diff --git a/libavcodec/Makefile b/libavcodec/Makefile
index f05244ed958a2f88d8d2c42e4c256a7bc92d98d7..784226f7af005173f59d52b1e18d3ba4aeedb2d9 100644
--- a/libavcodec/Makefile
+++ b/libavcodec/Makefile
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ include $(SUBDIR)../config.mak
 NAME = avcodec
 FFLIBS = avutil
 
-HEADERS = avcodec.h avfft.h dxva2.h vaapi.h vdpau.h version.h xvmc.h
+HEADERS = avcodec.h avfft.h dxva2.h opt.h vaapi.h vdpau.h version.h xvmc.h
 
 OBJS = allcodecs.o                                                      \
        audioconvert.o                                                   \
diff --git a/libavcodec/opt.h b/libavcodec/opt.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000000000000000000000000000000000..e754bb93d85e81aa4fee2e67143761f8235b51ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/libavcodec/opt.h
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/**
+ * @file
+ * This header is provided for compatibility only and will be removed
+ * on next major bump
+ */
+
+#ifndef AVCODEC_OPT_H
+#define AVCODEC_OPT_H
+
+#include "libavcodec/version.h"
+
+#if FF_API_OPT_H
+#include "libavutil/opt.h"
+#endif
+
+#endif
diff --git a/libavcodec/version.h b/libavcodec/version.h
index 3146f765ee2a8e6da5f69358dca56456034e1b73..92f9e58ffaacec3ef86f32cd17c193d2412bda94 100644
--- a/libavcodec/version.h
+++ b/libavcodec/version.h
@@ -62,5 +62,8 @@
 #ifndef FF_API_REQUEST_CHANNELS
 #define FF_API_REQUEST_CHANNELS (LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR < 54)
 #endif
+#ifndef FF_API_OPT_H
+#define FF_API_OPT_H            (LIBAVCODEC_VERSION_MAJOR < 54)
+#endif
 
 #endif /* AVCODEC_VERSION_H */