rbsp_init(&rbsp, &vlc, 128, /* emulation_bytes */ true);
 
    memset(params, 0, sizeof(*params));