diff --git a/libavfilter/vsrc_cellauto.c b/libavfilter/vsrc_cellauto.c
index 27a4d1887a..06d9f9aa13 100644
--- a/libavfilter/vsrc_cellauto.c
+++ b/libavfilter/vsrc_cellauto.c
@@ -319,11 +319,7 @@ static int request_frame(AVFilterLink *outlink)
 #ifdef DEBUG
     show_cellauto_row(outlink->src);
 #endif
-
-    ff_start_frame(outlink, avfilter_ref_buffer(picref, ~0));
-    ff_draw_slice(outlink, 0, cellauto->h, 1);
-    ff_end_frame(outlink);
-    avfilter_unref_buffer(picref);
+    ff_filter_frame(outlink, picref);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/libavfilter/vsrc_life.c b/libavfilter/vsrc_life.c
index ebe6cc2968..d8b8355126 100644
--- a/libavfilter/vsrc_life.c
+++ b/libavfilter/vsrc_life.c
@@ -439,11 +439,7 @@ static int request_frame(AVFilterLink *outlink)
 #ifdef DEBUG
     show_life_grid(outlink->src);
 #endif
-
-    ff_start_frame(outlink, avfilter_ref_buffer(picref, ~0));
-    ff_draw_slice(outlink, 0, life->h, 1);
-    ff_end_frame(outlink);
-    avfilter_unref_buffer(picref);
+    ff_filter_frame(outlink, picref);
 
     return 0;
 }
diff --git a/libavfilter/vsrc_mptestsrc.c b/libavfilter/vsrc_mptestsrc.c
index fa41e687ef..d526ee2cc9 100644
--- a/libavfilter/vsrc_mptestsrc.c
+++ b/libavfilter/vsrc_mptestsrc.c
@@ -355,11 +355,7 @@ static int request_frame(AVFilterLink *outlink)
     }
 
     test->frame_nb++;
-
-    ff_start_frame(outlink, avfilter_ref_buffer(picref, ~0));
-    ff_draw_slice(outlink, 0, picref->video->h, 1);
-    ff_end_frame(outlink);
-    avfilter_unref_buffer(picref);
+    ff_filter_frame(outlink, picref);
 
     return 0;
 }