diff --git a/av1/av1_cx_iface.c b/av1/av1_cx_iface.c
index b05f45f..472200c 100644
--- a/av1/av1_cx_iface.c
+++ b/av1/av1_cx_iface.c
@@ -2850,6 +2850,10 @@
   if (res == AOM_CODEC_OK) {
     AV1_COMP *cpi = ppi->cpi;
 
+    const int num_layers =
+        cpi->svc.number_spatial_layers * cpi->svc.number_temporal_layers;
+    av1_alloc_layer_context(cpi, num_layers);
+
     // Set up internal flags
     if (ctx->base.init_flags & AOM_CODEC_USE_PSNR) ppi->b_calculate_psnr = 1;
 
@@ -3371,6 +3375,10 @@
   if (ppi->number_spatial_layers > 1 || ppi->number_temporal_layers > 1) {
     unsigned int sl, tl;
     ctx->ppi->use_svc = 1;
+    const int num_layers =
+        ppi->number_spatial_layers * ppi->number_temporal_layers;
+    av1_alloc_layer_context(cpi, num_layers);
+
     for (sl = 0; sl < ppi->number_spatial_layers; ++sl) {
       for (tl = 0; tl < ppi->number_temporal_layers; ++tl) {
         const int layer = LAYER_IDS_TO_IDX(sl, tl, ppi->number_temporal_layers);
diff --git a/av1/encoder/encoder_alloc.h b/av1/encoder/encoder_alloc.h
index 72c823e..fd350f0 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/encoder_alloc.h
+++ b/av1/encoder/encoder_alloc.h
@@ -294,6 +294,8 @@
   }
 
   if (cpi->ppi->use_svc) av1_free_svc_cyclic_refresh(cpi);
+  aom_free(cpi->svc.layer_context);
+  cpi->svc.layer_context = NULL;
 
   if (cpi->consec_zero_mv) {
     aom_free(cpi->consec_zero_mv);
diff --git a/av1/encoder/svc_layercontext.c b/av1/encoder/svc_layercontext.c
index cb396b4..2575b1b 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/svc_layercontext.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/svc_layercontext.c
@@ -81,6 +81,18 @@
   }
 }
 
+void av1_alloc_layer_context(AV1_COMP *cpi, int num_layers) {
+  AV1_COMMON *const cm = &cpi->common;
+  SVC *const svc = &cpi->svc;
+  if (svc->layer_context == NULL || svc->num_allocated_layers < num_layers) {
+    aom_free(svc->layer_context);
+    CHECK_MEM_ERROR(
+        cm, svc->layer_context,
+        (LAYER_CONTEXT *)aom_calloc(num_layers, sizeof(*svc->layer_context)));
+    svc->num_allocated_layers = num_layers;
+  }
+}
+
 // Update the layer context from a change_config() call.
 void av1_update_layer_context_change_config(AV1_COMP *const cpi,
                                             const int64_t target_bandwidth) {
diff --git a/av1/encoder/svc_layercontext.h b/av1/encoder/svc_layercontext.h
index 844d393..a27d768 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/svc_layercontext.h
+++ b/av1/encoder/svc_layercontext.h
@@ -112,7 +112,12 @@
   /*!
    * Layer context used for rate control in CBR mode.
    */
-  LAYER_CONTEXT layer_context[AOM_MAX_LAYERS];
+  LAYER_CONTEXT *layer_context;
+
+  /*!
+   * Number of layers allocated for layer_context.
+   */
+  int num_allocated_layers;
 
   /*!
    * EIGHTTAP_SMOOTH or BILINEAR
@@ -145,6 +150,19 @@
  */
 void av1_init_layer_context(struct AV1_COMP *const cpi);
 
+/*!\brief Allocate layer context data.
+ *
+ * \ingroup SVC
+ * \callgraph
+ * \callergraph
+ *
+ * \param[in]       cpi  Top level encoder structure
+ * \param[in]       num_layers  Number of layers to be allocated
+ *
+ * \remark  Nothing returned. Allocates memory for cpi->svc.layer_context.
+ */
+void av1_alloc_layer_context(struct AV1_COMP *cpi, int num_layers);
+
 /*!\brief Update the layer context from a change_config() call.
  *
  * \ingroup SVC
diff --git a/av1/ratectrl_rtc.cc b/av1/ratectrl_rtc.cc
index feaa403..db6fbcd 100644
--- a/av1/ratectrl_rtc.cc
+++ b/av1/ratectrl_rtc.cc
@@ -68,6 +68,8 @@
   av1_zero(*rc_api->cpi_->ppi);
   rc_api->cpi_->common.seq_params = &rc_api->cpi_->ppi->seq_params;
   av1_zero(*rc_api->cpi_->common.seq_params);
+  const int num_layers = cfg.ss_number_layers * cfg.ts_number_layers;
+  av1_alloc_layer_context(rc_api->cpi_, num_layers);
   rc_api->InitRateControl(cfg);
   if (cfg.aq_mode) {
     AV1_COMP *const cpi = rc_api->cpi_;
@@ -95,6 +97,9 @@
         }
       }
     }
+    aom_free(cpi_->svc.layer_context);
+    cpi_->svc.layer_context = nullptr;
+
     if (cpi_->oxcf.q_cfg.aq_mode == CYCLIC_REFRESH_AQ) {
       aom_free(cpi_->enc_seg.map);
       cpi_->enc_seg.map = nullptr;