diff --git a/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88-blackbird.c b/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88-blackbird.c
index ae77450f126bb79d6bdc0cc97ef0fbb4d584ef5c..d3ae5b4dfca72e9141658df38d17cb2f38d53b2e 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88-blackbird.c
+++ b/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88-blackbird.c
@@ -1078,7 +1078,7 @@ static int mpeg_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 		}
 	}
 
-	if (blackbird_initialize_codec(dev) < 0) {
+	if (!atomic_read(&dev->core->mpeg_users) && blackbird_initialize_codec(dev) < 0) {
 		if (drv)
 			drv->request_release(drv);
 		unlock_kernel();
@@ -1109,6 +1109,8 @@ static int mpeg_open(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 			fh->mpegq.field);
 	unlock_kernel();
 
+	atomic_inc(&dev->core->mpeg_users);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -1118,7 +1120,7 @@ static int mpeg_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	struct cx8802_dev *dev = fh->dev;
 	struct cx8802_driver *drv = NULL;
 
-	if (dev->mpeg_active)
+	if (dev->mpeg_active && atomic_read(&dev->core->mpeg_users) == 1)
 		blackbird_stop_codec(dev);
 
 	cx8802_cancel_buffers(fh->dev);
@@ -1138,6 +1140,8 @@ static int mpeg_release(struct inode *inode, struct file *file)
 	if (drv)
 		drv->request_release(drv);
 
+	atomic_dec(&dev->core->mpeg_users);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88.h b/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88.h
index 76207c2856b7d45b70f0c1048749e47bbe134430..f4240965be32cb24f07e013c75382e375ac407a3 100644
--- a/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88.h
+++ b/drivers/media/video/cx88/cx88.h
@@ -352,6 +352,7 @@ struct cx88_core {
 	/* various v4l controls */
 	u32                        freq;
 	atomic_t		   users;
+	atomic_t                   mpeg_users;
 
 	/* cx88-video needs to access cx8802 for hybrid tuner pll access. */
 	struct cx8802_dev          *dvbdev;