diff --git a/extras/package/rpm/vlc.altlinux.spec b/extras/package/rpm/vlc.altlinux.spec
index 33511ad8dc6e96ad1155cc3db93d36cededa0e78..021ca249438ce4e392fe7371359632acc2506f1f 100644
--- a/extras/package/rpm/vlc.altlinux.spec
+++ b/extras/package/rpm/vlc.altlinux.spec
@@ -1033,7 +1033,6 @@ strfile %buildroot%_gamesdatadir/fortune/vlc %buildroot%_gamesdatadir/fortune/vl
 %_vlc_pluginsdir/audio_output/libaout_file_plugin.so*
 
 %dir %_vlc_pluginsdir/codec
-%_vlc_pluginsdir/codec/liba52_plugin.so*
 %_vlc_pluginsdir/codec/libadpcm_plugin.so*
 %_vlc_pluginsdir/codec/libaraw_plugin.so*
 %_vlc_pluginsdir/codec/librawvideo_plugin.so*
@@ -1135,7 +1134,7 @@ strfile %buildroot%_gamesdatadir/fortune/vlc %buildroot%_gamesdatadir/fortune/vl
 #%_vlc_pluginsdir/mux/libmux_ts_plugin.so*
 
 %dir %_vlc_pluginsdir/packetizer
-#_vlc_pluginsdir/packetizer/libpacketizer_a52_plugin.so*
+%_vlc_pluginsdir/packetizer/libpacketizer_a52_plugin.so*
 %_vlc_pluginsdir/packetizer/libpacketizer_copy_plugin.so*
 %_vlc_pluginsdir/packetizer/libpacketizer_mpeg4audio_plugin.so*
 %_vlc_pluginsdir/packetizer/libpacketizer_mpeg4video_plugin.so*
diff --git a/modules/codec/Makefile.am b/modules/codec/Makefile.am
index 6703091e124cc953a05843e6efbec7fb8154df6e..ef0aa7436aede7d904d2df552eff98ebcb1e6ac9 100644
--- a/modules/codec/Makefile.am
+++ b/modules/codec/Makefile.am
@@ -16,9 +16,6 @@ endif
 libspdif_plugin_la_SOURCES = codec/spdif.c
 codec_LTLIBRARIES += libspdif_plugin.la
 
-liba52_plugin_la_SOURCES = codec/a52.c codec/a52.h
-codec_LTLIBRARIES += liba52_plugin.la
-
 libadpcm_plugin_la_SOURCES = codec/adpcm.c
 codec_LTLIBRARIES += libadpcm_plugin.la
 
diff --git a/modules/demux/mpeg/es.c b/modules/demux/mpeg/es.c
index ba80bb7fd56df5a10794f5e4032f9a0d76b568e6..69785be836d2245fe90127bc49f9c0fbf26d3097 100644
--- a/modules/demux/mpeg/es.c
+++ b/modules/demux/mpeg/es.c
@@ -37,7 +37,7 @@
 #include <vlc_codecs.h>
 #include <vlc_input.h>
 
-#include "../../codec/a52.h"
+#include "../../packetizer/a52.h"
 #include "../../codec/dts_header.h"
 
 /*****************************************************************************
diff --git a/modules/packetizer/Makefile.am b/modules/packetizer/Makefile.am
index 42edf1f6158e9eab8bc6c6129e56e90df80c0442..2bc1190e6381f0cadda6cddc5fdcc2f4eace2276 100644
--- a/modules/packetizer/Makefile.am
+++ b/modules/packetizer/Makefile.am
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@ libpacketizer_hevc_plugin_la_SOURCES = packetizer/hevc.c \
 	packetizer/hevc_nal.h packetizer/hevc_nal.c \
 	packetizer/hxxx_nal.h \
 	packetizer/hxxx_common.c packetizer/hxxx_common.h
+libpacketizer_a52_plugin_la_SOURCES = packetizer/a52.c packetizer/a52.h
 
 libpacketizer_avparser_plugin_la_SOURCES = packetizer/avparser.c \
 	packetizer/avparser.h \
@@ -25,7 +26,6 @@ libpacketizer_avparser_plugin_la_SOURCES = packetizer/avparser.c \
 libpacketizer_avparser_plugin_la_CFLAGS = $(AVCODEC_CFLAGS) $(AVUTIL_CFLAGS) $(AM_CFLAGS)
 libpacketizer_avparser_plugin_la_LIBADD = $(AVCODEC_LIBS) $(AVUTIL_LIBS) $(LIBM)
 
-
 noinst_HEADERS += packetizer/packetizer_helper.h packetizer/startcode_helper.h
 
 packetizer_LTLIBRARIES = \
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ packetizer_LTLIBRARIES = \
 	libpacketizer_flac_plugin.la \
 	libpacketizer_hevc_plugin.la \
 	libpacketizer_copy_plugin.la \
+	libpacketizer_a52_plugin.la \
 	$(NULL)
 
 if HAVE_AVCODEC
diff --git a/modules/codec/a52.c b/modules/packetizer/a52.c
similarity index 60%
rename from modules/codec/a52.c
rename to modules/packetizer/a52.c
index 044905b8b98033ecbae784ff14f45eecfe18cfe1..25cae8e34a9b4c7380441d6adcc126b883514307 100644
--- a/modules/codec/a52.c
+++ b/modules/packetizer/a52.c
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 /*****************************************************************************
  * a52.c: parse A/52 audio sync info and packetize the stream
  *****************************************************************************
- * Copyright (C) 2001-2002 VLC authors and VideoLAN
+ * Copyright (C) 2001-2016 VLC authors and VideoLAN
  * $Id$
  *
  * Authors: Stéphane Borel <stef@via.ecp.fr>
@@ -38,37 +38,21 @@
 
 #include "a52.h"
 
-#include "../packetizer/packetizer_helper.h"
+#include "packetizer_helper.h"
 
-/*****************************************************************************
- * Module descriptor
- *****************************************************************************/
-static int  OpenDecoder   ( vlc_object_t * );
-static int  OpenPacketizer( vlc_object_t * );
-static void CloseCommon   ( vlc_object_t * );
+static int  Open( vlc_object_t * );
+static void Close( vlc_object_t * );
 
 vlc_module_begin ()
-    set_description( N_("A/52 parser") )
-    set_capability( "decoder", 100 )
-    set_callbacks( OpenDecoder, CloseCommon )
-    set_category( CAT_INPUT )
-    set_subcategory( SUBCAT_INPUT_ACODEC )
-
-    add_submodule ()
+    set_category(CAT_SOUT)
+    set_subcategory(SUBCAT_SOUT_PACKETIZER)
     set_description( N_("A/52 audio packetizer") )
     set_capability( "packetizer", 10 )
-    set_callbacks( OpenPacketizer, CloseCommon )
+    set_callbacks( Open, Close )
 vlc_module_end ()
 
-/*****************************************************************************
- * decoder_sys_t : decoder descriptor
- *****************************************************************************/
-
 struct decoder_sys_t
 {
-    /* Module mode */
-    bool b_packetizer;
-
     /*
      * Input properties
      */
@@ -80,110 +64,64 @@ struct decoder_sys_t
      * Common properties
      */
     date_t  end_date;
+    bool    b_date_set;
 
     mtime_t i_pts;
 
     vlc_a52_header_t frame;
 };
 
-/****************************************************************************
- * Local prototypes
- ****************************************************************************/
-static block_t *DecodeBlock  ( decoder_t *, block_t ** );
-static void Flush( decoder_t * );
+static void PacketizeFlush( decoder_t *p_dec )
+{
+    decoder_sys_t *p_sys = p_dec->p_sys;
 
-static uint8_t *GetOutBuffer ( decoder_t *, block_t ** );
-static block_t *GetAoutBuffer( decoder_t * );
-static block_t *GetSoutBuffer( decoder_t * );
+    date_Set( &p_sys->end_date, 0 );
+    p_sys->i_state = STATE_NOSYNC;
+    block_BytestreamEmpty( &p_sys->bytestream );
+}
 
-/*****************************************************************************
- * OpenCommon: probe the decoder/packetizer and return score
- *****************************************************************************/
-static int OpenCommon( vlc_object_t *p_this, bool b_packetizer )
+static block_t *GetOutBuffer( decoder_t *p_dec )
 {
-    decoder_t *p_dec = (decoder_t*)p_this;
-    decoder_sys_t *p_sys;
-    vlc_fourcc_t i_codec;
+    decoder_sys_t *p_sys = p_dec->p_sys;
 
-    switch( p_dec->fmt_in.i_codec )
+    if( !p_sys->b_date_set
+     || p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_rate != p_sys->frame.i_rate )
     {
-    case VLC_CODEC_A52:
-        i_codec = VLC_CODEC_A52;
-        break;
-    case VLC_CODEC_EAC3:
-        /* XXX ugly hack, a52 does not support eac3 so no eac3 pass-through
-         * support */
-        if( !b_packetizer )
-            return VLC_EGENERIC;
-        i_codec = VLC_CODEC_EAC3;
-        break;
-    default:
-        return VLC_EGENERIC;
-    }
-
-    /* Allocate the memory needed to store the decoder's structure */
-    if( ( p_dec->p_sys = p_sys =
-          (decoder_sys_t *)malloc(sizeof(decoder_sys_t)) ) == NULL )
-        return VLC_ENOMEM;
-
-    /* Misc init */
-    p_sys->b_packetizer = b_packetizer;
-    p_sys->i_state = STATE_NOSYNC;
-    date_Set( &p_sys->end_date, 0 );
-    p_sys->i_pts = VLC_TS_INVALID;
-
-    block_BytestreamInit( &p_sys->bytestream );
+        msg_Dbg( p_dec, "A/52 channels:%d samplerate:%d bitrate:%d",
+                 p_sys->frame.i_channels, p_sys->frame.i_rate, p_sys->frame.i_bitrate );
 
-    /* Set output properties */
-    p_dec->fmt_out.i_cat = AUDIO_ES;
-    p_dec->fmt_out.i_codec = i_codec;
-    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_rate = 0; /* So end_date gets initialized */
-    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_bytes_per_frame = 0;
+        date_Init( &p_sys->end_date, p_sys->frame.i_rate, 1 );
+        date_Set( &p_sys->end_date, p_sys->i_pts );
+        p_sys->b_date_set = true;
+    }
 
-    /* Set callback */
-    if( b_packetizer )
-        p_dec->pf_packetize    = DecodeBlock;
-    else
-        p_dec->pf_decode_audio = DecodeBlock;
-    p_dec->pf_flush            = Flush;
-    return VLC_SUCCESS;
-}
+    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_rate     = p_sys->frame.i_rate;
+    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_channels = p_sys->frame.i_channels;
+    if( p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_bytes_per_frame < p_sys->frame.i_size )
+        p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_bytes_per_frame = p_sys->frame.i_size;
+    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_frame_length = p_sys->frame.i_samples;
 
-static int OpenDecoder( vlc_object_t *p_this )
-{
-    /* HACK: Don't use this codec if we don't have an a52 audio filter */
-    if( !module_exists( "a52tofloat32" ) )
-        return VLC_EGENERIC;
-    return OpenCommon( p_this, false );
-}
+    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_original_channels = p_sys->frame.i_channels_conf;
+    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_physical_channels =
+        p_sys->frame.i_channels_conf & AOUT_CHAN_PHYSMASK;
 
-static int OpenPacketizer( vlc_object_t *p_this )
-{
-    return OpenCommon( p_this, true );
-}
+    p_dec->fmt_out.i_bitrate = p_sys->frame.i_bitrate;
 
-/*****************************************************************************
- * Flush:
- *****************************************************************************/
-static void Flush( decoder_t *p_dec )
-{
-    decoder_sys_t *p_sys = p_dec->p_sys;
+    block_t *p_block = block_Alloc( p_sys->frame.i_size );
+    if( p_block == NULL )
+        return NULL;
 
-    date_Set( &p_sys->end_date, 0 );
-    p_sys->i_state = STATE_NOSYNC;
-    block_BytestreamEmpty( &p_sys->bytestream );
+    p_block->i_nb_samples = p_sys->frame.i_samples;
+    p_block->i_pts = p_block->i_dts = date_Get( &p_sys->end_date );
+    p_block->i_length =
+        date_Increment( &p_sys->end_date, p_block->i_nb_samples ) - p_block->i_pts;
+    return p_block;
 }
 
-/****************************************************************************
- * DecodeBlock: the whole thing
- ****************************************************************************
- * This function is called just after the thread is launched.
- ****************************************************************************/
-static block_t *DecodeBlock( decoder_t *p_dec, block_t **pp_block )
+static block_t *PacketizeBlock( decoder_t *p_dec, block_t **pp_block )
 {
     decoder_sys_t *p_sys = p_dec->p_sys;
     uint8_t p_header[VLC_A52_HEADER_SIZE];
-    uint8_t *p_buf;
     block_t *p_out_buffer;
 
     if( !pp_block || !*pp_block ) return NULL;
@@ -192,7 +130,7 @@ static block_t *DecodeBlock( decoder_t *p_dec, block_t **pp_block )
     {
         if( (*pp_block)->i_flags & BLOCK_FLAG_CORRUPTED )
         {
-            Flush( p_dec );
+            PacketizeFlush( p_dec );
             block_Release( *pp_block );
             *pp_block = NULL;
             return NULL;
@@ -278,8 +216,7 @@ static block_t *DecodeBlock( decoder_t *p_dec, block_t **pp_block )
                 return NULL;
             }
 
-            if( p_sys->b_packetizer &&
-                p_header[0] == 0 && p_header[1] == 0 )
+            if( p_header[0] == 0 && p_header[1] == 0 )
             {
                 /* A52 wav files and audio CD's use stuffing */
                 p_sys->i_state = STATE_GET_DATA;
@@ -309,7 +246,7 @@ static block_t *DecodeBlock( decoder_t *p_dec, block_t **pp_block )
             p_sys->i_state = STATE_SEND_DATA;
 
         case STATE_SEND_DATA:
-            if( !(p_buf = GetOutBuffer( p_dec, &p_out_buffer )) )
+            if( !(p_out_buffer = GetOutBuffer( p_dec )) )
             {
                 //p_dec->b_error = true;
                 return NULL;
@@ -317,8 +254,8 @@ static block_t *DecodeBlock( decoder_t *p_dec, block_t **pp_block )
 
             /* Copy the whole frame into the buffer. When we reach this point
              * we already know we have enough data available. */
-            block_GetBytes( &p_sys->bytestream,
-                            p_buf, __MIN( p_sys->frame.i_size, p_out_buffer->i_buffer ) );
+            block_GetBytes( &p_sys->bytestream, p_out_buffer->p_buffer,
+                            __MIN( p_sys->frame.i_size, p_out_buffer->i_buffer ) );
 
             /* Make sure we don't reuse the same pts twice */
             if( p_sys->i_pts == p_sys->bytestream.p_block->i_pts )
@@ -334,10 +271,7 @@ static block_t *DecodeBlock( decoder_t *p_dec, block_t **pp_block )
     }
 }
 
-/*****************************************************************************
- * CloseCommon: clean up the decoder
- *****************************************************************************/
-static void CloseCommon( vlc_object_t *p_this )
+static void Close( vlc_object_t *p_this )
 {
     decoder_t *p_dec = (decoder_t*)p_this;
     decoder_sys_t *p_sys = p_dec->p_sys;
@@ -347,84 +281,47 @@ static void CloseCommon( vlc_object_t *p_this )
     free( p_sys );
 }
 
-/*****************************************************************************
- * GetOutBuffer:
- *****************************************************************************/
-static uint8_t *GetOutBuffer( decoder_t *p_dec, block_t **pp_out_buffer )
+static int Open( vlc_object_t *p_this )
 {
-    decoder_sys_t *p_sys = p_dec->p_sys;
-    uint8_t *p_buf;
-
-    if( p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_rate != p_sys->frame.i_rate )
-    {
-        msg_Dbg( p_dec, "A/52 channels:%d samplerate:%d bitrate:%d",
-                 p_sys->frame.i_channels, p_sys->frame.i_rate, p_sys->frame.i_bitrate );
-
-        date_Init( &p_sys->end_date, p_sys->frame.i_rate, 1 );
-        date_Set( &p_sys->end_date, p_sys->i_pts );
-    }
-
-    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_rate     = p_sys->frame.i_rate;
-    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_channels = p_sys->frame.i_channels;
-    if( p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_bytes_per_frame < p_sys->frame.i_size )
-        p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_bytes_per_frame = p_sys->frame.i_size;
-    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_frame_length = p_sys->frame.i_samples;
-
-    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_original_channels = p_sys->frame.i_channels_conf;
-    p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_physical_channels =
-        p_sys->frame.i_channels_conf & AOUT_CHAN_PHYSMASK;
-
-    p_dec->fmt_out.i_bitrate = p_sys->frame.i_bitrate;
+    decoder_t *p_dec = (decoder_t*)p_this;
+    decoder_sys_t *p_sys;
 
-    if( p_sys->b_packetizer )
-    {
-        block_t *p_sout_buffer = GetSoutBuffer( p_dec );
-        p_buf = p_sout_buffer ? p_sout_buffer->p_buffer : NULL;
-        *pp_out_buffer = p_sout_buffer;
-    }
-    else
+    switch( p_dec->fmt_in.i_codec )
     {
-        block_t *p_aout_buffer = GetAoutBuffer( p_dec );
-        p_buf = p_aout_buffer ? p_aout_buffer->p_buffer : NULL;
-        *pp_out_buffer = p_aout_buffer;
+    /* TODO case VLC_CODEC_EAC3: */
+    case VLC_CODEC_A52:
+        break;
+    default:
+        return VLC_EGENERIC;
     }
 
-    return p_buf;
-}
-
-/*****************************************************************************
- * GetAoutBuffer:
- *****************************************************************************/
-static block_t *GetAoutBuffer( decoder_t *p_dec )
-{
-    decoder_sys_t *p_sys = p_dec->p_sys;
+    /* Allocate the memory needed to store the decoder's structure */
+    if( ( p_dec->p_sys = p_sys =
+          (decoder_sys_t *)malloc(sizeof(decoder_sys_t)) ) == NULL )
+        return VLC_ENOMEM;
 
-    block_t *p_buf = decoder_NewAudioBuffer( p_dec, p_sys->frame.i_samples );
-    if( p_buf )
-    {
-        p_buf->i_pts = date_Get( &p_sys->end_date );
-        p_buf->i_length = date_Increment( &p_sys->end_date,
-                                          p_sys->frame.i_samples ) - p_buf->i_pts;
-    }
+    /* Misc init */
+    p_sys->i_state = STATE_NOSYNC;
+    date_Set( &p_sys->end_date, 0 );
+    p_sys->i_pts = VLC_TS_INVALID;
+    p_sys->b_date_set = false;
 
-    return p_buf;
-}
+    block_BytestreamInit( &p_sys->bytestream );
 
-/*****************************************************************************
- * GetSoutBuffer:
- *****************************************************************************/
-static block_t *GetSoutBuffer( decoder_t *p_dec )
-{
-    decoder_sys_t *p_sys = p_dec->p_sys;
+    /* Set output properties */
+    p_dec->fmt_out.i_cat = AUDIO_ES;
+    p_dec->fmt_out.i_codec = p_dec->fmt_in.i_codec;
+    p_dec->fmt_out.audio = p_dec->fmt_in.audio;
 
-    block_t *p_block = block_Alloc( p_sys->frame.i_size );
-    if( p_block )
-    {
-        p_block->i_pts = p_block->i_dts = date_Get( &p_sys->end_date );
-        p_block->i_length =
-            date_Increment( &p_sys->end_date, p_sys->frame.i_samples ) - p_block->i_pts;
-    }
+    p_sys->frame.i_rate = p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_rate;
+    p_sys->frame.i_channels = p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_channels;
+    p_sys->frame.i_size = p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_bytes_per_frame;
+    p_sys->frame.i_samples = p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_frame_length;
+    p_sys->frame.i_channels_conf = p_dec->fmt_out.audio.i_original_channels;
+    p_sys->frame.i_bitrate = p_dec->fmt_out.i_bitrate;
 
-    return p_block;
+    /* Set callback */
+    p_dec->pf_packetize = PacketizeBlock;
+    p_dec->pf_flush     = PacketizeFlush;
+    return VLC_SUCCESS;
 }
-
diff --git a/modules/codec/a52.h b/modules/packetizer/a52.h
similarity index 100%
rename from modules/codec/a52.h
rename to modules/packetizer/a52.h
diff --git a/po/POTFILES.in b/po/POTFILES.in
index 6d5801c06df603f4867978ec99baa9722cdd8d6c..3abcf389ee5db526858162e9fb10a2d5a3a8f305 100644
--- a/po/POTFILES.in
+++ b/po/POTFILES.in
@@ -332,7 +332,6 @@ modules/audio_output/volume.h
 modules/audio_output/wasapi.c
 modules/audio_output/waveout.c
 modules/audio_output/windows_audio_common.h
-modules/codec/a52.c
 modules/codec/adpcm.c
 modules/codec/aes3.c
 modules/codec/araw.c
@@ -1001,6 +1000,7 @@ modules/mux/ogg.c
 modules/mux/wav.c
 modules/notify/osx_notifications.m
 modules/notify/notify.c
+modules/packetizer/a52.c
 modules/packetizer/avparser.h
 modules/packetizer/copy.c
 modules/packetizer/dirac.c