diff --git a/libavformat/avio.h b/libavformat/avio.h
index ebf611187d..fbcb7dbfc3 100644
--- a/libavformat/avio.h
+++ b/libavformat/avio.h
@@ -461,17 +461,17 @@ int avio_put_str16be(AVIOContext *s, const char *str);
 void avio_write_marker(AVIOContext *s, int64_t time, enum AVIODataMarkerType type);
 
 /**
- * ORing this as the "whence" parameter to a seek function causes it to
+ * Passing this as the "whence" parameter to a seek function causes it to
  * return the filesize without seeking anywhere. Supporting this is optional.
  * If it is not supported then the seek function will return <0.
  */
 #define AVSEEK_SIZE 0x10000
 
 /**
- * Passing this flag as the "whence" parameter to a seek function causes it to
+ * OR'ing this flag into the "whence" parameter to a seek function causes it to
  * seek by any means (like reopening and linear reading) or other normally unreasonable
  * means that can be extremely slow.
- * This may be ignored by the seek code.
+ * This is the default and therefore ignored by the seek code since 2010.
  */
 #define AVSEEK_FORCE 0x20000
 
diff --git a/libavformat/aviobuf.c b/libavformat/aviobuf.c
index 34743556ae..2e65f50006 100644
--- a/libavformat/aviobuf.c
+++ b/libavformat/aviobuf.c
@@ -238,10 +238,9 @@ int64_t avio_seek(AVIOContext *s, int64_t offset, int whence)
     FFIOContext *const ctx = ffiocontext(s);
     int64_t offset1;
     int64_t pos;
-    int force = whence & AVSEEK_FORCE;
     int buffer_size;
     int short_seek;
-    whence &= ~AVSEEK_FORCE;
+    whence &= ~AVSEEK_FORCE; // force flag does nothing
 
     if(!s)
         return AVERROR(EINVAL);
@@ -282,8 +281,7 @@ int64_t avio_seek(AVIOContext *s, int64_t offset, int whence)
     } else if ((!(s->seekable & AVIO_SEEKABLE_NORMAL) ||
                offset1 <= buffer_size + short_seek) &&
                !s->write_flag && offset1 >= 0 &&
-               (!s->direct || !s->seek) &&
-              (whence != SEEK_END || force)) {
+               (!s->direct || !s->seek)) {
         while(s->pos < offset && !s->eof_reached)
             fill_buffer(s);
         if (s->eof_reached)
@@ -300,7 +298,7 @@ int64_t avio_seek(AVIOContext *s, int64_t offset, int whence)
         s->pos = pos;
         s->eof_reached = 0;
         fill_buffer(s);
-        return avio_seek(s, offset, SEEK_SET | force);
+        return avio_seek(s, offset, SEEK_SET);
     } else {
         int64_t res;
         if (s->write_flag) {