diff --git a/libavdevice/decklink_common.cpp b/libavdevice/decklink_common.cpp
index 43599b6b2b..2711fc1138 100644
--- a/libavdevice/decklink_common.cpp
+++ b/libavdevice/decklink_common.cpp
@@ -252,3 +252,32 @@ void ff_decklink_cleanup(AVFormatContext *avctx)
     if (ctx->dl)
         ctx->dl->Release();
 }
+
+int ff_decklink_init_device(AVFormatContext *avctx, const char* name)
+{
+    struct decklink_cctx *cctx = (struct decklink_cctx *)avctx->priv_data;
+    struct decklink_ctx *ctx = (struct decklink_ctx *)cctx->ctx;
+    IDeckLink *dl = NULL;
+    IDeckLinkIterator *iter = CreateDeckLinkIteratorInstance();
+    if (!iter) {
+        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Could not create DeckLink iterator\n");
+        return AVERROR_EXTERNAL;
+    }
+
+    while (iter->Next(&dl) == S_OK) {
+        const char *displayName;
+        ff_decklink_get_display_name(dl, &displayName);
+        if (!strcmp(name, displayName)) {
+            av_free((void *)displayName);
+            ctx->dl = dl;
+            break;
+        }
+        av_free((void *)displayName);
+        dl->Release();
+    }
+    iter->Release();
+    if (!ctx->dl)
+        return AVERROR(ENXIO);
+
+    return 0;
+}
diff --git a/libavdevice/decklink_common.h b/libavdevice/decklink_common.h
index 1a9feeba43..ee39ff234e 100644
--- a/libavdevice/decklink_common.h
+++ b/libavdevice/decklink_common.h
@@ -106,5 +106,6 @@ int ff_decklink_set_format(AVFormatContext *avctx, decklink_direction_t directio
 int ff_decklink_list_devices(AVFormatContext *avctx);
 int ff_decklink_list_formats(AVFormatContext *avctx, decklink_direction_t direction = DIRECTION_OUT);
 void ff_decklink_cleanup(AVFormatContext *avctx);
+int ff_decklink_init_device(AVFormatContext *avctx, const char* name);
 
 #endif /* AVDEVICE_DECKLINK_COMMON_H */
diff --git a/libavdevice/decklink_dec.cpp b/libavdevice/decklink_dec.cpp
index 0d652bc8db..0d789425fd 100644
--- a/libavdevice/decklink_dec.cpp
+++ b/libavdevice/decklink_dec.cpp
@@ -431,13 +431,12 @@ av_cold int ff_decklink_read_header(AVFormatContext *avctx)
 {
     struct decklink_cctx *cctx = (struct decklink_cctx *) avctx->priv_data;
     struct decklink_ctx *ctx;
-    IDeckLinkIterator *iter;
-    IDeckLink *dl = NULL;
     AVStream *st;
     HRESULT result;
     char fname[1024];
     char *tmp;
     int mode_num = 0;
+    int ret;
 
     ctx = (struct decklink_ctx *) av_mallocz(sizeof(struct decklink_ctx));
     if (!ctx)
@@ -466,12 +465,6 @@ av_cold int ff_decklink_read_header(AVFormatContext *avctx)
             return AVERROR(EINVAL);
     }
 
-    iter = CreateDeckLinkIteratorInstance();
-    if (!iter) {
-        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Could not create DeckLink iterator\n");
-        return AVERROR(EIO);
-    }
-
     /* List available devices. */
     if (ctx->list_devices) {
         ff_decklink_list_devices(avctx);
@@ -485,23 +478,9 @@ av_cold int ff_decklink_read_header(AVFormatContext *avctx)
         *tmp = 0;
     }
 
-    /* Open device. */
-    while (iter->Next(&dl) == S_OK) {
-        const char *displayName;
-        ff_decklink_get_display_name(dl, &displayName);
-        if (!strcmp(fname, displayName)) {
-            av_free((void *) displayName);
-            ctx->dl = dl;
-            break;
-        }
-        av_free((void *) displayName);
-        dl->Release();
-    }
-    iter->Release();
-    if (!ctx->dl) {
-        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Could not open '%s'\n", fname);
-        return AVERROR(EIO);
-    }
+    ret = ff_decklink_init_device(avctx, fname);
+    if (ret < 0)
+        return ret;
 
     /* Get input device. */
     if (ctx->dl->QueryInterface(IID_IDeckLinkInput, (void **) &ctx->dli) != S_OK) {
diff --git a/libavdevice/decklink_enc.cpp b/libavdevice/decklink_enc.cpp
index 3f4b22cdbf..f59bd82a6b 100644
--- a/libavdevice/decklink_enc.cpp
+++ b/libavdevice/decklink_enc.cpp
@@ -312,9 +312,8 @@ av_cold int ff_decklink_write_header(AVFormatContext *avctx)
 {
     struct decklink_cctx *cctx = (struct decklink_cctx *) avctx->priv_data;
     struct decklink_ctx *ctx;
-    IDeckLinkIterator *iter;
-    IDeckLink *dl = NULL;
     unsigned int n;
+    int ret;
 
     ctx = (struct decklink_ctx *) av_mallocz(sizeof(struct decklink_ctx));
     if (!ctx)
@@ -324,35 +323,15 @@ av_cold int ff_decklink_write_header(AVFormatContext *avctx)
     ctx->preroll      = cctx->preroll;
     cctx->ctx = ctx;
 
-    iter = CreateDeckLinkIteratorInstance();
-    if (!iter) {
-        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Could not create DeckLink iterator\n");
-        return AVERROR(EIO);
-    }
-
     /* List available devices. */
     if (ctx->list_devices) {
         ff_decklink_list_devices(avctx);
         return AVERROR_EXIT;
     }
 
-    /* Open device. */
-    while (iter->Next(&dl) == S_OK) {
-        const char *displayName;
-        ff_decklink_get_display_name(dl, &displayName);
-        if (!strcmp(avctx->filename, displayName)) {
-            av_free((void *) displayName);
-            ctx->dl = dl;
-            break;
-        }
-        av_free((void *) displayName);
-        dl->Release();
-    }
-    iter->Release();
-    if (!ctx->dl) {
-        av_log(avctx, AV_LOG_ERROR, "Could not open '%s'\n", avctx->filename);
-        return AVERROR(EIO);
-    }
+    ret = ff_decklink_init_device(avctx, avctx->filename);
+    if (ret < 0)
+        return ret;
 
     /* Get output device. */
     if (ctx->dl->QueryInterface(IID_IDeckLinkOutput, (void **) &ctx->dlo) != S_OK) {