diff --git a/src/rdo.c b/src/rdo.c
index 31e1fdd8..2dd1dd2e 100644
--- a/src/rdo.c
+++ b/src/rdo.c
@@ -852,17 +852,15 @@ void kvz_rdoq(encoder_state_t * const state, coeff_t *coef, coeff_t *dest_coeff,
   }
 }
 
-/** MVD cost calculation with CABAC
-* \returns int
-* Calculates cost of actual motion vectors using CABAC coding
-*/
+/**
+ * Calculate cost of actual motion vectors using CABAC coding
+ */
 uint32_t kvz_get_mvd_coding_cost_cabac(const encoder_state_t *state,
-                                       vector2d_t *mvd,
-                                       const cabac_data_t* real_cabac)
+                                       const cabac_data_t* real_cabac,
+                                       int32_t mvd_hor,
+                                       int32_t mvd_ver)
 {
   uint32_t bitcost = 0;
-  const int32_t mvd_hor = mvd->x;
-  const int32_t mvd_ver = mvd->y;
   const int8_t hor_abs_gr0 = mvd_hor != 0;
   const int8_t ver_abs_gr0 = mvd_ver != 0;
   const uint32_t mvd_hor_abs = abs(mvd_hor);
@@ -919,8 +917,7 @@ uint32_t kvz_calc_mvd_cost_cabac(const encoder_state_t * state,
   cabac_data_t state_cabac_copy;
   cabac_data_t* cabac;
   uint32_t merge_idx;
-  int cand1_cost, cand2_cost;
-  vector2d_t mvd_temp1, mvd_temp2, mvd = { 0, 0 };
+  vector2d_t mvd = { 0, 0 };
   int8_t merged = 0;
   int8_t cur_mv_cand = 0;
 
@@ -952,20 +949,23 @@ uint32_t kvz_calc_mvd_cost_cabac(const encoder_state_t * state,
   cabac = &state_cabac_copy;
 
   if (!merged) {
-    mvd_temp1.x = x - mv_cand[0][0];
-    mvd_temp1.y = y - mv_cand[0][1];
-    cand1_cost = kvz_get_mvd_coding_cost_cabac(state, &mvd_temp1, cabac);
-
-    mvd_temp2.x = x - mv_cand[1][0];
-    mvd_temp2.y = y - mv_cand[1][1];
-    cand2_cost = kvz_get_mvd_coding_cost_cabac(state, &mvd_temp2, cabac);
+    vector2d_t mvd1 = {
+      x - mv_cand[0][0],
+      y - mv_cand[0][1],
+    };
+    vector2d_t mvd2 = {
+      x - mv_cand[1][0],
+      y - mv_cand[1][1],
+    };
+    uint32_t cand1_cost = kvz_get_mvd_coding_cost_cabac(state, cabac, mvd1.x, mvd1.y);
+    uint32_t cand2_cost = kvz_get_mvd_coding_cost_cabac(state, cabac, mvd2.x, mvd2.y);
 
     // Select candidate 1 if it has lower cost
     if (cand2_cost < cand1_cost) {
       cur_mv_cand = 1;
-      mvd = mvd_temp2;
+      mvd = mvd2;
     } else {
-      mvd = mvd_temp1;
+      mvd = mvd1;
     }
   }
 
diff --git a/src/rdo.h b/src/rdo.h
index 8a8e0022..72450fb7 100644
--- a/src/rdo.h
+++ b/src/rdo.h
@@ -58,8 +58,9 @@ uint32_t kvz_get_coded_level(encoder_state_t * state, double* coded_cost, double
 kvz_mvd_cost_func kvz_calc_mvd_cost_cabac;
 
 uint32_t kvz_get_mvd_coding_cost_cabac(const encoder_state_t *state,
-                                       vector2d_t *mvd,
-                                       const cabac_data_t* cabac);
+                                       const cabac_data_t* cabac,
+                                       int32_t mvd_hor,
+                                       int32_t mvd_ver);
 
 // Number of fixed point fractional bits used in the fractional bit table.
 #define CTX_FRAC_BITS 15
diff --git a/src/search_inter.c b/src/search_inter.c
index f0aa11ef..306f89e1 100644
--- a/src/search_inter.c
+++ b/src/search_inter.c
@@ -307,11 +307,12 @@ static void select_starting_point(inter_search_info_t *info, vector2d_t extra_mv
 
 
 static uint32_t get_mvd_coding_cost(const encoder_state_t *state,
-                                    vector2d_t *mvd,
-                                    const cabac_data_t* cabac)
+                                    const cabac_data_t* cabac,
+                                    const int32_t mvd_hor,
+                                    const int32_t mvd_ver)
 {
   unsigned bitcost = 0;
-  const vector2d_t abs_mvd = { abs(mvd->x), abs(mvd->y) };
+  const vector2d_t abs_mvd = { abs(mvd_hor), abs(mvd_ver) };
 
   bitcost += CTX_ENTROPY_BITS(&cabac->ctx.cu_mvd_model[0], abs_mvd.x > 0);
   if (abs_mvd.x > 0) {
@@ -336,6 +337,53 @@ static uint32_t get_mvd_coding_cost(const encoder_state_t *state,
 }
 
 
+static int select_mv_cand(const encoder_state_t *state,
+                          int16_t mv_cand[2][2],
+                          int32_t mv_x,
+                          int32_t mv_y,
+                          uint32_t *cost_out)
+{
+  const bool same_cand =
+    (mv_cand[0][0] == mv_cand[1][0] && mv_cand[0][1] == mv_cand[1][1]);
+
+  if (same_cand && !cost_out) {
+    // Pick the first one if both candidates are the same.
+    return 0;
+  }
+
+  uint32_t (*mvd_coding_cost)(const encoder_state_t * const state,
+                              const cabac_data_t*,
+                              int32_t, int32_t);
+  if (state->encoder_control->cfg.mv_rdo) {
+    mvd_coding_cost = kvz_get_mvd_coding_cost_cabac;
+  } else {
+    mvd_coding_cost = get_mvd_coding_cost;
+  }
+
+  uint32_t cand1_cost = mvd_coding_cost(
+      state, &state->cabac,
+      mv_x - mv_cand[0][0],
+      mv_y - mv_cand[0][1]);
+
+  uint32_t cand2_cost;
+  if (same_cand) {
+    cand2_cost = cand1_cost;
+  } else {
+    cand2_cost = mvd_coding_cost(
+      state, &state->cabac,
+      mv_x - mv_cand[1][0],
+      mv_y - mv_cand[1][1]);
+  }
+
+  if (cost_out) {
+    *cost_out = MIN(cand1_cost, cand2_cost);
+  }
+
+  // Pick the second candidate if it has lower cost.
+  return cand2_cost < cand1_cost ? 1 : 0;
+}
+
+
 static uint32_t calc_mvd_cost(const encoder_state_t *state,
                               int x,
                               int y,
@@ -348,10 +396,7 @@ static uint32_t calc_mvd_cost(const encoder_state_t *state,
 {
   uint32_t temp_bitcost = 0;
   uint32_t merge_idx;
-  int cand1_cost,cand2_cost;
-  vector2d_t mvd_temp1, mvd_temp2;
   int8_t merged      = 0;
-  int8_t cur_mv_cand = 0;
 
   x *= 1 << mv_shift;
   y *= 1 << mv_shift;
@@ -371,20 +416,10 @@ static uint32_t calc_mvd_cost(const encoder_state_t *state,
   }
 
   // Check mvd cost only if mv is not merged
-  if(!merged) {
-    mvd_temp1.x = x - mv_cand[0][0];
-    mvd_temp1.y = y - mv_cand[0][1];
-    cand1_cost = get_mvd_coding_cost(state, &mvd_temp1, &state->cabac);
-
-    mvd_temp2.x = x - mv_cand[1][0];
-    mvd_temp2.y = y - mv_cand[1][1];
-    cand2_cost = get_mvd_coding_cost(state, &mvd_temp2, &state->cabac);
-
-    // Select candidate 1 if it has lower cost
-    if (cand2_cost < cand1_cost) {
-      cur_mv_cand = 1;
-    }
-    temp_bitcost += cur_mv_cand ? cand2_cost : cand1_cost;
+  if (!merged) {
+    uint32_t mvd_cost = 0;
+    select_mv_cand(state, mv_cand, x, y, &mvd_cost);
+    temp_bitcost += mvd_cost;
   }
   *bitcost = temp_bitcost;
   return temp_bitcost*(int32_t)(state->lambda_sqrt + 0.5);
@@ -1315,30 +1350,9 @@ static void search_pu_inter_ref(inter_search_info_t *info,
 
   // Only check when candidates are different
   int cu_mv_cand = 0;
-  if (!merged && (
-        info->mv_cand[0][0] != info->mv_cand[1][0] ||
-        info->mv_cand[0][1] != info->mv_cand[1][1]))
-  {
-    uint32_t (*mvd_coding_cost)(const encoder_state_t * const state,
-                                vector2d_t *,
-                                const cabac_data_t*) =
-      cfg->mv_rdo ? kvz_get_mvd_coding_cost_cabac : get_mvd_coding_cost;
-
-    vector2d_t mvd_temp1, mvd_temp2;
-    int cand1_cost,cand2_cost;
-
-    mvd_temp1.x = mv.x - info->mv_cand[0][0];
-    mvd_temp1.y = mv.y - info->mv_cand[0][1];
-    cand1_cost = mvd_coding_cost(info->state, &mvd_temp1, &info->state->cabac);
-
-    mvd_temp2.x = mv.x - info->mv_cand[1][0];
-    mvd_temp2.y = mv.y - info->mv_cand[1][1];
-    cand2_cost = mvd_coding_cost(info->state, &mvd_temp2, &info->state->cabac);
-
-    // Select candidate 1 if it has lower cost
-    if (cand2_cost < cand1_cost) {
-      cu_mv_cand = 1;
-    }
+  if (!merged) {
+    cu_mv_cand =
+      select_mv_cand(info->state, info->mv_cand, mv.x, mv.y, NULL);
   }
 
   if (info->best_cost < *inter_cost) {
@@ -1465,7 +1479,6 @@ static void search_pu_inter(encoder_state_t * const state,
         {
           uint32_t bitcost[2];
           uint32_t cost = 0;
-          int8_t cu_mv_cand = 0;
           int16_t mv[2][2];
           kvz_pixel tmp_block[64 * 64];
           kvz_pixel tmp_pic[64 * 64];
@@ -1558,32 +1571,13 @@ static void search_pu_inter(encoder_state_t * const state,
 
             // Each motion vector has its own candidate
             for (int reflist = 0; reflist < 2; reflist++) {
-              cu_mv_cand = 0;
               kvz_inter_get_mv_cand(state, x, y, width, height, info.mv_cand, cur_cu, lcu, reflist);
-              if (info.mv_cand[0][0] != info.mv_cand[1][0] ||
-                  info.mv_cand[0][1] != info.mv_cand[1][1])
-              {
-                uint32_t (*mvd_coding_cost)(const encoder_state_t * const state,
-                                            vector2d_t *,
-                                            const cabac_data_t*) =
-                  cfg->mv_rdo ? kvz_get_mvd_coding_cost_cabac : get_mvd_coding_cost;
-
-                vector2d_t mvd_temp1, mvd_temp2;
-                int cand1_cost, cand2_cost;
-
-                mvd_temp1.x = cur_cu->inter.mv[reflist][0] - info.mv_cand[0][0];
-                mvd_temp1.y = cur_cu->inter.mv[reflist][1] - info.mv_cand[0][1];
-                cand1_cost = mvd_coding_cost(state, &mvd_temp1, (cabac_data_t*)&state->cabac);
-
-                mvd_temp2.x = cur_cu->inter.mv[reflist][0] - info.mv_cand[1][0];
-                mvd_temp2.y = cur_cu->inter.mv[reflist][1] - info.mv_cand[1][1];
-                cand2_cost = mvd_coding_cost(state, &mvd_temp2, (cabac_data_t*)&state->cabac);
-
-                // Select candidate 1 if it has lower cost
-                if (cand2_cost < cand1_cost) {
-                  cu_mv_cand = 1;
-                }
-              }
+              int cu_mv_cand = select_mv_cand(
+                  state,
+                  info.mv_cand,
+                  cur_cu->inter.mv[reflist][0],
+                  cur_cu->inter.mv[reflist][1],
+                  NULL);
               CU_SET_MV_CAND(cur_cu, reflist, cu_mv_cand);
             }