diff --git a/webrtc/common_video/i420_video_frame_unittest.cc b/webrtc/common_video/i420_video_frame_unittest.cc
index 0eb1c2e678..012cf87742 100644
--- a/webrtc/common_video/i420_video_frame_unittest.cc
+++ b/webrtc/common_video/i420_video_frame_unittest.cc
@@ -11,9 +11,11 @@
 #include <math.h>
 #include <string.h>
 
-#include "common_video/interface/i420_video_frame.h"
 #include "gtest/gtest.h"
-#include "system_wrappers/interface/scoped_ptr.h"
+#include "webrtc/common_video/interface/i420_video_frame.h"
+#include "webrtc/system_wrappers/interface/ref_count.h"
+#include "webrtc/system_wrappers/interface/scoped_ptr.h"
+#include "webrtc/system_wrappers/interface/scoped_refptr.h"
 
 namespace webrtc {
 
@@ -211,6 +213,17 @@ TEST(TestI420VideoFrame, FrameSwap) {
   EXPECT_TRUE(EqualFrames(frame2_copy, frame1));
 }
 
+TEST(TestI420VideoFrame, RefCountedInstantiation) {
+  // Refcounted instantiation - ref_count should correspond to the number of
+  // instances.
+  scoped_refptr<I420VideoFrame> ref_count_frame(
+      new RefCountImpl<I420VideoFrame>());
+  EXPECT_EQ(2, ref_count_frame->AddRef());
+  EXPECT_EQ(3, ref_count_frame->AddRef());
+  EXPECT_EQ(2, ref_count_frame->Release());
+  EXPECT_EQ(1, ref_count_frame->Release());
+}
+
 bool EqualFrames(const I420VideoFrame& frame1,
                  const I420VideoFrame& frame2) {
   if (!EqualFramesExceptSize(frame1, frame2))
@@ -252,9 +265,9 @@ bool EqualFramesExceptSize(const I420VideoFrame& frame1,
 }
 
 int ExpectedSize(int plane_stride, int image_height, PlaneType type) {
-  if (type == kYPlane)
+  if (type == kYPlane) {
     return (plane_stride * image_height);
-  else {
+  } else {
     int half_height = (image_height + 1) / 2;
     return (plane_stride * half_height);
   }
diff --git a/webrtc/common_video/interface/i420_video_frame.h b/webrtc/common_video/interface/i420_video_frame.h
index 0e528c1e4f..09ee9d0386 100644
--- a/webrtc/common_video/interface/i420_video_frame.h
+++ b/webrtc/common_video/interface/i420_video_frame.h
@@ -15,8 +15,12 @@
 //
 // Storing and handling of YUV (I420) video frames.
 
-#include "common_video/plane.h"
-#include "typedefs.h"  //NOLINT
+#include "webrtc/common_video/plane.h"
+#include "webrtc/typedefs.h"
+
+/*
+ *  I420VideoFrame includes support for a reference counted impl.
+ */
 
 namespace webrtc {
 
@@ -30,7 +34,15 @@ enum PlaneType {
 class I420VideoFrame {
  public:
   I420VideoFrame();
-  ~I420VideoFrame();
+  virtual ~I420VideoFrame();
+  // Infrastructure for refCount implementation.
+  // Implements dummy functions for reference counting so that non reference
+  // counted instantiation can be done. These functions should not be called
+  // when creating the frame with new I420VideoFrame().
+  // Note: do not pass a I420VideoFrame created with new I420VideoFrame() or
+  // equivalent to a scoped_refptr or memory leak will occur.
+  virtual int32_t AddRef() {assert(false); return -1;}
+  virtual int32_t Release() {assert(false); return -1;}
 
   // CreateEmptyFrame: Sets frame dimensions and allocates buffers based
   // on set dimensions - height and plane stride.