diff --git a/doc/examples/muxing.c b/doc/examples/muxing.c
index 9af9aae483..a151f9cd67 100644
--- a/doc/examples/muxing.c
+++ b/doc/examples/muxing.c
@@ -661,7 +661,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
         avio_closep(&oc->pb);
 
     /* free the stream */
-    avformat_free_context(oc);
+    avformat_free_context(&oc);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/doc/examples/remuxing.c b/doc/examples/remuxing.c
index 9e4d1031b4..fce66c3d80 100644
--- a/doc/examples/remuxing.c
+++ b/doc/examples/remuxing.c
@@ -178,7 +178,7 @@ end:
     /* close output */
     if (ofmt_ctx && !(ofmt->flags & AVFMT_NOFILE))
         avio_closep(&ofmt_ctx->pb);
-    avformat_free_context(ofmt_ctx);
+    avformat_free_context(&ofmt_ctx);
 
     av_freep(&stream_mapping);
 
diff --git a/doc/examples/transcode_aac.c b/doc/examples/transcode_aac.c
index e0c76f5b35..82c3610e39 100644
--- a/doc/examples/transcode_aac.c
+++ b/doc/examples/transcode_aac.c
@@ -238,7 +238,7 @@ static int open_output_file(const char *filename,
 cleanup:
     avcodec_free_context(&avctx);
     avio_closep(&(*output_format_context)->pb);
-    avformat_free_context(*output_format_context);
+    avformat_free_context(output_format_context);
     *output_format_context = NULL;
     return error < 0 ? error : AVERROR_EXIT;
 }
@@ -874,7 +874,7 @@ cleanup:
         avcodec_free_context(&output_codec_context);
     if (output_format_context) {
         avio_closep(&output_format_context->pb);
-        avformat_free_context(output_format_context);
+        avformat_free_context(&output_format_context);
     }
     if (input_codec_context)
         avcodec_free_context(&input_codec_context);
diff --git a/doc/examples/transcoding.c b/doc/examples/transcoding.c
index e48837cbd2..662dc7e02a 100644
--- a/doc/examples/transcoding.c
+++ b/doc/examples/transcoding.c
@@ -611,7 +611,7 @@ end:
     avformat_close_input(&ifmt_ctx);
     if (ofmt_ctx && !(ofmt_ctx->oformat->flags & AVFMT_NOFILE))
         avio_closep(&ofmt_ctx->pb);
-    avformat_free_context(ofmt_ctx);
+    avformat_free_context(&ofmt_ctx);
 
     if (ret < 0)
         av_log(NULL, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Error occurred: %s\n", av_err2str(ret));
diff --git a/fftools/ffmpeg.c b/fftools/ffmpeg.c
index 27f68933f8..c7fa6ccf44 100644
--- a/fftools/ffmpeg.c
+++ b/fftools/ffmpeg.c
@@ -539,7 +539,7 @@ static void ffmpeg_cleanup(int ret)
         s = of->ctx;
         if (s && s->oformat && !(s->oformat->flags & AVFMT_NOFILE))
             avio_closep(&s->pb);
-        avformat_free_context(s);
+        avformat_free_context(&s);
         av_dict_free(&of->opts);
 
         av_freep(&output_files[i]);
diff --git a/libavdevice/avdevice.c b/libavdevice/avdevice.c
index 72e1b67887..46a9e85c1d 100644
--- a/libavdevice/avdevice.c
+++ b/libavdevice/avdevice.c
@@ -221,7 +221,7 @@ static int list_devices_for_context(AVFormatContext *s, AVDictionary *options,
     ret = avdevice_list_devices(s, device_list);
   fail:
     av_dict_free(&tmp);
-    avformat_free_context(s);
+    avformat_free_context(&s);
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/libavdevice/utils.c b/libavdevice/utils.c
index ccd7318012..1b06387fd3 100644
--- a/libavdevice/utils.c
+++ b/libavdevice/utils.c
@@ -54,6 +54,6 @@ int ff_alloc_input_device_context(AVFormatContext **avctx, AVInputFormat *iforma
     *avctx = s;
     return 0;
   error:
-    avformat_free_context(s);
+    avformat_free_context(&s);
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/libavformat/avformat.h b/libavformat/avformat.h
index d4d9a3b06e..b524e20392 100644
--- a/libavformat/avformat.h
+++ b/libavformat/avformat.h
@@ -2135,7 +2135,7 @@ AVFormatContext *avformat_alloc_context(void);
  * Free an AVFormatContext and all its streams.
  * @param s context to free
  */
-void avformat_free_context(AVFormatContext *s);
+void avformat_free_context(AVFormatContext **s);
 
 /**
  * Get the AVClass for AVFormatContext. It can be used in combination with
diff --git a/libavformat/dashdec.c b/libavformat/dashdec.c
index d001c5b76d..7b15043811 100644
--- a/libavformat/dashdec.c
+++ b/libavformat/dashdec.c
@@ -1919,7 +1919,7 @@ static int reopen_demux_for_component(AVFormatContext *s, struct representation
     avio_ctx_buffer  = av_malloc(INITIAL_BUFFER_SIZE);
     if (!avio_ctx_buffer ) {
         ret = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
-        avformat_free_context(pls->ctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&pls->ctx);
         pls->ctx = NULL;
         goto fail;
     }
@@ -1939,7 +1939,7 @@ static int reopen_demux_for_component(AVFormatContext *s, struct representation
     ret = av_probe_input_buffer(&pls->pb, &in_fmt, "", NULL, 0, 0);
     if (ret < 0) {
         av_log(s, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Error when loading first fragment, playlist %d\n", (int)pls->rep_idx);
-        avformat_free_context(pls->ctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&pls->ctx);
         pls->ctx = NULL;
         goto fail;
     }
diff --git a/libavformat/dashenc.c b/libavformat/dashenc.c
index 8c28fb6b6e..8296b9da93 100644
--- a/libavformat/dashenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/dashenc.c
@@ -588,7 +588,7 @@ static void dash_free(AVFormatContext *s)
                 avio_close(os->ctx->pb);
         }
         ff_format_io_close(s, &os->out);
-        avformat_free_context(os->ctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&os->ctx);
         for (j = 0; j < os->nb_segments; j++)
             av_free(os->segments[j]);
         av_free(os->segments);
diff --git a/libavformat/fifo.c b/libavformat/fifo.c
index b403ba717b..29fdf81474 100644
--- a/libavformat/fifo.c
+++ b/libavformat/fifo.c
@@ -605,7 +605,7 @@ static void fifo_deinit(AVFormatContext *avf)
     FifoContext *fifo = avf->priv_data;
 
     av_dict_free(&fifo->format_options);
-    avformat_free_context(fifo->avf);
+    avformat_free_context(&fifo->avf);
     av_thread_message_queue_free(&fifo->queue);
     if (fifo->overflow_flag_lock_initialized)
         pthread_mutex_destroy(&fifo->overflow_flag_lock);
diff --git a/libavformat/hdsenc.c b/libavformat/hdsenc.c
index 46f0026bce..767a579f07 100644
--- a/libavformat/hdsenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/hdsenc.c
@@ -146,7 +146,7 @@ static void hds_free(AVFormatContext *s)
             av_write_trailer(os->ctx);
         if (os->ctx)
             avio_context_free(&os->ctx->pb);
-        avformat_free_context(os->ctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&os->ctx);
         av_freep(&os->metadata);
         for (j = 0; j < os->nb_extra_packets; j++)
             av_freep(&os->extra_packets[j]);
diff --git a/libavformat/hls.c b/libavformat/hls.c
index 0b1582b2b5..95c4a117b8 100644
--- a/libavformat/hls.c
+++ b/libavformat/hls.c
@@ -1923,7 +1923,7 @@ static int hls_read_header(AVFormatContext *s)
         pls->read_buffer = av_malloc(INITIAL_BUFFER_SIZE);
         if (!pls->read_buffer){
             ret = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
-            avformat_free_context(pls->ctx);
+            avformat_free_context(&pls->ctx);
             pls->ctx = NULL;
             goto fail;
         }
@@ -1939,7 +1939,7 @@ static int hls_read_header(AVFormatContext *s)
              * avformat_open_input fails below, it frees and zeros the
              * context, so it doesn't need any special treatment like this. */
             av_log(s, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Error when loading first segment '%s'\n", pls->segments[0]->url);
-            avformat_free_context(pls->ctx);
+            avformat_free_context(&pls->ctx);
             pls->ctx = NULL;
             goto fail;
         }
diff --git a/libavformat/hlsenc.c b/libavformat/hlsenc.c
index f90016901a..f0af70e40f 100644
--- a/libavformat/hlsenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/hlsenc.c
@@ -2486,10 +2486,10 @@ static void hls_free_variant_streams(struct HLSContext *hls)
         if (vtt_oc) {
             av_freep(&vs->vtt_basename);
             av_freep(&vs->vtt_m3u8_name);
-            avformat_free_context(vtt_oc);
+            avformat_free_context(&vtt_oc);
         }
 
-        avformat_free_context(vs->avf);
+        avformat_free_context(&vs->avf);
 
         hls_free_segments(vs->segments);
         hls_free_segments(vs->old_segments);
diff --git a/libavformat/img2enc.c b/libavformat/img2enc.c
index bec4bf81dd..70f8cda706 100644
--- a/libavformat/img2enc.c
+++ b/libavformat/img2enc.c
@@ -162,7 +162,7 @@ static int write_packet(AVFormatContext *s, AVPacket *pkt)
             return ret;
         st = avformat_new_stream(fmt, NULL);
         if (!st) {
-            avformat_free_context(fmt);
+            avformat_free_context(&fmt);
             return AVERROR(ENOMEM);
         }
         st->id = pkt->stream_index;
@@ -174,11 +174,11 @@ static int write_packet(AVFormatContext *s, AVPacket *pkt)
             (ret = av_interleaved_write_frame(fmt, &pkt2))                < 0 ||
             (ret = av_write_trailer(fmt))                                 < 0) {
             av_packet_unref(&pkt2);
-            avformat_free_context(fmt);
+            avformat_free_context(&fmt);
             return ret;
         }
         av_packet_unref(&pkt2);
-        avformat_free_context(fmt);
+        avformat_free_context(&fmt);
     } else {
         avio_write(pb[0], pkt->data, pkt->size);
     }
diff --git a/libavformat/mov.c b/libavformat/mov.c
index 7553a7fdfc..c514bbeaef 100644
--- a/libavformat/mov.c
+++ b/libavformat/mov.c
@@ -7290,7 +7290,7 @@ static int mov_read_close(AVFormatContext *s)
     }
 
     if (mov->dv_demux) {
-        avformat_free_context(mov->dv_fctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&mov->dv_fctx);
         mov->dv_fctx = NULL;
     }
 
diff --git a/libavformat/movenchint.c b/libavformat/movenchint.c
index 964026ec71..f010b85ee5 100644
--- a/libavformat/movenchint.c
+++ b/libavformat/movenchint.c
@@ -468,5 +468,5 @@ void ff_mov_close_hinting(MOVTrack *track)
         av_write_trailer(rtp_ctx);
         ffio_free_dyn_buf(&rtp_ctx->pb);
     }
-    avformat_free_context(rtp_ctx);
+    avformat_free_context(&rtp_ctx);
 }
diff --git a/libavformat/mpegtsenc.c b/libavformat/mpegtsenc.c
index 9f8f1715c9..ce7781f919 100644
--- a/libavformat/mpegtsenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/mpegtsenc.c
@@ -1814,7 +1814,7 @@ static void mpegts_deinit(AVFormatContext *s)
         if (ts_st) {
             av_freep(&ts_st->payload);
             if (ts_st->amux) {
-                avformat_free_context(ts_st->amux);
+                avformat_free_context(&ts_st->amux);
                 ts_st->amux = NULL;
             }
         }
diff --git a/libavformat/mux.c b/libavformat/mux.c
index 411cca3fb2..5e3cac7d13 100644
--- a/libavformat/mux.c
+++ b/libavformat/mux.c
@@ -202,7 +202,7 @@ nomem:
     av_log(s, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Out of memory\n");
     ret = AVERROR(ENOMEM);
 error:
-    avformat_free_context(s);
+    avformat_free_context(&s);
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/libavformat/rtpenc_chain.c b/libavformat/rtpenc_chain.c
index e6b603db70..f3ff4f55db 100644
--- a/libavformat/rtpenc_chain.c
+++ b/libavformat/rtpenc_chain.c
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ int ff_rtp_chain_mux_open(AVFormatContext **out, AVFormatContext *s,
         } else if (rtpctx->pb) {
             ffio_free_dyn_buf(&rtpctx->pb);
         }
-        avformat_free_context(rtpctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&rtpctx);
         return ret;
     }
 
@@ -102,7 +102,7 @@ int ff_rtp_chain_mux_open(AVFormatContext **out, AVFormatContext *s,
     return 0;
 
 fail:
-    avformat_free_context(rtpctx);
+    avformat_free_context(&rtpctx);
     if (handle)
         ffurl_close(handle);
     return ret;
diff --git a/libavformat/rtpenc_mpegts.c b/libavformat/rtpenc_mpegts.c
index 7d7377db7a..59750785ce 100644
--- a/libavformat/rtpenc_mpegts.c
+++ b/libavformat/rtpenc_mpegts.c
@@ -35,11 +35,11 @@ static int rtp_mpegts_write_close(AVFormatContext *s)
     if (chain->mpegts_ctx) {
         av_write_trailer(chain->mpegts_ctx);
         ffio_free_dyn_buf(&chain->mpegts_ctx->pb);
-        avformat_free_context(chain->mpegts_ctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&chain->mpegts_ctx);
     }
     if (chain->rtp_ctx) {
         av_write_trailer(chain->rtp_ctx);
-        avformat_free_context(chain->rtp_ctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&chain->rtp_ctx);
     }
     return 0;
 }
@@ -104,9 +104,9 @@ fail:
     if (mpegts_ctx) {
         ffio_free_dyn_buf(&mpegts_ctx->pb);
         av_dict_free(&mpegts_ctx->metadata);
-        avformat_free_context(mpegts_ctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&mpegts_ctx);
     }
-    avformat_free_context(rtp_ctx);
+    avformat_free_context(&rtp_ctx);
     rtp_mpegts_write_close(s);
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/libavformat/rtsp.c b/libavformat/rtsp.c
index 859defa592..f99fbebed7 100644
--- a/libavformat/rtsp.c
+++ b/libavformat/rtsp.c
@@ -755,7 +755,7 @@ void ff_rtsp_undo_setup(AVFormatContext *s, int send_packets)
                 } else {
                     avio_closep(&rtpctx->pb);
                 }
-                avformat_free_context(rtpctx);
+                avformat_free_context(&rtpctx);
             } else if (CONFIG_RTPDEC && rt->transport == RTSP_TRANSPORT_RDT)
                 ff_rdt_parse_close(rtsp_st->transport_priv);
             else if (CONFIG_RTPDEC && rt->transport == RTSP_TRANSPORT_RTP)
diff --git a/libavformat/sapenc.c b/libavformat/sapenc.c
index f9afab0c33..2e18f06829 100644
--- a/libavformat/sapenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/sapenc.c
@@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ static int sap_write_close(AVFormatContext *s)
             continue;
         av_write_trailer(rtpctx);
         avio_closep(&rtpctx->pb);
-        avformat_free_context(rtpctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&rtpctx);
         s->streams[i]->priv_data = NULL;
     }
 
diff --git a/libavformat/segment.c b/libavformat/segment.c
index e3082063d8..b8a25aed9d 100644
--- a/libavformat/segment.c
+++ b/libavformat/segment.c
@@ -244,7 +244,7 @@ static int segment_start(AVFormatContext *s, int write_header)
     int err = 0;
 
     if (write_header) {
-        avformat_free_context(oc);
+        avformat_free_context(&oc);
         seg->avf = NULL;
         if ((err = segment_mux_init(s)) < 0)
             return err;
@@ -662,7 +662,7 @@ static void seg_free(AVFormatContext *s)
 {
     SegmentContext *seg = s->priv_data;
     ff_format_io_close(seg->avf, &seg->list_pb);
-    avformat_free_context(seg->avf);
+    avformat_free_context(&seg->avf);
     seg->avf = NULL;
 }
 
@@ -1031,7 +1031,7 @@ fail:
         cur = next;
     }
 
-    avformat_free_context(oc);
+    avformat_free_context(&oc);
     seg->avf = NULL;
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/libavformat/smoothstreamingenc.c b/libavformat/smoothstreamingenc.c
index 2faf1e7897..c9279f2d77 100644
--- a/libavformat/smoothstreamingenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/smoothstreamingenc.c
@@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ static void ism_free(AVFormatContext *s)
             av_write_trailer(os->ctx);
         if (os->ctx && os->ctx->pb)
             avio_context_free(&os->ctx->pb);
-        avformat_free_context(os->ctx);
+        avformat_free_context(&os->ctx);
         av_freep(&os->private_str);
         for (j = 0; j < os->nb_fragments; j++)
             av_freep(&os->fragments[j]);
diff --git a/libavformat/tee.c b/libavformat/tee.c
index d91993354b..6d252cb396 100644
--- a/libavformat/tee.c
+++ b/libavformat/tee.c
@@ -140,7 +140,7 @@ static int close_slave(TeeSlave *tee_slave)
     av_freep(&tee_slave->bsfs);
 
     ff_format_io_close(avf, &avf->pb);
-    avformat_free_context(avf);
+    avformat_free_context(&avf);
     tee_slave->avf = NULL;
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/libavformat/tests/fifo_muxer.c b/libavformat/tests/fifo_muxer.c
index 5127a8aadb..80effb1a7c 100644
--- a/libavformat/tests/fifo_muxer.c
+++ b/libavformat/tests/fifo_muxer.c
@@ -236,7 +236,7 @@ static int run_test(const TestCase *test)
 
 end:
     printf("%s: %s\n", test->test_name, ret < 0 ? "fail" : "ok");
-    avformat_free_context(oc);
+    avformat_free_context(&oc);
     av_dict_free(&opts);
     return ret;
 }
diff --git a/libavformat/tests/movenc.c b/libavformat/tests/movenc.c
index 1d15d97ad9..3da0abcf68 100644
--- a/libavformat/tests/movenc.c
+++ b/libavformat/tests/movenc.c
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ static void finish(void)
 {
     av_write_trailer(ctx);
     avio_context_free(&ctx->pb);
-    avformat_free_context(ctx);
+    avformat_free_context(&ctx);
     ctx = NULL;
 }
 
diff --git a/libavformat/utils.c b/libavformat/utils.c
index 0461aa83ec..67e083a2f6 100644
--- a/libavformat/utils.c
+++ b/libavformat/utils.c
@@ -685,7 +685,7 @@ fail:
     av_dict_free(&tmp);
     if (s->pb && !(s->flags & AVFMT_FLAG_CUSTOM_IO))
         avio_closep(&s->pb);
-    avformat_free_context(s);
+    avformat_free_context(&s);
     *ps = NULL;
     return ret;
 }
@@ -4430,9 +4430,10 @@ void ff_free_stream(AVFormatContext *s, AVStream *st)
     free_stream(&s->streams[ --s->nb_streams ]);
 }
 
-void avformat_free_context(AVFormatContext *s)
+void avformat_free_context(AVFormatContext **in)
 {
     int i;
+    AVFormatContext *s = *in;
 
     if (!s)
         return;
@@ -4468,8 +4469,7 @@ void avformat_free_context(AVFormatContext *s)
     flush_packet_queue(s);
     av_freep(&s->internal);
     av_freep(&s->url);
-    av_free(s);
-    s = NULL;
+    av_freep(&s);
 }
 
 void avformat_close_input(AVFormatContext **ps)
@@ -4493,7 +4493,7 @@ void avformat_close_input(AVFormatContext **ps)
         if (s->iformat->read_close)
             s->iformat->read_close(s);
 
-    avformat_free_context(s);
+    avformat_free_context(&s);
 
     *ps = NULL;
 
diff --git a/libavformat/webm_chunk.c b/libavformat/webm_chunk.c
index 4e2ce21a79..278b8379b4 100644
--- a/libavformat/webm_chunk.c
+++ b/libavformat/webm_chunk.c
@@ -258,7 +258,7 @@ static int webm_chunk_write_trailer(AVFormatContext *s)
 fail:
     oc->streams = NULL;
     oc->nb_streams = 0;
-    avformat_free_context(oc);
+    avformat_free_context(&oc);
     return ret;
 }
 
diff --git a/tools/target_dem_fuzzer.c b/tools/target_dem_fuzzer.c
index 409599636d..eb54091273 100644
--- a/tools/target_dem_fuzzer.c
+++ b/tools/target_dem_fuzzer.c
@@ -136,7 +136,7 @@ int LLVMFuzzerTestOneInput(const uint8_t *data, size_t size) {
     if (ret < 0) {
         av_freep(&fuzzed_pb->buffer);
         av_freep(&fuzzed_pb);
-        avformat_free_context(avfmt);
+        avformat_free_context(&avfmt);
         return 0;
     }
 
diff --git a/tools/uncoded_frame.c b/tools/uncoded_frame.c
index 3f850d344d..5903382df4 100644
--- a/tools/uncoded_frame.c
+++ b/tools/uncoded_frame.c
@@ -264,7 +264,7 @@ fail:
             if (st->mux) {
                 if (st->mux->pb)
                     avio_closep(&st->mux->pb);
-                avformat_free_context(st->mux);
+                avformat_free_context(&st->mux);
             }
         }
     }
