diff --git a/av1/encoder/encode_strategy.c b/av1/encoder/encode_strategy.c
index 18f1eb7..cc93348 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/encode_strategy.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/encode_strategy.c
@@ -31,6 +31,125 @@
 #include "av1/encoder/temporal_filter.h"
 #include "av1/encoder/tpl_model.h"
 
+// Define the reference buffers that will be updated post encode.
+void av1_configure_buffer_updates(AV1_COMP *cpi, const FRAME_UPDATE_TYPE type) {
+  // NOTE(weitinglin): Should we define another function to take care of
+  // cpi->rc.is_$Source_Type to make this function as it is in the comment?
+
+  // show_existing_frame is a flag left set from the end of encoding the
+  // previous frame.  Alongside it, is_src_frame_alt_ref may also be left
+  // set so shouldn't be cleared in this case.
+  if (!cpi->common.show_existing_frame) cpi->rc.is_src_frame_alt_ref = 0;
+
+  cpi->rc.is_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
+  cpi->rc.is_last_bipred_frame = 0;
+  cpi->rc.is_bipred_frame = 0;
+  cpi->rc.is_src_frame_ext_arf = 0;
+
+  switch (type) {
+    case KF_UPDATE:
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 1;
+      break;
+
+    case LF_UPDATE:
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
+      break;
+
+    case GF_UPDATE:
+      // TODO(zoeliu): To further investigate whether 'refresh_last_frame' is
+      //               needed.
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
+      break;
+
+    case OVERLAY_UPDATE:
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
+
+      cpi->rc.is_src_frame_alt_ref = 1;
+      break;
+
+    case ARF_UPDATE:
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
+      // NOTE: BWDREF does not get updated along with ALTREF_FRAME.
+      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 1;
+      break;
+
+    case BRF_UPDATE:
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
+
+      cpi->rc.is_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
+      break;
+
+    case LAST_BIPRED_UPDATE:
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
+
+      cpi->rc.is_last_bipred_frame = 1;
+      break;
+
+    case BIPRED_UPDATE:
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
+
+      cpi->rc.is_bipred_frame = 1;
+      break;
+
+    case INTNL_OVERLAY_UPDATE:
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
+
+      cpi->rc.is_src_frame_alt_ref = 1;
+      cpi->rc.is_src_frame_ext_arf = 1;
+      break;
+
+    case INTNL_ARF_UPDATE:
+      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
+      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
+      if (cpi->new_bwdref_update_rule == 1 && cpi->oxcf.pass == 2) {
+        cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
+        cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
+      } else {
+        cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
+        cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 1;
+      }
+      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
+      break;
+
+    default: assert(0); break;
+  }
+}
+
 static void set_additional_frame_flags(const AV1_COMMON *const cm,
                                        unsigned int *const frame_flags) {
   if (frame_is_intra_only(cm)) *frame_flags |= FRAMEFLAGS_INTRAONLY;
@@ -247,6 +366,8 @@
   // We choose the reference "type" of this frame from the flags which indicate
   // which reference frames will be refreshed by it.  More than one of these
   // flags may be set, so the order here implies an order of precedence.
+  // This is just used to choose the primary_ref_frame (as the most recent
+  // reference buffer of the same reference-type as the current frame)
 
   const int intra_only = frame_params->frame_type == KEY_FRAME ||
                          frame_params->frame_type == INTRA_ONLY_FRAME;
@@ -516,11 +637,7 @@
     if (oxcf->pass < 2) {
       // In second pass, the buffer updates configure will be set
       // in the function av1_rc_get_second_pass_params
-      if (!arf2) {
-        av1_configure_buffer_updates_firstpass(cpi, ARF_UPDATE);
-      } else {
-        av1_configure_buffer_updates_firstpass(cpi, INTNL_ARF_UPDATE);
-      }
+      av1_configure_buffer_updates(cpi, arf2 ? INTNL_ARF_UPDATE : ARF_UPDATE);
     }
   }
   rc->source_alt_ref_pending = 0;
@@ -593,7 +710,7 @@
       if (cpi->oxcf.pass < 2) {
         // In second pass, the buffer updates configure will be set
         // in the function av1_rc_get_second_pass_params
-        av1_configure_buffer_updates_firstpass(cpi, BIPRED_UPDATE);
+        av1_configure_buffer_updates(cpi, BRF_UPDATE);
       }
     }
   }
diff --git a/av1/encoder/encode_strategy.h b/av1/encoder/encode_strategy.h
index f96202f..1671473 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/encode_strategy.h
+++ b/av1/encoder/encode_strategy.h
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 #include "aom/aom_encoder.h"
 
 #include "av1/encoder/encoder.h"
+#include "av1/encoder/firstpass.h"
 
 // This function will implement high-level encode strategy, choosing frame type,
 // frame placement, etc.  It populates an EncodeFrameParams struct with the
@@ -30,6 +31,10 @@
                         int64_t *const time_stamp, int64_t *const time_end,
                         const aom_rational_t *const timebase, int flush);
 
+// Set individual buffer update flags based on frame reference type
+void av1_configure_buffer_updates(AV1_COMP *const cpi,
+                                  const FRAME_UPDATE_TYPE type);
+
 #ifdef __cplusplus
 }  // extern "C"
 #endif
diff --git a/av1/encoder/encoder.c b/av1/encoder/encoder.c
index b1a681d..b94bb39 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/encoder.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/encoder.c
@@ -3226,15 +3226,6 @@
   return 0;
 }
 
-void av1_update_reference(AV1_COMP *cpi, int ref_frame_upd_flags) {
-  cpi->ext_refresh_last_frame = (ref_frame_upd_flags & AOM_LAST_FLAG) != 0;
-  cpi->ext_refresh_golden_frame = (ref_frame_upd_flags & AOM_GOLD_FLAG) != 0;
-  cpi->ext_refresh_alt_ref_frame = (ref_frame_upd_flags & AOM_ALT_FLAG) != 0;
-  cpi->ext_refresh_bwd_ref_frame = (ref_frame_upd_flags & AOM_BWD_FLAG) != 0;
-  cpi->ext_refresh_alt2_ref_frame = (ref_frame_upd_flags & AOM_ALT2_FLAG) != 0;
-  cpi->ext_refresh_frame_flags_pending = 1;
-}
-
 int av1_copy_reference_enc(AV1_COMP *cpi, int idx, YV12_BUFFER_CONFIG *sd) {
   AV1_COMMON *const cm = &cpi->common;
   const int num_planes = av1_num_planes(cm);
@@ -5742,7 +5733,7 @@
     cm->refresh_frame_context = REFRESH_FRAME_CONTEXT_DISABLED;
 
   // default reference buffers update config
-  av1_configure_buffer_updates_firstpass(cpi, LF_UPDATE);
+  av1_configure_buffer_updates(cpi, LF_UPDATE);
 
   // Initialize fields related to forward keyframes
   cpi->no_show_kf = 0;
@@ -5962,7 +5953,12 @@
       upd ^= AOM_ALT2_FLAG;
     }
 
-    av1_update_reference(cpi, upd);
+    cpi->ext_refresh_last_frame = (upd & AOM_LAST_FLAG) != 0;
+    cpi->ext_refresh_golden_frame = (upd & AOM_GOLD_FLAG) != 0;
+    cpi->ext_refresh_alt_ref_frame = (upd & AOM_ALT_FLAG) != 0;
+    cpi->ext_refresh_bwd_ref_frame = (upd & AOM_BWD_FLAG) != 0;
+    cpi->ext_refresh_alt2_ref_frame = (upd & AOM_ALT2_FLAG) != 0;
+    cpi->ext_refresh_frame_flags_pending = 1;
   }
 
   cpi->ext_use_ref_frame_mvs = cpi->oxcf.allow_ref_frame_mvs &
diff --git a/av1/encoder/encoder.h b/av1/encoder/encoder.h
index 6cd3a08..7b4c02a 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/encoder.h
+++ b/av1/encoder/encoder.h
@@ -950,8 +950,6 @@
 
 int av1_use_as_reference(AV1_COMP *cpi, int ref_frame_flags);
 
-void av1_update_reference(AV1_COMP *cpi, int ref_frame_flags);
-
 int av1_copy_reference_enc(AV1_COMP *cpi, int idx, YV12_BUFFER_CONFIG *sd);
 
 int av1_set_reference_enc(AV1_COMP *cpi, int idx, YV12_BUFFER_CONFIG *sd);
diff --git a/av1/encoder/firstpass.c b/av1/encoder/firstpass.c
index 3f50204..8b9513b 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/firstpass.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/firstpass.c
@@ -36,6 +36,7 @@
 #include "av1/encoder/encodemb.h"
 #include "av1/encoder/encodemv.h"
 #include "av1/encoder/encoder.h"
+#include "av1/encoder/encode_strategy.h"
 #include "av1/encoder/extend.h"
 #include "av1/encoder/firstpass.h"
 #include "av1/encoder/mcomp.h"
@@ -2934,51 +2935,6 @@
   twopass->modified_error_left -= kf_group_err;
 }
 
-void av1_configure_buffer_updates_firstpass(AV1_COMP *cpi,
-                                            FRAME_UPDATE_TYPE update_type) {
-  RATE_CONTROL *rc = &cpi->rc;
-
-  cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
-  cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-  cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-  cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-  cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-
-  rc->is_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-
-  switch (update_type) {
-    case ARF_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-
-      rc->is_src_frame_alt_ref = 0;
-      break;
-    case INTNL_ARF_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-      rc->is_src_frame_alt_ref = 0;
-      rc->is_src_frame_ext_arf = 0;
-
-      break;
-    case BIPRED_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-
-      rc->is_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
-      break;
-    default: break;
-  }
-}
-
 static int is_skippable_frame(const AV1_COMP *cpi) {
   // If the current frame does not have non-zero motion vector detected in the
   // first  pass, and so do its previous and forward frames, then this frame
@@ -3018,7 +2974,7 @@
   // advance the input pointer as we already have what we need.
   if (gf_group->update_type[gf_group->index] == ARF_UPDATE ||
       gf_group->update_type[gf_group->index] == INTNL_ARF_UPDATE) {
-    av1_configure_buffer_updates(cpi);
+    av1_configure_buffer_updates(cpi, gf_group->update_type[gf_group->index]);
     target_rate = gf_group->bit_allocation[gf_group->index];
     target_rate = av1_rc_clamp_pframe_target_size(cpi, target_rate);
     rc->base_frame_target = target_rate;
@@ -3110,7 +3066,7 @@
 #endif
   }
 
-  av1_configure_buffer_updates(cpi);
+  av1_configure_buffer_updates(cpi, gf_group->update_type[gf_group->index]);
 
   // Do the firstpass stats indicate that this frame is skippable for the
   // partition search?
diff --git a/av1/encoder/firstpass.h b/av1/encoder/firstpass.h
index b61116f..be1101a 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/firstpass.h
+++ b/av1/encoder/firstpass.h
@@ -181,8 +181,6 @@
 void av1_init_second_pass(struct AV1_COMP *cpi);
 void av1_rc_get_second_pass_params(
     struct AV1_COMP *cpi, struct EncodeFrameParams *const frame_params);
-void av1_configure_buffer_updates_firstpass(struct AV1_COMP *cpi,
-                                            FRAME_UPDATE_TYPE update_type);
 
 // Post encode update of the rate control parameters for 2-pass
 void av1_twopass_postencode_update(struct AV1_COMP *cpi);
diff --git a/av1/encoder/ratectrl.c b/av1/encoder/ratectrl.c
index e34349a..6a76371 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/ratectrl.c
+++ b/av1/encoder/ratectrl.c
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@
 #include "av1/common/seg_common.h"
 
 #include "av1/encoder/encodemv.h"
+#include "av1/encoder/encode_strategy.h"
 #include "av1/encoder/random.h"
 #include "av1/encoder/ratectrl.h"
 
@@ -1304,123 +1305,6 @@
   }
 }
 
-// Define the reference buffers that will be updated post encode.
-void av1_configure_buffer_updates(AV1_COMP *cpi) {
-  TWO_PASS *const twopass = &cpi->twopass;
-
-  // NOTE(weitinglin): Should we define another function to take care of
-  // cpi->rc.is_$Source_Type to make this function as it is in the comment?
-
-  cpi->rc.is_src_frame_alt_ref = 0;
-  cpi->rc.is_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-  cpi->rc.is_last_bipred_frame = 0;
-  cpi->rc.is_bipred_frame = 0;
-  cpi->rc.is_src_frame_ext_arf = 0;
-
-  switch (twopass->gf_group.update_type[twopass->gf_group.index]) {
-    case KF_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 1;
-      break;
-
-    case LF_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-      break;
-
-    case GF_UPDATE:
-      // TODO(zoeliu): To further investigate whether 'refresh_last_frame' is
-      //               needed.
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-      break;
-
-    case OVERLAY_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-
-      cpi->rc.is_src_frame_alt_ref = 1;
-      break;
-
-    case ARF_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      // NOTE: BWDREF does not get updated along with ALTREF_FRAME.
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 1;
-      break;
-
-    case BRF_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-
-      cpi->rc.is_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
-      break;
-
-    case LAST_BIPRED_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-
-      cpi->rc.is_last_bipred_frame = 1;
-      break;
-
-    case BIPRED_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-
-      cpi->rc.is_bipred_frame = 1;
-      break;
-
-    case INTNL_OVERLAY_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 1;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-
-      cpi->rc.is_src_frame_alt_ref = 1;
-      cpi->rc.is_src_frame_ext_arf = 1;
-      break;
-
-    case INTNL_ARF_UPDATE:
-      cpi->refresh_last_frame = 0;
-      cpi->refresh_golden_frame = 0;
-      if (cpi->new_bwdref_update_rule == 1) {
-        cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 1;
-        cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 0;
-      } else {
-        cpi->refresh_bwd_ref_frame = 0;
-        cpi->refresh_alt2_ref_frame = 1;
-      }
-      cpi->refresh_alt_ref_frame = 0;
-      break;
-
-    default: assert(0); break;
-  }
-}
-
 void av1_estimate_qp_gop(AV1_COMP *cpi) {
   AV1_COMMON *const cm = &cpi->common;
   int gop_length = cpi->rc.baseline_gf_interval;
@@ -1435,14 +1319,16 @@
 
     cpi->twopass.gf_group.index = idx;
     rc_set_frame_target(cpi, target_rate, cm->width, cm->height);
-    av1_configure_buffer_updates(cpi);
+    av1_configure_buffer_updates(
+        cpi, cpi->twopass.gf_group.update_type[cpi->twopass.gf_group.index]);
     tpl_frame->base_qindex = rc_pick_q_and_bounds_two_pass(
         cpi, cm->width, cm->height, &bottom_index, &top_index, &arf_q);
     tpl_frame->base_qindex = AOMMAX(tpl_frame->base_qindex, 1);
   }
   // Reset the actual index and frame update
   cpi->twopass.gf_group.index = gf_index;
-  av1_configure_buffer_updates(cpi);
+  av1_configure_buffer_updates(
+      cpi, cpi->twopass.gf_group.update_type[cpi->twopass.gf_group.index]);
 }
 
 void av1_rc_postencode_update(AV1_COMP *cpi, uint64_t bytes_used) {
diff --git a/av1/encoder/ratectrl.h b/av1/encoder/ratectrl.h
index 78c23cf..36c738c 100644
--- a/av1/encoder/ratectrl.h
+++ b/av1/encoder/ratectrl.h
@@ -267,8 +267,6 @@
 
 int av1_resize_one_pass_cbr(struct AV1_COMP *cpi);
 
-void av1_configure_buffer_updates(struct AV1_COMP *cpi);
-
 void av1_estimate_qp_gop(struct AV1_COMP *cpi);
 
 #ifdef __cplusplus