diff --git a/libavfilter/avfilter.c b/libavfilter/avfilter.c
index a3f8c403c3..52ef5ca9a4 100644
--- a/libavfilter/avfilter.c
+++ b/libavfilter/avfilter.c
@@ -208,15 +208,17 @@ void avfilter_link_free(AVFilterLink **link)
     av_freep(link);
 }
 
-static void update_link_current_pts(AVFilterLink *link, int64_t pts)
+static void update_link_current_pts(FilterLinkInternal *li, int64_t pts)
 {
+    AVFilterLink *const link = &li->l;
+
     if (pts == AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
         return;
     link->current_pts = pts;
     link->current_pts_us = av_rescale_q(pts, link->time_base, AV_TIME_BASE_Q);
     /* TODO use duration */
-    if (link->graph && link->age_index >= 0)
-        ff_avfilter_graph_update_heap(link->graph, link);
+    if (link->graph && li->age_index >= 0)
+        ff_avfilter_graph_update_heap(link->graph, li);
 }
 
 void ff_filter_set_ready(AVFilterContext *filter, unsigned priority)
@@ -266,7 +268,7 @@ static void link_set_out_status(AVFilterLink *link, int status, int64_t pts)
     av_assert0(!li->status_out);
     li->status_out = status;
     if (pts != AV_NOPTS_VALUE)
-        update_link_current_pts(link, pts);
+        update_link_current_pts(li, pts);
     filter_unblock(link->dst);
     ff_filter_set_ready(link->src, 200);
 }
@@ -1393,7 +1395,7 @@ int ff_inlink_acknowledge_status(AVFilterLink *link, int *rstatus, int64_t *rpts
     if (!li->status_in)
         return *rstatus = 0;
     *rstatus = li->status_out = li->status_in;
-    update_link_current_pts(link, li->status_in_pts);
+    update_link_current_pts(li, li->status_in_pts);
     *rpts = link->current_pts;
     return 1;
 }
@@ -1424,9 +1426,10 @@ int ff_inlink_check_available_samples(AVFilterLink *link, unsigned min)
     return samples >= min || (li->status_in && samples);
 }
 
-static void consume_update(AVFilterLink *link, const AVFrame *frame)
+static void consume_update(FilterLinkInternal *li, const AVFrame *frame)
 {
-    update_link_current_pts(link, frame->pts);
+    AVFilterLink *const link = &li->l;
+    update_link_current_pts(li, frame->pts);
     ff_inlink_process_commands(link, frame);
     link->dst->is_disabled = !ff_inlink_evaluate_timeline_at_frame(link, frame);
     link->frame_count_out++;
@@ -1448,7 +1451,7 @@ int ff_inlink_consume_frame(AVFilterLink *link, AVFrame **rframe)
     }
 
     frame = ff_framequeue_take(&li->fifo);
-    consume_update(link, frame);
+    consume_update(li, frame);
     *rframe = frame;
     return 1;
 }
@@ -1469,7 +1472,7 @@ int ff_inlink_consume_samples(AVFilterLink *link, unsigned min, unsigned max,
     ret = take_samples(li, min, max, &frame);
     if (ret < 0)
         return ret;
-    consume_update(link, frame);
+    consume_update(li, frame);
     *rframe = frame;
     return 1;
 }
diff --git a/libavfilter/avfilter.h b/libavfilter/avfilter.h
index 5c6e34e8fc..9252713ae2 100644
--- a/libavfilter/avfilter.h
+++ b/libavfilter/avfilter.h
@@ -628,11 +628,6 @@ struct AVFilterLink {
      */
     int64_t current_pts_us;
 
-    /**
-     * Index in the age array.
-     */
-    int age_index;
-
     /**
      * Frame rate of the stream on the link, or 1/0 if unknown or variable;
      * if left to 0/0, will be automatically copied from the first input
diff --git a/libavfilter/avfilter_internal.h b/libavfilter/avfilter_internal.h
index 72712608e7..5ad44ca866 100644
--- a/libavfilter/avfilter_internal.h
+++ b/libavfilter/avfilter_internal.h
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ typedef struct FFFilterGraph {
      */
     AVFilterGraph p;
 
-    AVFilterLink **sink_links;
+    struct FilterLinkInternal **sink_links;
     int sink_links_count;
 
     unsigned disable_auto_convert;
@@ -60,7 +60,8 @@ static inline FFFilterGraph *fffiltergraph(AVFilterGraph *graph)
 /**
  * Update the position of a link in the age heap.
  */
-void ff_avfilter_graph_update_heap(AVFilterGraph *graph, AVFilterLink *link);
+void ff_avfilter_graph_update_heap(AVFilterGraph *graph,
+                                   struct FilterLinkInternal *li);
 
 /**
  * Allocate a new filter context and return it.
diff --git a/libavfilter/avfiltergraph.c b/libavfilter/avfiltergraph.c
index 5278cf2010..9c91953cc9 100644
--- a/libavfilter/avfiltergraph.c
+++ b/libavfilter/avfiltergraph.c
@@ -1286,17 +1286,17 @@ static int graph_config_pointers(AVFilterGraph *graph, void *log_ctx)
     unsigned i, j;
     int sink_links_count = 0, n = 0;
     AVFilterContext *f;
-    AVFilterLink **sinks;
+    FilterLinkInternal **sinks;
 
     for (i = 0; i < graph->nb_filters; i++) {
         f = graph->filters[i];
         for (j = 0; j < f->nb_inputs; j++) {
             f->inputs[j]->graph     = graph;
-            f->inputs[j]->age_index = -1;
+            ff_link_internal(f->inputs[j])->age_index  = -1;
         }
         for (j = 0; j < f->nb_outputs; j++) {
             f->outputs[j]->graph    = graph;
-            f->outputs[j]->age_index= -1;
+            ff_link_internal(f->outputs[j])->age_index = -1;
         }
         if (!f->nb_outputs) {
             if (f->nb_inputs > INT_MAX - sink_links_count)
@@ -1311,8 +1311,9 @@ static int graph_config_pointers(AVFilterGraph *graph, void *log_ctx)
         f = graph->filters[i];
         if (!f->nb_outputs) {
             for (j = 0; j < f->nb_inputs; j++) {
-                sinks[n] = f->inputs[j];
-                f->inputs[j]->age_index = n++;
+                sinks[n] = ff_link_internal(f->inputs[j]);
+                sinks[n]->age_index = n;
+                n++;
             }
         }
     }
@@ -1402,28 +1403,28 @@ int avfilter_graph_queue_command(AVFilterGraph *graph, const char *target, const
 }
 
 static void heap_bubble_up(FFFilterGraph *graph,
-                           AVFilterLink *link, int index)
+                           FilterLinkInternal *li, int index)
 {
-    AVFilterLink **links = graph->sink_links;
+    FilterLinkInternal **links = graph->sink_links;
 
     av_assert0(index >= 0);
 
     while (index) {
         int parent = (index - 1) >> 1;
-        if (links[parent]->current_pts_us >= link->current_pts_us)
+        if (links[parent]->l.current_pts_us >= li->l.current_pts_us)
             break;
         links[index] = links[parent];
         links[index]->age_index = index;
         index = parent;
     }
-    links[index] = link;
-    link->age_index = index;
+    links[index] = li;
+    li->age_index = index;
 }
 
 static void heap_bubble_down(FFFilterGraph *graph,
-                             AVFilterLink *link, int index)
+                             FilterLinkInternal *li, int index)
 {
-    AVFilterLink **links = graph->sink_links;
+    FilterLinkInternal **links = graph->sink_links;
 
     av_assert0(index >= 0);
 
@@ -1432,34 +1433,37 @@ static void heap_bubble_down(FFFilterGraph *graph,
         if (child >= graph->sink_links_count)
             break;
         if (child + 1 < graph->sink_links_count &&
-            links[child + 1]->current_pts_us < links[child]->current_pts_us)
+            links[child + 1]->l.current_pts_us < links[child]->l.current_pts_us)
             child++;
-        if (link->current_pts_us < links[child]->current_pts_us)
+        if (li->l.current_pts_us < links[child]->l.current_pts_us)
             break;
         links[index] = links[child];
         links[index]->age_index = index;
         index = child;
     }
-    links[index] = link;
-    link->age_index = index;
+    links[index] = li;
+    li->age_index = index;
 }
 
-void ff_avfilter_graph_update_heap(AVFilterGraph *graph, AVFilterLink *link)
+void ff_avfilter_graph_update_heap(AVFilterGraph *graph, FilterLinkInternal *li)
 {
-    FFFilterGraph *graphi = fffiltergraph(graph);
-    heap_bubble_up  (graphi, link, link->age_index);
-    heap_bubble_down(graphi, link, link->age_index);
+    FFFilterGraph  *graphi = fffiltergraph(graph);
+
+    heap_bubble_up  (graphi, li, li->age_index);
+    heap_bubble_down(graphi, li, li->age_index);
 }
 
 int avfilter_graph_request_oldest(AVFilterGraph *graph)
 {
     FFFilterGraph *graphi = fffiltergraph(graph);
-    AVFilterLink *oldest = graphi->sink_links[0];
+    FilterLinkInternal *oldesti = graphi->sink_links[0];
+    AVFilterLink *oldest = &oldesti->l;
     int64_t frame_count;
     int r;
 
     while (graphi->sink_links_count) {
-        oldest = graphi->sink_links[0];
+        oldesti = graphi->sink_links[0];
+        oldest  = &oldesti->l;
         if (oldest->dst->filter->activate) {
             r = av_buffersink_get_frame_flags(oldest->dst, NULL,
                                               AV_BUFFERSINK_FLAG_PEEK);
@@ -1474,22 +1478,21 @@ int avfilter_graph_request_oldest(AVFilterGraph *graph)
                oldest->dst->name,
                oldest->dstpad->name);
         /* EOF: remove the link from the heap */
-        if (oldest->age_index < --graphi->sink_links_count)
+        if (oldesti->age_index < --graphi->sink_links_count)
             heap_bubble_down(graphi, graphi->sink_links[graphi->sink_links_count],
-                             oldest->age_index);
-        oldest->age_index = -1;
+                             oldesti->age_index);
+        oldesti->age_index = -1;
     }
     if (!graphi->sink_links_count)
         return AVERROR_EOF;
     av_assert1(!oldest->dst->filter->activate);
-    av_assert1(oldest->age_index >= 0);
+    av_assert1(oldesti->age_index >= 0);
     frame_count = oldest->frame_count_out;
     while (frame_count == oldest->frame_count_out) {
-        FilterLinkInternal * const li = ff_link_internal(oldest);
         r = ff_filter_graph_run_once(graph);
         if (r == AVERROR(EAGAIN) &&
-            !oldest->frame_wanted_out && !li->frame_blocked_in &&
-            !li->status_in)
+            !oldest->frame_wanted_out && !oldesti->frame_blocked_in &&
+            !oldesti->status_in)
             ff_request_frame(oldest);
         else if (r < 0)
             return r;
diff --git a/libavfilter/link_internal.h b/libavfilter/link_internal.h
index 030eb24765..57efd44a45 100644
--- a/libavfilter/link_internal.h
+++ b/libavfilter/link_internal.h
@@ -60,6 +60,11 @@ typedef struct FilterLinkInternal {
      */
     int status_out;
 
+    /**
+     * Index in the age array.
+     */
+    int age_index;
+
     /** stage of the initialization of the link properties (dimensions, etc) */
     enum {
         AVLINK_UNINIT = 0,      ///< not started
