diff --git a/demux/packet.c b/demux/packet.c
index 93f64e844a..c78ad49026 100644
--- a/demux/packet.c
+++ b/demux/packet.c
@@ -64,6 +64,7 @@ static struct demux_packet *packet_create(void)
         .end = MP_NOPTS_VALUE,
         .stream = -1,
         .avpacket = av_packet_alloc(),
+        .animated = -1,
     };
     MP_HANDLE_OOM(dp->avpacket);
     return dp;
diff --git a/demux/packet.h b/demux/packet.h
index 8087216355..6a0423fe8f 100644
--- a/demux/packet.h
+++ b/demux/packet.h
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ typedef struct demux_packet {
     double start, end;              // set to non-NOPTS iff segmented is set
 
     // subtitles only
-    bool animated;
+    int animated; // -1 is unknown
     bool seen;
     int seen_pos;
     double sub_duration;
diff --git a/player/sub.c b/player/sub.c
index 65e5732e23..bdd19540b0 100644
--- a/player/sub.c
+++ b/player/sub.c
@@ -106,6 +106,15 @@ static bool update_subtitle(struct MPContext *mpctx, double video_pts,
             sub_control(dec_sub, SD_CTRL_SET_VIDEO_PARAMS, &params);
     }
 
+    // Checking if packets have special animations is relatively expensive.
+    // This is only needed if we are rendering ASS subtitles with no video
+    // being played.
+    bool still_image = mpctx->video_out && ((mpctx->video_status == STATUS_EOF &&
+                       mpctx->opts->subs_rend->sub_past_video_end) ||
+                       !mpctx->current_track[0][STREAM_VIDEO] ||
+                       mpctx->current_track[0][STREAM_VIDEO]->image);
+    sub_control(dec_sub, SD_CTRL_SET_ANIMATED_CHECK, &still_image);
+
     if (track->demuxer->fully_read && sub_can_preload(dec_sub)) {
         // Assume fully_read implies no interleaved audio/video streams.
         // (Reading packets will change the demuxer position.)
@@ -136,10 +145,7 @@ static bool update_subtitle(struct MPContext *mpctx, double video_pts,
         // Handle displaying subtitles on VO with no video being played. This is
         // quite different, because normally subtitles are redrawn on new video
         // frames, using the video frames' timestamps.
-        if (mpctx->video_out && mpctx->video_status == STATUS_EOF &&
-            (mpctx->opts->subs_rend->sub_past_video_end ||
-            !mpctx->current_track[0][STREAM_VIDEO] ||
-            mpctx->current_track[0][STREAM_VIDEO]->image)) {
+        if (still_image) {
             if (osd_pts != video_pts) {
                 osd_set_force_video_pts(mpctx->osd, video_pts);
                 osd_query_and_reset_want_redraw(mpctx->osd);
diff --git a/sub/dec_sub.c b/sub/dec_sub.c
index c03393a007..ce51fdf8c8 100644
--- a/sub/dec_sub.c
+++ b/sub/dec_sub.c
@@ -319,7 +319,7 @@ static bool update_pkt_cache(struct dec_sub *sub, double video_pts)
             return true;
     }
 
-    if (pkt && pkt->animated)
+    if (pkt && pkt->animated == 1)
         return true;
 
     return false;
diff --git a/sub/dec_sub.h b/sub/dec_sub.h
index a40aa9bbfd..476e83a3f5 100644
--- a/sub/dec_sub.h
+++ b/sub/dec_sub.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ struct sd;
 
 enum sd_ctrl {
     SD_CTRL_SUB_STEP,
+    SD_CTRL_SET_ANIMATED_CHECK,
     SD_CTRL_SET_VIDEO_PARAMS,
     SD_CTRL_SET_VIDEO_DEF_FPS,
     SD_CTRL_UPDATE_OPTS,
diff --git a/sub/sd_ass.c b/sub/sd_ass.c
index 82e39b6f54..e9f091682a 100644
--- a/sub/sd_ass.c
+++ b/sub/sd_ass.c
@@ -57,8 +57,9 @@ struct sd_ass_priv {
     struct mp_osd_res osd;
     struct seen_packet *seen_packets;
     int num_seen_packets;
-    bool *packets_animated;
+    int *packets_animated;
     int num_packets_animated;
+    bool check_animated;
     bool duration_unknown;
 };
 
@@ -351,19 +352,32 @@ static void filter_and_add(struct sd *sd, struct demux_packet *pkt)
                       llrint(pkt->pts * 1000),
                       llrint(pkt->duration * 1000));
 
-    // This bookkeeping is only ever needed for ASS subs
+    // This bookkeeping only has any practical use for ASS subs
+    // over a VO with no video.
     if (!ctx->is_converted) {
         if (!pkt->seen) {
             for (int n = track->n_events - 1; n >= 0; n--) {
-                if (n + 1 == old_n_events || pkt->animated)
+                if (n + 1 == old_n_events || pkt->animated == 1)
                     break;
                 ASS_Event *event = &track->events[n];
-                pkt->animated = (event->Effect && event->Effect[0]) ||
-                                 is_animated(event->Text);
+                // Might as well mark pkt->animated here with effects if we can.
+                pkt->animated = (event->Effect && event->Effect[0]) ? 1 : -1;
+                if (ctx->check_animated && pkt->animated != 1)
+                    pkt->animated = is_animated(event->Text);
             }
             MP_TARRAY_APPEND(ctx, ctx->packets_animated, ctx->num_packets_animated, pkt->animated);
         } else {
-            pkt->animated = ctx->packets_animated[pkt->seen_pos];
+            if (ctx->check_animated && ctx->packets_animated[pkt->seen_pos] == -1) {
+                for (int n = track->n_events - 1; n >= 0; n--) {
+                    if (n + 1 == old_n_events || pkt->animated == 1)
+                        break;
+                    ASS_Event *event = &track->events[n];
+                    ctx->packets_animated[pkt->seen_pos] = is_animated(event->Text);
+                    pkt->animated = ctx->packets_animated[pkt->seen_pos];
+                }
+            } else {
+                pkt->animated = ctx->packets_animated[pkt->seen_pos];
+            }
         }
     }
 
@@ -952,6 +966,9 @@ static int control(struct sd *sd, enum sd_ctrl cmd, void *arg)
         a[0] += res / 1000.0 + SUB_SEEK_OFFSET;
         return true;
     }
+    case SD_CTRL_SET_ANIMATED_CHECK:
+        ctx->check_animated = *(bool *)arg;
+        return CONTROL_OK;
     case SD_CTRL_SET_VIDEO_PARAMS:
         ctx->video_params = *(struct mp_image_params *)arg;
         return CONTROL_OK;