diff --git a/libavcodec/vmdvideo.c b/libavcodec/vmdvideo.c
index ad88a43ae3..e0349cba6a 100644
--- a/libavcodec/vmdvideo.c
+++ b/libavcodec/vmdvideo.c
@@ -475,5 +475,5 @@ const AVCodec ff_vmdvideo_decoder = {
     .close          = vmdvideo_decode_end,
     .decode         = vmdvideo_decode_frame,
     .capabilities   = AV_CODEC_CAP_DR1,
-    .caps_internal  = FF_CODEC_CAP_INIT_CLEANUP,
+    .caps_internal  = FF_CODEC_CAP_INIT_THREADSAFE | FF_CODEC_CAP_INIT_CLEANUP,
 };