diff --git a/av1/common/alloccommon.c b/av1/common/alloccommon.c
index 0b2d765..d2e01ea 100644
--- a/av1/common/alloccommon.c
+++ b/av1/common/alloccommon.c
@@ -476,15 +476,15 @@
   return 0;
 }
 
-int av1_alloc_context_buffers(AV1_COMMON *cm, int width, int height) {
+int av1_alloc_context_buffers(AV1_COMMON *cm, int width, int height, int mode) {
   CommonModeInfoParams *const mi_params = &cm->mi_params;
-  mi_params->set_mb_mi(mi_params, width, height);
+  mi_params->set_mb_mi(mi_params, width, height, mode);
   if (alloc_mi(mi_params)) goto fail;
   return 0;
 
 fail:
   // clear the mi_* values to force a realloc on resync
-  mi_params->set_mb_mi(mi_params, 0, 0);
+  mi_params->set_mb_mi(mi_params, 0, 0, 0);
   av1_free_context_buffers(cm);
   return 1;
 }
diff --git a/av1/common/alloccommon.h b/av1/common/alloccommon.h
index 147320b..fbfe639 100644
--- a/av1/common/alloccommon.h
+++ b/av1/common/alloccommon.h
@@ -33,7 +33,8 @@
                                     int num_tile_rows, int num_mi_cols,
                                     int num_planes);
 void av1_free_above_context_buffers(struct CommonContexts *above_contexts);
-int av1_alloc_context_buffers(struct AV1Common *cm, int width, int height);
+int av1_alloc_context_buffers(struct AV1Common *cm, int width, int height,
+                              int mode);
 void av1_init_mi_buffers(struct CommonModeInfoParams *mi_params);
 void av1_free_context_buffers(struct AV1Common *cm);
 
diff --git a/av1/common/av1_common_int.h b/av1/common/av1_common_int.h
index 5454a00..4d4286b 100644
--- a/av1/common/av1_common_int.h
+++ b/av1/common/av1_common_int.h
@@ -597,9 +597,10 @@
    * \param[in,out]   mi_params   object containing common mode info parameters
    * \param           width       frame width
    * \param           height      frame height
+   * \param           mode        encoding mode
    */
   void (*set_mb_mi)(struct CommonModeInfoParams *mi_params, int width,
-                    int height);
+                    int height, int mode);
   /**@}*/
 };
 
diff --git a/av1/decoder/decodeframe.c b/av1/decoder/decodeframe.c
index 08f81da..0341a7e 100644
--- a/av1/decoder/decodeframe.c
+++ b/av1/decoder/decodeframe.c
@@ -1901,7 +1901,7 @@
     // dimensions as well as the overall size.
     if (new_mi_cols > cm->mi_params.mi_cols ||
         new_mi_rows > cm->mi_params.mi_rows) {
-      if (av1_alloc_context_buffers(cm, width, height)) {
+      if (av1_alloc_context_buffers(cm, width, height, 0)) {
         // The cm->mi_* values have been cleared and any existing context
         // buffers have been freed. Clear cm->width and cm->height to be
         // consistent and to force a realloc next time.
@@ -1911,7 +1911,7 @@
                            "Failed to allocate context buffers");
       }
     } else {
-      cm->mi_params.set_mb_mi(&cm->mi_params, width, height);
+      cm->mi_params.set_mb_mi(&cm->mi_params, width, height, 0);
     }
     av1_init_mi_buffers(&cm->mi_params);
     cm->width = width;
diff --git a/av1/decoder/decoder.c b/av1/decoder/decoder.c
index 0ec85ee..ca7b7e2 100644
--- a/av1/decoder/decoder.c
+++ b/av1/decoder/decoder.c
@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@
 }
 
 static void dec_set_mb_mi(CommonModeInfoParams *mi_params, int width,
-                          int height) {
+                          int height, int mode) {
+  (void)mode;
   // Ensure that the decoded width and height are both multiples of
   // 8 luma pixels (note: this may only be a multiple of 4 chroma pixels if
   // subsampling is used).
diff --git a/av1/encoder/encoder.c b/av1/encoder/encoder.c
index 5e7b9a5..8a7d8bc 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/encoder.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/encoder.c
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@
   MACROBLOCKD *const xd = &cpi->td.mb.e_mbd;
 
   // We need to reallocate the context buffers here in case we need more mis.
-  if (av1_alloc_context_buffers(cm, cm->width, cm->height)) {
+  if (av1_alloc_context_buffers(cm, cm->width, cm->height, cpi->oxcf.mode)) {
     aom_internal_error(cm->error, AOM_CODEC_MEM_ERROR,
                        "Failed to allocate context buffers");
   }
@@ -1162,8 +1162,8 @@
     // buffers. The values in this variable are populated according to initial
     // width and height of the frame.
     CommonModeInfoParams mi_params;
-    enc_set_mb_mi(&mi_params, oxcf->frm_dim_cfg.width,
-                  oxcf->frm_dim_cfg.height);
+    enc_set_mb_mi(&mi_params, oxcf->frm_dim_cfg.width, oxcf->frm_dim_cfg.height,
+                  oxcf->mode);
 
     const int bsize = BLOCK_16X16;
     const int w = mi_size_wide[bsize];
diff --git a/av1/encoder/encoder_alloc.h b/av1/encoder/encoder_alloc.h
index 157e009..0d43a98 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/encoder_alloc.h
+++ b/av1/encoder/encoder_alloc.h
@@ -58,7 +58,7 @@
   AV1_COMMON *cm = &cpi->common;
   TokenInfo *token_info = &cpi->token_info;
 
-  if (av1_alloc_context_buffers(cm, cm->width, cm->height)) {
+  if (av1_alloc_context_buffers(cm, cm->width, cm->height, cpi->oxcf.mode)) {
     aom_internal_error(cm->error, AOM_CODEC_MEM_ERROR,
                        "Failed to allocate context buffers");
   }
diff --git a/av1/encoder/encoder_utils.h b/av1/encoder/encoder_utils.h
index 999c9bf..15b3296 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/encoder_utils.h
+++ b/av1/encoder/encoder_utils.h
@@ -86,15 +86,18 @@
 }
 
 static AOM_INLINE void enc_set_mb_mi(CommonModeInfoParams *mi_params, int width,
-                                     int height) {
+                                     int height, int mode) {
   const int is_4k_or_larger = AOMMIN(width, height) >= 2160;
-  mi_params->mi_alloc_bsize = is_4k_or_larger ? BLOCK_8X8 : BLOCK_4X4;
+  const int is_realtime_mode = (mode == REALTIME);
+  mi_params->mi_alloc_bsize =
+      (is_4k_or_larger || is_realtime_mode) ? BLOCK_8X8 : BLOCK_4X4;
 
   set_mb_mi(mi_params, width, height);
 }
 
 static AOM_INLINE void stat_stage_set_mb_mi(CommonModeInfoParams *mi_params,
-                                            int width, int height) {
+                                            int width, int height, int mode) {
+  (void)mode;
   mi_params->mi_alloc_bsize = BLOCK_16X16;
 
   set_mb_mi(mi_params, width, height);
diff --git a/av1/encoder/speed_features.c b/av1/encoder/speed_features.c
index c6be672..335650f 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/speed_features.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/speed_features.c
@@ -1311,6 +1311,8 @@
   sf->mv_sf.subpel_search_method = SUBPEL_TREE_PRUNED;
   sf->mv_sf.search_method = boosted ? DIAMOND : FAST_DIAMOND;
 
+  sf->part_sf.default_max_partition_size = BLOCK_128X128;
+  sf->part_sf.default_min_partition_size = BLOCK_8X8;
   sf->part_sf.ml_prune_partition = 1;
   sf->part_sf.reuse_prev_rd_results_for_part_ab = 1;
   sf->part_sf.use_best_rd_for_pruning = 1;
@@ -1364,8 +1366,6 @@
                   FLAG_EARLY_TERMINATE;
     sf->hl_sf.frame_parameter_update = 0;
 
-    sf->part_sf.default_max_partition_size = BLOCK_128X128;
-    sf->part_sf.default_min_partition_size = BLOCK_8X8;
     sf->part_sf.max_intra_bsize = BLOCK_32X32;
     sf->part_sf.partition_search_breakout_rate_thr = 500;
     sf->part_sf.partition_search_type = VAR_BASED_PARTITION;
@@ -1447,8 +1447,6 @@
   }
 
   if (speed >= 7) {
-    sf->part_sf.default_max_partition_size = BLOCK_128X128;
-    sf->part_sf.default_min_partition_size = BLOCK_8X8;
     sf->part_sf.partition_search_type = VAR_BASED_PARTITION;
 
     sf->gm_sf.gm_search_type = GM_DISABLE_SEARCH;