--- a/mobile/android/geckoview/src/main/java/org/mozilla/gecko/media/Codec.java
+++ b/mobile/android/geckoview/src/main/java/org/mozilla/gecko/media/Codec.java
@@ -355,17 +355,17 @@ import org.mozilla.gecko.gfx.GeckoSurfac
                                           String drmStubId) throws RemoteException {
         if (mCallbacks == null) {
             Log.e(LOGTAG, "FAIL: callbacks must be set before calling configure()");
             return false;
         }
 
         if (mCodec != null) {
             if (DEBUG) { Log.d(LOGTAG, "release existing codec: " + mCodec); }
-            releaseCodec();
+            mCodec.release();
         }
 
         if (DEBUG) { Log.d(LOGTAG, "configure " + this); }
 
         try {
             MediaFormat fmt = format.asFormat();
             AsyncCodec codec = createCodecForFormat(fmt, flags == MediaCodec.CONFIGURE_FLAG_ENCODE ? true : false);
             MediaCrypto crypto = RemoteMediaDrmBridgeStub.getMediaCrypto(drmStubId);
@@ -402,29 +402,16 @@ import org.mozilla.gecko.gfx.GeckoSurfac
         }
     }
 
     @Override
     public synchronized boolean isAdaptivePlaybackSupported() {
         return mIsAdaptivePlaybackSupported;
     }
 
-    private void releaseCodec() {
-        try {
-            // In case Codec.stop() is not called yet.
-            mInputProcessor.stop();
-            mOutputProcessor.stop();
-
-            mCodec.release();
-        } catch (Exception e) {
-            reportError(Error.FATAL, e);
-        }
-        mCodec = null;
-    }
-
     private AsyncCodec createCodecForFormat(MediaFormat format, boolean isEncoder) throws IOException {
         String mime = format.getString(MediaFormat.KEY_MIME);
         if (mime == null || mime.isEmpty()) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("invalid MIME type: " + mime);
         }
 
         int numCodecs = MediaCodecList.getCodecCount();
         for (int i = 0; i < numCodecs; i++) {
@@ -538,15 +525,23 @@ import org.mozilla.gecko.gfx.GeckoSurfac
         } catch (Exception e) {
             reportError(Error.FATAL, e);
         }
     }
 
     @Override
     public synchronized void release() throws RemoteException {
         if (DEBUG) { Log.d(LOGTAG, "release " + this); }
-        releaseCodec();
+        try {
+            // In case Codec.stop() is not called yet.
+            mInputProcessor.stop();
+            mOutputProcessor.stop();
+            mCodec.release();
+        } catch (Exception e) {
+            reportError(Error.FATAL, e);
+        }
+        mCodec = null;
         mSamplePool.reset();
         mSamplePool = null;
         mCallbacks.asBinder().unlinkToDeath(this, 0);
         mCallbacks = null;
     }
 }