diff --git a/include/asterisk/format.h b/include/asterisk/format.h
index 32f9f2b40e..3da2d82368 100644
--- a/include/asterisk/format.h
+++ b/include/asterisk/format.h
@@ -275,6 +275,17 @@ void ast_format_set_attribute_data(struct ast_format *format, void *attribute_da
  */
 const char *ast_format_get_name(const struct ast_format *format);
 
+/*!
+ * \brief Get the codec associated with a format
+ *
+ * \param format The media format
+ *
+ * \return The codec
+ *
+ * \note The reference count of the returned codec is increased by 1 and must be decremented
+ */
+struct ast_codec *ast_format_get_codec(const struct ast_format *format);
+
 /*!
  * \brief Get the codec identifier associated with a format
  *
diff --git a/main/codec.c b/main/codec.c
index e060efe3ec..19e78fa675 100644
--- a/main/codec.c
+++ b/main/codec.c
@@ -355,10 +355,7 @@ unsigned int ast_codec_samples_count(struct ast_frame *frame)
 		return 0;
 	}
 
-	/* BUGBUG - why not just get the codec pointer off the format?
-	This is a bit roundabout
-	*/
-	codec = ast_codec_get_by_id(ast_format_get_codec_id(frame->subclass.format));
+	codec = ast_format_get_codec(frame->subclass.format);
 
 	if (codec->samples_count) {
 		samples = codec->samples_count(frame);
diff --git a/main/format.c b/main/format.c
index e54fca01b4..09d7ef0c50 100644
--- a/main/format.c
+++ b/main/format.c
@@ -323,6 +323,11 @@ void ast_format_generate_sdp_fmtp(const struct ast_format *format, unsigned int
 	format->interface->format_generate_sdp_fmtp(format, payload, str);
 }
 
+struct ast_codec *ast_format_get_codec(const struct ast_format *format)
+{
+	return ao2_bump(format->codec);
+}
+
 unsigned int ast_format_get_codec_id(const struct ast_format *format)
 {
 	return format->codec->id;