diff --git a/libavutil/frame.c b/libavutil/frame.c
index b0ceaf7145..09149721c0 100644
--- a/libavutil/frame.c
+++ b/libavutil/frame.c
@@ -244,22 +244,39 @@ static int get_audio_buffer(AVFrame *frame, int align)
 }
 
 int av_frame_get_buffer(AVFrame *frame, int align)
+{
+    if (frame->width > 0 && frame->height > 0)
+        return av_frame_get_buffer2(frame, AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO, align);
+    else if (frame->nb_samples > 0 && (frame->channel_layout || frame->channels > 0))
+        return av_frame_get_buffer2(frame, AVMEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO, align);
+
+    return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+}
+
+int av_frame_get_buffer2(AVFrame *frame, enum AVMediaType type, int align)
 {
     if (frame->format < 0)
         return AVERROR(EINVAL);
 
-    if (frame->width > 0 && frame->height > 0)
+    frame->type = type;
+
+    switch(frame->type) {
+    case AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO:
         return get_video_buffer(frame, align);
-    else if (frame->nb_samples > 0 && (frame->channel_layout || frame->channels > 0))
+    case AVMEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO:
         return get_audio_buffer(frame, align);
-
-    return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+    case AVMEDIA_TYPE_SUBTITLE:
+        return 0;
+    default:
+        return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+    }
 }
 
 static int frame_copy_props(AVFrame *dst, const AVFrame *src, int force_copy)
 {
     int ret, i;
 
+    dst->type                   = src->type;
     dst->key_frame              = src->key_frame;
     dst->pict_type              = src->pict_type;
     dst->sample_aspect_ratio    = src->sample_aspect_ratio;
@@ -331,6 +348,7 @@ int av_frame_ref(AVFrame *dst, const AVFrame *src)
     av_assert1(dst->width == 0 && dst->height == 0);
     av_assert1(dst->channels == 0);
 
+    dst->type           = src->type;
     dst->format         = src->format;
     dst->width          = src->width;
     dst->height         = src->height;
@@ -344,7 +362,7 @@ int av_frame_ref(AVFrame *dst, const AVFrame *src)
 
     /* duplicate the frame data if it's not refcounted */
     if (!src->buf[0]) {
-        ret = av_frame_get_buffer(dst, 0);
+        ret = av_frame_get_buffer2(dst, dst->type, 0);
         if (ret < 0)
             goto fail;
 
@@ -499,6 +517,7 @@ int av_frame_make_writable(AVFrame *frame)
         return 0;
 
     memset(&tmp, 0, sizeof(tmp));
+    tmp.type           = frame->type;
     tmp.format         = frame->format;
     tmp.width          = frame->width;
     tmp.height         = frame->height;
@@ -509,7 +528,7 @@ int av_frame_make_writable(AVFrame *frame)
     if (frame->hw_frames_ctx)
         ret = av_hwframe_get_buffer(frame->hw_frames_ctx, &tmp, 0);
     else
-        ret = av_frame_get_buffer(&tmp, 0);
+        ret = av_frame_get_buffer2(&tmp, tmp.type, 0);
     if (ret < 0)
         return ret;
 
@@ -544,14 +563,22 @@ AVBufferRef *av_frame_get_plane_buffer(AVFrame *frame, int plane)
     uint8_t *data;
     int planes, i;
 
-    if (frame->nb_samples) {
-        int channels = frame->channels;
-        if (!channels)
-            return NULL;
-        CHECK_CHANNELS_CONSISTENCY(frame);
-        planes = av_sample_fmt_is_planar(frame->format) ? channels : 1;
-    } else
+    switch(frame->type) {
+    case AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO:
         planes = 4;
+        break;
+    case AVMEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO:
+        {
+            int channels = frame->channels;
+            if (!channels)
+                return NULL;
+            CHECK_CHANNELS_CONSISTENCY(frame);
+            planes = av_sample_fmt_is_planar(frame->format) ? channels : 1;
+            break;
+        }
+    default:
+        return NULL;
+    }
 
     if (plane < 0 || plane >= planes || !frame->extended_data[plane])
         return NULL;
@@ -675,17 +702,34 @@ static int frame_copy_audio(AVFrame *dst, const AVFrame *src)
     return 0;
 }
 
+static int frame_copy_subtitles(AVFrame *dst, const AVFrame *src)
+{
+    dst->type = AVMEDIA_TYPE_SUBTITLE;
+    dst->format = src->format;
+
+    if (src->buf[0]) {
+        dst->buf[0] = av_buffer_ref(src->buf[0]);
+        dst->data[0] = src->data[0];
+    }
+
+    return 0;
+}
+
 int av_frame_copy(AVFrame *dst, const AVFrame *src)
 {
     if (dst->format != src->format || dst->format < 0)
         return AVERROR(EINVAL);
 
-    if (dst->width > 0 && dst->height > 0)
+    switch(dst->type) {
+    case AVMEDIA_TYPE_VIDEO:
         return frame_copy_video(dst, src);
-    else if (dst->nb_samples > 0 && dst->channels > 0)
+    case AVMEDIA_TYPE_AUDIO:
         return frame_copy_audio(dst, src);
-
-    return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+    case AVMEDIA_TYPE_SUBTITLE:
+        return frame_copy_subtitles(dst, src);
+    default:
+        return AVERROR(EINVAL);
+    }
 }
 
 void av_frame_remove_side_data(AVFrame *frame, enum AVFrameSideDataType type)
diff --git a/libavutil/frame.h b/libavutil/frame.h
index ff2540a20f..c104815df9 100644
--- a/libavutil/frame.h
+++ b/libavutil/frame.h
@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ typedef struct AVRegionOfInterest {
 } AVRegionOfInterest;
 
 /**
- * This structure describes decoded (raw) audio or video data.
+ * This structure describes decoded (raw) audio, video or subtitle data.
  *
  * AVFrame must be allocated using av_frame_alloc(). Note that this only
  * allocates the AVFrame itself, the buffers for the data must be managed
@@ -302,6 +302,13 @@ typedef struct AVRegionOfInterest {
  */
 typedef struct AVFrame {
 #define AV_NUM_DATA_POINTERS 8
+    /**
+     * Media type of the frame (audio, video, subtitles..)
+     *
+     * See AVMEDIA_TYPE_xxx
+     */
+    enum AVMediaType type;
+
     /**
      * pointer to the picture/channel planes.
      * This might be different from the first allocated byte
@@ -371,7 +378,7 @@ typedef struct AVFrame {
     /**
      * format of the frame, -1 if unknown or unset
      * Values correspond to enum AVPixelFormat for video frames,
-     * enum AVSampleFormat for audio)
+     * enum AVSampleFormat for audio, AVSubtitleType for subtitles)
      */
     int format;
 
@@ -721,6 +728,8 @@ void av_frame_move_ref(AVFrame *dst, AVFrame *src);
 /**
  * Allocate new buffer(s) for audio or video data.
  *
+ * Note: For subtitle data, use av_frame_get_buffer2
+ *
  * The following fields must be set on frame before calling this function:
  * - format (pixel format for video, sample format for audio)
  * - width and height for video
@@ -743,6 +752,32 @@ void av_frame_move_ref(AVFrame *dst, AVFrame *src);
  */
 int av_frame_get_buffer(AVFrame *frame, int align);
 
+/**
+ * Allocate new buffer(s) for audio, video or subtitle data.
+ *
+ * The following fields must be set on frame before calling this function:
+ * - format (pixel format for video, sample format for audio)
+ * - width and height for video
+ * - nb_samples and channel_layout for audio
+ *
+ * This function will fill AVFrame.data and AVFrame.buf arrays and, if
+ * necessary, allocate and fill AVFrame.extended_data and AVFrame.extended_buf.
+ * For planar formats, one buffer will be allocated for each plane.
+ *
+ * @warning: if frame already has been allocated, calling this function will
+ *           leak memory. In addition, undefined behavior can occur in certain
+ *           cases.
+ *
+ * @param frame frame in which to store the new buffers.
+ * @param type  media type to set for the frame.
+ * @param align Required buffer size alignment. If equal to 0, alignment will be
+ *              chosen automatically for the current CPU. It is highly
+ *              recommended to pass 0 here unless you know what you are doing.
+ *
+ * @return 0 on success, a negative AVERROR on error.
+ */
+int av_frame_get_buffer2(AVFrame *frame, enum AVMediaType type, int align);
+
 /**
  * Check if the frame data is writable.
  *
diff --git a/libavutil/version.h b/libavutil/version.h
index f220e192c8..2b5ac540a4 100644
--- a/libavutil/version.h
+++ b/libavutil/version.h
@@ -79,7 +79,7 @@
  */
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR  57
-#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR   5
+#define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MINOR   6
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MICRO 100
 
 #define LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_INT   AV_VERSION_INT(LIBAVUTIL_VERSION_MAJOR, \
