diff --git a/src/decoder_control.c b/src/decoder_control.c
index 6cc2849c5..2ad7dbef9 100644
--- a/src/decoder_control.c
+++ b/src/decoder_control.c
@@ -27,9 +27,11 @@
 #undef G_LOG_DOMAIN
 #define G_LOG_DOMAIN "decoder_control"
 
-void
-dc_init(struct decoder_control *dc, struct player_control *pc)
+struct decoder_control *
+dc_new(struct player_control *pc)
 {
+	struct decoder_control *dc = g_new(struct decoder_control, 1);
+
 	dc->player_control = pc;
 	dc->thread = NULL;
 
@@ -44,19 +46,19 @@ dc_init(struct decoder_control *dc, struct player_control *pc)
 	dc->mixramp_start = NULL;
 	dc->mixramp_end = NULL;
 	dc->mixramp_prev_end = NULL;
+
+	return dc;
 }
 
 void
-dc_deinit(struct decoder_control *dc)
+dc_free(struct decoder_control *dc)
 {
 	g_cond_free(dc->cond);
 	g_mutex_free(dc->mutex);
 	g_free(dc->mixramp_start);
 	g_free(dc->mixramp_end);
 	g_free(dc->mixramp_prev_end);
-	dc->mixramp_start = NULL;
-	dc->mixramp_end = NULL;
-	dc->mixramp_prev_end = NULL;
+	g_free(dc);
 }
 
 static void
diff --git a/src/decoder_control.h b/src/decoder_control.h
index fafc6dea3..13b894685 100644
--- a/src/decoder_control.h
+++ b/src/decoder_control.h
@@ -105,11 +105,12 @@ struct decoder_control {
 	char *mixramp_prev_end;
 };
 
-void
-dc_init(struct decoder_control *dc, struct player_control *pc);
+G_GNUC_MALLOC
+struct decoder_control *
+dc_new(struct player_control *pc);
 
 void
-dc_deinit(struct decoder_control *dc);
+dc_free(struct decoder_control *dc);
 
 /**
  * Locks the #decoder_control object.
diff --git a/src/player_thread.c b/src/player_thread.c
index d51263477..6be7b8884 100644
--- a/src/player_thread.c
+++ b/src/player_thread.c
@@ -1023,10 +1023,9 @@ static gpointer
 player_task(gpointer arg)
 {
 	struct player_control *pc = arg;
-	struct decoder_control dc;
 
-	dc_init(&dc, pc);
-	decoder_thread_start(&dc);
+	struct decoder_control *dc = dc_new(pc);
+	decoder_thread_start(dc);
 
 	player_buffer = music_buffer_new(pc->buffer_chunks);
 
@@ -1037,7 +1036,7 @@ player_task(gpointer arg)
 		case PLAYER_COMMAND_QUEUE:
 			assert(pc->next_song != NULL);
 
-			do_play(pc, &dc);
+			do_play(pc, dc);
 			break;
 
 		case PLAYER_COMMAND_STOP:
@@ -1081,8 +1080,8 @@ player_task(gpointer arg)
 		case PLAYER_COMMAND_EXIT:
 			player_unlock(pc);
 
-			dc_quit(&dc);
-			dc_deinit(&dc);
+			dc_quit(dc);
+			dc_free(dc);
 			audio_output_all_close();
 			music_buffer_free(player_buffer);