diff --git a/webrtc/modules/video_coding/main/source/video_coding_impl.h b/webrtc/modules/video_coding/main/source/video_coding_impl.h
index 21f5c32d91..1ead48d628 100644
--- a/webrtc/modules/video_coding/main/source/video_coding_impl.h
+++ b/webrtc/modules/video_coding/main/source/video_coding_impl.h
@@ -107,7 +107,6 @@ class VideoSender {
   VCMEncodedFrameCallback _encodedFrameCallback;
   std::vector<FrameType> _nextFrameTypes;
   media_optimization::VCMMediaOptimization _mediaOpt;
-  VideoCodecType _sendCodecType;
   VCMSendStatisticsCallback* _sendStatsCallback;
   FILE* _encoderInputFile;
   VCMCodecDataBase _codecDataBase;
diff --git a/webrtc/modules/video_coding/main/source/video_sender.cc b/webrtc/modules/video_coding/main/source/video_sender.cc
index 73ee856230..eb06133526 100644
--- a/webrtc/modules/video_coding/main/source/video_sender.cc
+++ b/webrtc/modules/video_coding/main/source/video_sender.cc
@@ -27,7 +27,6 @@ VideoSender::VideoSender(const int32_t id, Clock* clock)
       _encodedFrameCallback(),
       _nextFrameTypes(1, kVideoFrameDelta),
       _mediaOpt(id, clock_),
-      _sendCodecType(kVideoCodecUnknown),
       _sendStatsCallback(NULL),
       _encoderInputFile(NULL),
       _codecDataBase(id),
@@ -88,6 +87,11 @@ int32_t VideoSender::RegisterSendCodec(const VideoCodec* sendCodec,
 
   bool ret = _codecDataBase.SetSendCodec(
       sendCodec, numberOfCores, maxPayloadSize, &_encodedFrameCallback);
+
+  // Update encoder regardless of result to make sure that we're not holding on
+  // to a deleted instance.
+  _encoder = _codecDataBase.GetEncoder();
+
   if (!ret) {
     WEBRTC_TRACE(webrtc::kTraceError,
                  webrtc::kTraceVideoCoding,
@@ -96,9 +100,7 @@ int32_t VideoSender::RegisterSendCodec(const VideoCodec* sendCodec,
     return VCM_CODEC_ERROR;
   }
 
-  _encoder = _codecDataBase.GetEncoder();
-  _sendCodecType = sendCodec->codecType;
-  int numLayers = (_sendCodecType != kVideoCodecVP8)
+  int numLayers = (sendCodec->codecType != kVideoCodecVP8)
                       ? 1
                       : sendCodec->codecSpecific.VP8.numberOfTemporalLayers;
   // If we have screensharing and we have layers, we disable frame dropper.
@@ -113,7 +115,7 @@ int32_t VideoSender::RegisterSendCodec(const VideoCodec* sendCodec,
   _nextFrameTypes.resize(VCM_MAX(sendCodec->numberOfSimulcastStreams, 1),
                          kVideoFrameDelta);
 
-  _mediaOpt.SetEncodingData(_sendCodecType,
+  _mediaOpt.SetEncodingData(sendCodec->CodecType,
                             sendCodec->maxBitrate * 1000,
                             sendCodec->maxFramerate * 1000,
                             sendCodec->startBitrate * 1000,