diff --git a/avconv.c b/avconv.c
index 93346147b6..391cb6d11c 100644
--- a/avconv.c
+++ b/avconv.c
@@ -3883,6 +3883,7 @@ static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
     AVCodec *c;
     AVOutputFormat *oformat = NULL;
     AVInputFormat  *iformat = NULL;
+    const AVClass *class;
 
     av_log_set_callback(log_callback_help);
     show_usage();
@@ -3910,7 +3911,8 @@ static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
                       OPT_GRAB,
                       OPT_GRAB);
     printf("\n");
-    av_opt_show2(avcodec_opts[0], NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
+    class = avcodec_get_class();
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
     printf("\n");
 
     /* individual codec options */
@@ -3922,7 +3924,8 @@ static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
         }
     }
 
-    av_opt_show2(avformat_opts, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
+    class = avformat_get_class();
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
     printf("\n");
 
     /* individual muxer options */
@@ -3941,7 +3944,8 @@ static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
         }
     }
 
-    av_opt_show2(sws_opts, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
+    class = sws_get_class();
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/cmdutils.c b/cmdutils.c
index 3e34c4eb2f..bde0384c06 100644
--- a/cmdutils.c
+++ b/cmdutils.c
@@ -49,8 +49,6 @@
 #include <sys/resource.h>
 #endif
 
-AVCodecContext *avcodec_opts[AVMEDIA_TYPE_NB];
-AVFormatContext *avformat_opts;
 struct SwsContext *sws_opts;
 AVDictionary *format_opts, *codec_opts;
 
@@ -58,10 +56,6 @@ static const int this_year = 2011;
 
 void init_opts(void)
 {
-    int i;
-    for (i = 0; i < AVMEDIA_TYPE_NB; i++)
-        avcodec_opts[i] = avcodec_alloc_context3(NULL);
-    avformat_opts = avformat_alloc_context();
 #if CONFIG_SWSCALE
     sws_opts = sws_getContext(16, 16, 0, 16, 16, 0, SWS_BICUBIC, NULL, NULL, NULL);
 #endif
@@ -69,11 +63,6 @@ void init_opts(void)
 
 void uninit_opts(void)
 {
-    int i;
-    for (i = 0; i < AVMEDIA_TYPE_NB; i++)
-        av_freep(&avcodec_opts[i]);
-    av_freep(&avformat_opts->key);
-    av_freep(&avformat_opts);
 #if CONFIG_SWSCALE
     sws_freeContext(sws_opts);
     sws_opts = NULL;
@@ -293,18 +282,19 @@ int opt_default(const char *opt, const char *arg)
     const AVOption *oc, *of, *os;
     char opt_stripped[128];
     const char *p;
+    const AVClass *cc = avcodec_get_class(), *fc = avformat_get_class(), *sc = sws_get_class();
 
     if (!(p = strchr(opt, ':')))
         p = opt + strlen(opt);
     av_strlcpy(opt_stripped, opt, FFMIN(sizeof(opt_stripped), p - opt + 1));
 
-    if ((oc = av_opt_find(avcodec_opts[0], opt_stripped, NULL, 0, AV_OPT_SEARCH_CHILDREN)) ||
+    if ((oc = av_opt_find(&cc, opt_stripped, NULL, 0, AV_OPT_SEARCH_CHILDREN|AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ)) ||
          ((opt[0] == 'v' || opt[0] == 'a' || opt[0] == 's') &&
-          (oc = av_opt_find(avcodec_opts[0], opt+1, NULL, 0, 0))))
+          (oc = av_opt_find(&cc, opt+1, NULL, 0, AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ))))
         av_dict_set(&codec_opts, opt, arg, FLAGS(oc));
-    if ((of = av_opt_find(avformat_opts, opt, NULL, 0, AV_OPT_SEARCH_CHILDREN)))
+    if ((of = av_opt_find(&fc, opt, NULL, 0, AV_OPT_SEARCH_CHILDREN | AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ)))
         av_dict_set(&format_opts, opt, arg, FLAGS(of));
-    if ((os = av_opt_find(sws_opts, opt, NULL, 0, AV_OPT_SEARCH_CHILDREN))) {
+    if ((os = av_opt_find(&sc, opt, NULL, 0, AV_OPT_SEARCH_CHILDREN | AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ))) {
         // XXX we only support sws_flags, not arbitrary sws options
         int ret = av_set_string3(sws_opts, opt, arg, 1, NULL);
         if (ret < 0) {
@@ -831,6 +821,7 @@ AVDictionary *filter_codec_opts(AVDictionary *opts, enum CodecID codec_id, AVFor
     AVCodec       *codec = s->oformat ? avcodec_find_encoder(codec_id) : avcodec_find_decoder(codec_id);
     int            flags = s->oformat ? AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM : AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM;
     char          prefix = 0;
+    const AVClass    *cc = avcodec_get_class();
 
     if (!codec)
         return NULL;
@@ -852,10 +843,10 @@ AVDictionary *filter_codec_opts(AVDictionary *opts, enum CodecID codec_id, AVFor
             default:         return NULL;
             }
 
-        if (av_opt_find(avcodec_opts[0], t->key, NULL, flags, 0) ||
-            (codec && codec->priv_class && av_opt_find(&codec->priv_class, t->key, NULL, flags, 0)))
+        if (av_opt_find(&cc, t->key, NULL, flags, AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ) ||
+            (codec && codec->priv_class && av_opt_find(&codec->priv_class, t->key, NULL, flags, AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ)))
             av_dict_set(&ret, t->key, t->value, 0);
-        else if (t->key[0] == prefix && av_opt_find(avcodec_opts[0], t->key+1, NULL, flags, 0))
+        else if (t->key[0] == prefix && av_opt_find(&cc, t->key+1, NULL, flags, AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ))
             av_dict_set(&ret, t->key+1, t->value, 0);
 
         if (p)
diff --git a/doc/APIchanges b/doc/APIchanges
index 9e661e07c9..75c4d6f310 100644
--- a/doc/APIchanges
+++ b/doc/APIchanges
@@ -19,6 +19,14 @@ API changes, most recent first:
 2011-08-20 - 69e2c1a - lavu 51.13.0
   Add av_get_media_type_string().
 
+2011-08-xx - xxxxxxx - lavc 53.13.0
+                       lavf 53.11.0
+                       lsws  2.1.0
+  Add {avcodec,avformat,sws}_get_class().
+
+2011-08-xx - xxxxxxx - lavu 51.15.0
+  Add AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ flag for av_opt_find() function.
+
 2011-08-14 - 323b930 - lavu 51.12.0
   Add av_fifo_peek2(), deprecate av_fifo_peek().
 
diff --git a/ffmpeg.c b/ffmpeg.c
index 8b9cf1c1ac..377fbd1fec 100644
--- a/ffmpeg.c
+++ b/ffmpeg.c
@@ -4021,6 +4021,7 @@ static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
     AVCodec *c;
     AVOutputFormat *oformat = NULL;
     AVInputFormat  *iformat = NULL;
+    const AVClass *class;
 
     av_log_set_callback(log_callback_help);
     show_usage();
@@ -4048,7 +4049,8 @@ static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
                       OPT_GRAB,
                       OPT_GRAB);
     printf("\n");
-    av_opt_show2(avcodec_opts[0], NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
+    class = avcodec_get_class();
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
     printf("\n");
 
     /* individual codec options */
@@ -4060,7 +4062,8 @@ static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
         }
     }
 
-    av_opt_show2(avformat_opts, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
+    class = avformat_get_class();
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
     printf("\n");
 
     /* individual muxer options */
@@ -4079,7 +4082,8 @@ static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
         }
     }
 
-    av_opt_show2(sws_opts, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
+    class = sws_get_class();
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL, AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM|AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
     return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/ffplay.c b/ffplay.c
index fb38c1fb13..b977b0c3dc 100644
--- a/ffplay.c
+++ b/ffplay.c
@@ -2960,6 +2960,7 @@ static void show_usage(void)
 
 static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
 {
+    const AVClass *class;
     av_log_set_callback(log_callback_help);
     show_usage();
     show_help_options(options, "Main options:\n",
@@ -2967,14 +2968,17 @@ static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
     show_help_options(options, "\nAdvanced options:\n",
                       OPT_EXPERT, OPT_EXPERT);
     printf("\n");
-    av_opt_show2(avcodec_opts[0], NULL,
+    class = avcodec_get_class();
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL,
                  AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
     printf("\n");
-    av_opt_show2(avformat_opts, NULL,
+    class = avformat_get_class();
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL,
                  AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
 #if !CONFIG_AVFILTER
     printf("\n");
-    av_opt_show2(sws_opts, NULL,
+    class = sws_get_class();
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL,
                  AV_OPT_FLAG_ENCODING_PARAM, 0);
 #endif
     printf("\nWhile playing:\n"
diff --git a/ffprobe.c b/ffprobe.c
index 27482240de..bd7552db17 100644
--- a/ffprobe.c
+++ b/ffprobe.c
@@ -470,11 +470,12 @@ static int opt_input_file(const char *opt, const char *arg)
 
 static int opt_help(const char *opt, const char *arg)
 {
+    const AVClass *class = avformat_get_class();
     av_log_set_callback(log_callback_help);
     show_usage();
     show_help_options(options, "Main options:\n", 0, 0);
     printf("\n");
-    av_opt_show2(avformat_opts, NULL,
+    av_opt_show2(&class, NULL,
                  AV_OPT_FLAG_DECODING_PARAM, 0);
     return 0;
 }
@@ -529,7 +530,5 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
     ret = probe_file(input_filename);
 
-    av_free(avformat_opts);
-
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/libavcodec/avcodec.h b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
index 9690bd1bbe..3a3065f4d1 100644
--- a/libavcodec/avcodec.h
+++ b/libavcodec/avcodec.h
@@ -4417,4 +4417,12 @@ int av_lockmgr_register(int (*cb)(void **mutex, enum AVLockOp op));
  */
 enum AVMediaType avcodec_get_type(enum CodecID codec_id);
 
+/**
+ * Get the AVClass for AVCodecContext. It can be used in combination with
+ * AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ for examining options.
+ *
+ * @see av_opt_find().
+ */
+const AVClass *avcodec_get_class(void);
+
 #endif /* AVCODEC_AVCODEC_H */
diff --git a/libavcodec/options.c b/libavcodec/options.c
index f481ad5e02..728e67670f 100644
--- a/libavcodec/options.c
+++ b/libavcodec/options.c
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ static const AVOption *opt_find(void *obj, const char *name, const char *unit, i
     AVCodecContext *s = obj;
     AVCodec        *c = NULL;
 
-    if (s->priv_data) {
+    if (!(search_flags & AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ) && s->priv_data) {
         if (s->codec && s->codec->priv_class)
             return av_opt_find(s->priv_data, name, unit, opt_flags, search_flags);
         return NULL;
@@ -662,3 +662,8 @@ fail:
     av_freep(&dest->rc_eq);
     return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
 }
+
+const AVClass *avcodec_get_class(void)
+{
+    return &av_codec_context_class;
+}
diff --git a/libavcodec/version.h b/libavcodec/version.h
index 77009c5483..268db0b844 100644
--- a/libavcodec/version.h
+++ b/libavcodec/version.h
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@
 #define AVCODEC_VERSION_H
 
 #define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR 53
-#define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MINOR 12
+#define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MINOR 13
 #define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MICRO  0
 
 #define LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_INT  AV_VERSION_INT(LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR, \
diff --git a/libavformat/avformat.h b/libavformat/avformat.h
index e435881264..4315710e31 100644
--- a/libavformat/avformat.h
+++ b/libavformat/avformat.h
@@ -1720,4 +1720,12 @@ int av_match_ext(const char *filename, const char *extensions);
  */
 int avformat_query_codec(AVOutputFormat *ofmt, enum CodecID codec_id, int std_compliance);
 
+/**
+ * Get the AVClass for AVFormatContext. It can be used in combination with
+ * AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ for examining options.
+ *
+ * @see av_opt_find().
+ */
+const AVClass *avformat_get_class(void);
+
 #endif /* AVFORMAT_AVFORMAT_H */
diff --git a/libavformat/options.c b/libavformat/options.c
index 957a72010b..65f1a4e639 100644
--- a/libavformat/options.c
+++ b/libavformat/options.c
@@ -38,7 +38,7 @@ static const AVOption *opt_find(void *obj, const char *name, const char *unit, i
     AVFormatContext   *s = obj;
     AVInputFormat  *ifmt = NULL;
     AVOutputFormat *ofmt = NULL;
-    if (s->priv_data) {
+    if (!(search_flags & AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ) && s->priv_data) {
         if ((s->iformat && !s->iformat->priv_class) ||
             (s->oformat && !s->oformat->priv_class))
             return NULL;
@@ -126,3 +126,8 @@ AVFormatContext *avformat_alloc_context(void)
     avformat_get_context_defaults(ic);
     return ic;
 }
+
+const AVClass *avformat_get_class(void)
+{
+    return &av_format_context_class;
+}
diff --git a/libavformat/version.h b/libavformat/version.h
index 6d22be049e..d9e9f5c886 100644
--- a/libavformat/version.h
+++ b/libavformat/version.h
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@
 #include "libavutil/avutil.h"
 
 #define LIBAVFORMAT_VERSION_MAJOR 53
-#define LIBAVFORMAT_VERSION_MINOR 10
+#define LIBAVFORMAT_VERSION_MINOR 11
 #define LIBAVFORMAT_VERSION_MICRO  0
 
 #define LIBAVFORMAT_VERSION_INT AV_VERSION_INT(LIBAVFORMAT_VERSION_MAJOR, \
diff --git a/libavutil/avutil.h b/libavutil/avutil.h
index 236622ed83..f77cde783d 100644
--- a/libavutil/avutil.h
+++ b/libavutil/avutil.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@
 #define AV_VERSION(a, b, c) AV_VERSION_DOT(a, b, c)
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR 51
-#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR 14
+#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR 15
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MICRO  0
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_INT   AV_VERSION_INT(LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR, \
diff --git a/libavutil/opt.h b/libavutil/opt.h
index 68873de563..efb4408f0d 100644
--- a/libavutil/opt.h
+++ b/libavutil/opt.h
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ const AVOption *av_find_opt(void *obj, const char *name, const char *unit, int m
  *              when 0 then no av_free() nor av_strdup() will be used
  * @return 0 if the value has been set, or an AVERROR code in case of
  * error:
- * AVERROR(ENOENT) if no matching option exists
+ * AVERROR_OPTION_NOT_FOUND if no matching option exists
  * AVERROR(ERANGE) if the value is out of range
  * AVERROR(EINVAL) if the value is not valid
  */
@@ -216,6 +216,13 @@ int av_opt_set_dict(void *obj, struct AVDictionary **options);
 
 #define AV_OPT_SEARCH_CHILDREN   0x0001 /**< Search in possible children of the
                                              given object first. */
+/**
+ *  The obj passed to av_opt_find() is fake -- only a double pointer to AVClass
+ *  instead of a required pointer to a struct containing AVClass. This is
+ *  useful for searching for options without needing to allocate the corresponding
+ *  object.
+ */
+#define AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ   0x0002
 
 /**
  * Look for an option in an object. Consider only options which
@@ -223,6 +230,8 @@ int av_opt_set_dict(void *obj, struct AVDictionary **options);
  *
  * @param[in] obj A pointer to a struct whose first element is a
  *                pointer to an AVClass.
+ *                Alternatively a double pointer to an AVClass, if
+ *                AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ search flag is set.
  * @param[in] name The name of the option to look for.
  * @param[in] unit When searching for named constants, name of the unit
  *                 it belongs to.
diff --git a/libavutil/x86/cpu.c b/libavutil/x86/cpu.c
index 2cefdbfbe5..711d5d4097 100644
--- a/libavutil/x86/cpu.c
+++ b/libavutil/x86/cpu.c
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ int ff_get_cpu_flags_x86(void)
 
     if(max_ext_level >= 0x80000001){
         cpuid(0x80000001, eax, ebx, ecx, ext_caps);
-        if (ext_caps & (1<<31))
+        if (ext_caps & (1U<<31))
             rval |= AV_CPU_FLAG_3DNOW;
         if (ext_caps & (1<<30))
             rval |= AV_CPU_FLAG_3DNOWEXT;
diff --git a/libswscale/options.c b/libswscale/options.c
index 010c68ecbe..23cc8bb597 100644
--- a/libswscale/options.c
+++ b/libswscale/options.c
@@ -67,3 +67,8 @@ static const AVOption options[] = {
 };
 
 const AVClass sws_context_class = { "SWScaler", sws_context_to_name, options };
+
+const AVClass *sws_get_class(void)
+{
+    return &sws_context_class;
+}
diff --git a/libswscale/swscale.h b/libswscale/swscale.h
index f84e8798be..bdde675a8d 100644
--- a/libswscale/swscale.h
+++ b/libswscale/swscale.h
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
 #include "libavutil/pixfmt.h"
 
 #define LIBSWSCALE_VERSION_MAJOR 2
-#define LIBSWSCALE_VERSION_MINOR 0
+#define LIBSWSCALE_VERSION_MINOR 1
 #define LIBSWSCALE_VERSION_MICRO 0
 
 #define LIBSWSCALE_VERSION_INT  AV_VERSION_INT(LIBSWSCALE_VERSION_MAJOR, \
@@ -354,5 +354,12 @@ void sws_convertPalette8ToPacked32(const uint8_t *src, uint8_t *dst, int num_pix
  */
 void sws_convertPalette8ToPacked24(const uint8_t *src, uint8_t *dst, int num_pixels, const uint8_t *palette);
 
+/**
+ * Get the AVClass for swsContext. It can be used in combination with
+ * AV_OPT_SEARCH_FAKE_OBJ for examining options.
+ *
+ * @see av_opt_find().
+ */
+const AVClass *sws_get_class(void);
 
 #endif /* SWSCALE_SWSCALE_H */