diff --git a/src/gallium/drivers/radeon/radeon_vcn_enc_1_2.c b/src/gallium/drivers/radeon/radeon_vcn_enc_1_2.c
index b82f43458ec..a267e197bc3 100644
--- a/src/gallium/drivers/radeon/radeon_vcn_enc_1_2.c
+++ b/src/gallium/drivers/radeon/radeon_vcn_enc_1_2.c
@@ -640,12 +640,14 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
    uint32_t instruction[RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_NUM_INSTRUCTIONS] = {0};
    uint32_t num_bits[RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_NUM_INSTRUCTIONS] = {0};
    unsigned int inst_index = 0;
-   unsigned int bit_index = 0;
+   unsigned int cdw_start = 0;
+   unsigned int cdw_filled = 0;
    unsigned int bits_copied = 0;
    RADEON_ENC_BEGIN(enc->cmd.slice_header);
    radeon_enc_reset(enc);
    radeon_enc_set_emulation_prevention(enc, false);
 
+   cdw_start = enc->cs->current.cdw;
    if (enc->enc_pic.is_idr)
       radeon_enc_code_fixed_bits(enc, 0x65, 8);
    else if (enc->enc_pic.not_referenced)
@@ -654,7 +656,6 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
       radeon_enc_code_fixed_bits(enc, 0x41, 8);
 
    radeon_enc_flush_headers(enc);
-   bit_index++;
    instruction[inst_index] = RENCODE_HEADER_INSTRUCTION_COPY;
    num_bits[inst_index] = enc->bits_output - bits_copied;
    bits_copied = enc->bits_output;
@@ -724,7 +725,6 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
       radeon_enc_code_ue(enc, enc->enc_pic.spec_misc.cabac_init_idc);
 
    radeon_enc_flush_headers(enc);
-   bit_index++;
    instruction[inst_index] = RENCODE_HEADER_INSTRUCTION_COPY;
    num_bits[inst_index] = enc->bits_output - bits_copied;
    bits_copied = enc->bits_output;
@@ -741,7 +741,6 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
    }
 
    radeon_enc_flush_headers(enc);
-   bit_index++;
    instruction[inst_index] = RENCODE_HEADER_INSTRUCTION_COPY;
    num_bits[inst_index] = enc->bits_output - bits_copied;
    bits_copied = enc->bits_output;
@@ -749,7 +748,8 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
 
    instruction[inst_index] = RENCODE_HEADER_INSTRUCTION_END;
 
-   for (int i = bit_index; i < RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_TEMPLATE_SIZE_IN_DWORDS; i++)
+   cdw_filled = enc->cs->current.cdw - cdw_start;
+   for (int i = 0; i < RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_TEMPLATE_SIZE_IN_DWORDS - cdw_filled; i++)
       RADEON_ENC_CS(0x00000000);
 
    for (int j = 0; j < RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_NUM_INSTRUCTIONS; j++) {
@@ -765,19 +765,20 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header_hevc(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
    uint32_t instruction[RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_NUM_INSTRUCTIONS] = {0};
    uint32_t num_bits[RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_NUM_INSTRUCTIONS] = {0};
    unsigned int inst_index = 0;
-   unsigned int bit_index = 0;
+   unsigned int cdw_start = 0;
+   unsigned int cdw_filled = 0;
    unsigned int bits_copied = 0;
    RADEON_ENC_BEGIN(enc->cmd.slice_header);
    radeon_enc_reset(enc);
    radeon_enc_set_emulation_prevention(enc, false);
 
+   cdw_start = enc->cs->current.cdw;
    radeon_enc_code_fixed_bits(enc, 0x0, 1);
    radeon_enc_code_fixed_bits(enc, enc->enc_pic.nal_unit_type, 6);
    radeon_enc_code_fixed_bits(enc, 0x0, 6);
    radeon_enc_code_fixed_bits(enc, 0x1, 3);
 
    radeon_enc_flush_headers(enc);
-   bit_index++;
    instruction[inst_index] = RENCODE_HEADER_INSTRUCTION_COPY;
    num_bits[inst_index] = enc->bits_output - bits_copied;
    bits_copied = enc->bits_output;
@@ -792,7 +793,6 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header_hevc(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
    radeon_enc_code_ue(enc, 0x0);
 
    radeon_enc_flush_headers(enc);
-   bit_index++;
    instruction[inst_index] = RENCODE_HEADER_INSTRUCTION_COPY;
    num_bits[inst_index] = enc->bits_output - bits_copied;
    bits_copied = enc->bits_output;
@@ -840,7 +840,6 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header_hevc(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
    }
 
    radeon_enc_flush_headers(enc);
-   bit_index++;
    instruction[inst_index] = RENCODE_HEADER_INSTRUCTION_COPY;
    num_bits[inst_index] = enc->bits_output - bits_copied;
    bits_copied = enc->bits_output;
@@ -855,7 +854,6 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header_hevc(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
                                  1);
 
       radeon_enc_flush_headers(enc);
-      bit_index++;
       instruction[inst_index] = RENCODE_HEADER_INSTRUCTION_COPY;
       num_bits[inst_index] = enc->bits_output - bits_copied;
       bits_copied = enc->bits_output;
@@ -864,7 +862,8 @@ static void radeon_enc_slice_header_hevc(struct radeon_encoder *enc)
 
    instruction[inst_index] = RENCODE_HEADER_INSTRUCTION_END;
 
-   for (int i = bit_index; i < RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_TEMPLATE_SIZE_IN_DWORDS; i++)
+   cdw_filled = enc->cs->current.cdw - cdw_start;
+   for (int i = 0; i < RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_TEMPLATE_SIZE_IN_DWORDS - cdw_filled; i++)
       RADEON_ENC_CS(0x00000000);
 
    for (int j = 0; j < RENCODE_SLICE_HEADER_TEMPLATE_MAX_NUM_INSTRUCTIONS; j++) {