diff --git a/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodec.cpp b/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodec.cpp
index 1e4560c..a3fff35 100644
--- a/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodec.cpp
+++ b/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodec.cpp
@@ -1379,7 +1379,7 @@
         state->set(STOPPING);
     }
 
-    mChannel->stop();
+    mChannel->reset();
     (new AMessage(kWhatStop, this))->post();
 }
 
@@ -1406,9 +1406,6 @@
         // TODO: convert err into status_t
         mCallback->onError(UNKNOWN_ERROR, ACTION_CODE_FATAL);
     }
-    // Assure buffers are not owned when stop() was called without flush().
-    std::list<std::unique_ptr<C2Work>> flushedWork;
-    mChannel->flush(flushedWork);
 
     {
         Mutexed<std::unique_ptr<Config>>::Locked configLocked(mConfig);
@@ -1468,7 +1465,7 @@
         }
     }
 
-    mChannel->stop();
+    mChannel->reset();
     // thiz holds strong ref to this while the thread is running.
     sp<CCodec> thiz(this);
     std::thread([thiz, sendCallback] { thiz->release(sendCallback); }).detach();
@@ -1495,6 +1492,7 @@
         state->set(RELEASED);
         state->comp.reset();
     }
+    (new AMessage(kWhatRelease, this))->post();
     if (sendCallback) {
         mCallback->onReleaseCompleted();
     }
@@ -1759,6 +1757,12 @@
             flush();
             break;
         }
+        case kWhatRelease: {
+            mChannel->release();
+            mClient.reset();
+            mClientListener.reset();
+            break;
+        }
         case kWhatCreateInputSurface: {
             // Surface operations may be briefly blocking.
             setDeadline(now, 1500ms, "createInputSurface");
diff --git a/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBufferChannel.cpp b/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBufferChannel.cpp
index 553c013..7d80ef3 100644
--- a/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBufferChannel.cpp
+++ b/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBufferChannel.cpp
@@ -713,7 +713,7 @@
         return;
     } else {
         Mutexed<Output>::Locked output(mOutput);
-        if (output->buffers->numClientBuffers() >= output->numSlots) {
+        if (!output->buffers || output->buffers->numClientBuffers() >= output->numSlots) {
             return;
         }
     }
@@ -1401,6 +1401,30 @@
     }
 }
 
+void CCodecBufferChannel::reset() {
+    stop();
+    {
+        Mutexed<Input>::Locked input(mInput);
+        input->buffers.reset(new DummyInputBuffers(""));
+    }
+    {
+        Mutexed<Output>::Locked output(mOutput);
+        output->buffers.reset();
+    }
+}
+
+void CCodecBufferChannel::release() {
+    mComponent.reset();
+    mInputAllocator.reset();
+    mOutputSurface.lock()->surface.clear();
+    {
+        Mutexed<BlockPools>::Locked blockPools{mBlockPools};
+        blockPools->inputPool.reset();
+        blockPools->outputPoolIntf.reset();
+    }
+}
+
+
 void CCodecBufferChannel::flush(const std::list<std::unique_ptr<C2Work>> &flushedWork) {
     ALOGV("[%s] flush", mName);
     {
@@ -1431,7 +1455,9 @@
     }
     {
         Mutexed<Output>::Locked output(mOutput);
-        output->buffers->flush(flushedWork);
+        if (output->buffers) {
+            output->buffers->flush(flushedWork);
+        }
     }
     mReorderStash.lock()->flush();
     mPipelineWatcher.lock()->flush();
@@ -1469,20 +1495,25 @@
         std::unique_ptr<C2Work> work,
         const sp<AMessage> &outputFormat,
         const C2StreamInitDataInfo::output *initData) {
-    if (outputFormat != nullptr) {
+    {
         Mutexed<Output>::Locked output(mOutput);
-        ALOGD("[%s] onWorkDone: output format changed to %s",
-                mName, outputFormat->debugString().c_str());
-        output->buffers->setFormat(outputFormat);
+        if (!output->buffers) {
+            return false;
+        }
+        if (outputFormat != nullptr) {
+            ALOGD("[%s] onWorkDone: output format changed to %s",
+                    mName, outputFormat->debugString().c_str());
+            output->buffers->setFormat(outputFormat);
 
-        AString mediaType;
-        if (outputFormat->findString(KEY_MIME, &mediaType)
-                && mediaType == MIMETYPE_AUDIO_RAW) {
-            int32_t channelCount;
-            int32_t sampleRate;
-            if (outputFormat->findInt32(KEY_CHANNEL_COUNT, &channelCount)
-                    && outputFormat->findInt32(KEY_SAMPLE_RATE, &sampleRate)) {
-                output->buffers->updateSkipCutBuffer(sampleRate, channelCount);
+            AString mediaType;
+            if (outputFormat->findString(KEY_MIME, &mediaType)
+                    && mediaType == MIMETYPE_AUDIO_RAW) {
+                int32_t channelCount;
+                int32_t sampleRate;
+                if (outputFormat->findInt32(KEY_CHANNEL_COUNT, &channelCount)
+                        && outputFormat->findInt32(KEY_SAMPLE_RATE, &sampleRate)) {
+                    output->buffers->updateSkipCutBuffer(sampleRate, channelCount);
+                }
             }
         }
     }
@@ -1606,6 +1637,9 @@
                         size_t numInputSlots = mInput.lock()->numSlots;
                         {
                             Mutexed<Output>::Locked output(mOutput);
+                            if (!output->buffers) {
+                                return false;
+                            }
                             output->outputDelay = outputDelay.value;
                             numOutputSlots = outputDelay.value + kSmoothnessFactor;
                             if (output->numSlots < numOutputSlots) {
@@ -1695,7 +1729,7 @@
 
     if (initData != nullptr) {
         Mutexed<Output>::Locked output(mOutput);
-        if (output->buffers->registerCsd(initData, &index, &outBuffer) == OK) {
+        if (output->buffers && output->buffers->registerCsd(initData, &index, &outBuffer) == OK) {
             outBuffer->meta()->setInt64("timeUs", timestamp.peek());
             outBuffer->meta()->setInt32("flags", MediaCodec::BUFFER_FLAG_CODECCONFIG);
             ALOGV("[%s] onWorkDone: csd index = %zu [%p]", mName, index, outBuffer.get());
@@ -1758,6 +1792,9 @@
         }
 
         Mutexed<Output>::Locked output(mOutput);
+        if (!output->buffers) {
+            return;
+        }
         status_t err = output->buffers->registerBuffer(entry.buffer, &index, &outBuffer);
         if (err != OK) {
             bool outputBuffersChanged = false;
diff --git a/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBufferChannel.h b/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBufferChannel.h
index 0263211..f6e7024 100644
--- a/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBufferChannel.h
+++ b/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBufferChannel.h
@@ -138,6 +138,16 @@
      */
     void stop();
 
+    /**
+     * Stop queueing buffers to the component and release all buffers.
+     */
+    void reset();
+
+    /**
+     * Release all resources.
+     */
+    void release();
+
     void flush(const std::list<std::unique_ptr<C2Work>> &flushedWork);
 
     /**
diff --git a/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBuffers.h b/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBuffers.h
index 6244acd..eec79f1 100644
--- a/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBuffers.h
+++ b/media/codec2/sfplugin/CCodecBuffers.h
@@ -416,7 +416,7 @@
             size_t *index,
             sp<Codec2Buffer> *buffer,
             std::function<bool(const sp<Codec2Buffer> &)> match =
-                [](const sp<Codec2Buffer> &) { return true; });
+                [](const sp<Codec2Buffer> &buffer) { return (buffer != nullptr); });
 
     /**
      * Return the buffer from the client, and get the C2Buffer object back from