diff --git a/vp9/vp9_dx_iface.c b/vp9/vp9_dx_iface.c
index 3c68003a0..1da1794b7 100644
--- a/vp9/vp9_dx_iface.c
+++ b/vp9/vp9_dx_iface.c
@@ -47,12 +47,9 @@ static vpx_codec_err_t decoder_init(vpx_codec_ctx_t *ctx,
     ctx->priv->init_flags = ctx->init_flags;
     priv->si.sz = sizeof(priv->si);
     priv->flushed = 0;
-    // Only do frame parallel decode when threads > 1.
-    priv->frame_parallel_decode =
-        (ctx->config.dec && (ctx->config.dec->threads > 1) &&
-         (ctx->init_flags & VPX_CODEC_USE_FRAME_THREADING))
-            ? 1
-            : 0;
+    // TODO(jzern): remnants of frame-level parallel decoding should be
+    // removed. cf., https://bugs.chromium.org/p/webm/issues/detail?id=1395
+    priv->frame_parallel_decode = 0;
     if (ctx->config.dec) {
       priv->cfg = *ctx->config.dec;
       ctx->config.dec = &priv->cfg;