diff --git a/doc/encoders.texi b/doc/encoders.texi
index e23b6b3..5022b94 100644
--- a/doc/encoders.texi
+++ b/doc/encoders.texi
@@ -2753,6 +2753,14 @@ For maximum compatibility, use @samp{component}.
 @item a53cc @var{boolean}
 Import closed captions (which must be ATSC compatible format) into output.
 Default is 1 (on).
+@item profile @var{integer}
+Select the mpeg2 profile to encode, possible values:
+@table @samp
+@item 422
+@item high
+@item main
+@item simple
+@end table
 @end table
 
 @section png
diff --git a/libavcodec/mpeg12enc.c b/libavcodec/mpeg12enc.c
index 643ba81..2f4c889 100644
--- a/libavcodec/mpeg12enc.c
+++ b/libavcodec/mpeg12enc.c
@@ -156,23 +156,30 @@ static av_cold int encode_init(AVCodecContext *avctx)
         }
     }
 
-    if (avctx->profile == FF_PROFILE_UNKNOWN) {
+    if (avctx->profile != FF_PROFILE_UNKNOWN)
+        s->profile = avctx->profile;
+
+    if (s->profile == FF_PROFILE_UNKNOWN) {
         if (avctx->level != FF_LEVEL_UNKNOWN) {
             av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Set profile and level\n");
             return -1;
         }
         /* Main or 4:2:2 */
         avctx->profile = s->chroma_format == CHROMA_420 ? FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_MAIN : FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_422;
+        s->profile = s->chroma_format == CHROMA_420 ? FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_MAIN : FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_422;
+    } else if (s->profile < FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_422) {
+        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Invalid mpeg2 profile set\n");
+        return -1;
     }
 
     if (avctx->level == FF_LEVEL_UNKNOWN) {
-        if (avctx->profile == FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_422) {   /* 4:2:2 */
+        if (s->profile == FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_422) {   /* 4:2:2 */
             if (avctx->width <= 720 && avctx->height <= 608)
                 avctx->level = 5;                   /* Main */
             else
                 avctx->level = 2;                   /* High */
         } else {
-            if (avctx->profile != FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_HIGH && s->chroma_format != CHROMA_420) {
+            if (s->profile != FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_HIGH && s->chroma_format != CHROMA_420) {
                 av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR,
                        "Only High(1) and 4:2:2(0) profiles support 4:2:2 color sampling\n");
                 return -1;
@@ -321,9 +328,9 @@ static void mpeg1_encode_sequence_header(MpegEncContext *s)
             put_header(s, EXT_START_CODE);
             put_bits(&s->pb, 4, 1);                 // seq ext
 
-            put_bits(&s->pb, 1, s->avctx->profile == FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_422); // escx 1 for 4:2:2 profile
+            put_bits(&s->pb, 1, s->profile == FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_422); // escx 1 for 4:2:2 profile
 
-            put_bits(&s->pb, 3, s->avctx->profile); // profile
+            put_bits(&s->pb, 3, s->profile); // profile
             put_bits(&s->pb, 4, s->avctx->level);   // level
 
             put_bits(&s->pb, 1, s->progressive_sequence);
@@ -1165,6 +1172,11 @@ static const AVOption mpeg2_options[] = {
     {     "secam",        NULL, 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST,  {.i64 = VIDEO_FORMAT_SECAM      },  0, 0, VE, "video_format" },
     {     "mac",          NULL, 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST,  {.i64 = VIDEO_FORMAT_MAC        },  0, 0, VE, "video_format" },
     {     "unspecified",  NULL, 0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST,  {.i64 = VIDEO_FORMAT_UNSPECIFIED},  0, 0, VE, "video_format" },
+    { "profile",          "Set the profile",  OFFSET(profile),   AV_OPT_TYPE_INT,{ .i64 = FF_PROFILE_UNKNOWN }, FF_PROFILE_UNKNOWN, FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_SIMPLE, VE, "profile" },
+    {     "422",          "",   0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST,{ .i64 = FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_422     }, 0, 0, VE, "profile" },
+    {     "high",         "",   0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST,{ .i64 = FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_HIGH    }, 0, 0, VE, "profile" },
+    {     "main",         "",   0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST,{ .i64 = FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_MAIN    }, 0, 0, VE, "profile" },
+    {     "simple",       "",   0, AV_OPT_TYPE_CONST,{ .i64 = FF_PROFILE_MPEG2_SIMPLE  }, 0, 0, VE, "profile" },
     FF_MPV_COMMON_OPTS
     { NULL },
 };
diff --git a/libavcodec/mpegvideo.h b/libavcodec/mpegvideo.h
index 29e692f..cee423e 100644
--- a/libavcodec/mpegvideo.h
+++ b/libavcodec/mpegvideo.h
@@ -456,6 +456,7 @@ typedef struct MpegEncContext {
     int progressive_sequence;
     int mpeg_f_code[2][2];
     int a53_cc;
+    int profile;
 
     // picture structure defines are loaded from mpegutils.h
     int picture_structure;
