An encoded representation (60) of a picture (10) of a video stream (1) is decoded by retrieving buffer description from the encoded representation (60). The buffer description information is used to determine at least one picture identifier identifying a respective reference picture (40, 42) as decoding reference for the picture (10). A decoded picture buffer (530, 650) is updated based on the determined picture identifier. The encoded representation (60) of the picture (10) itself comprises the information needed by a decoder (400) to identify the reference pictures (40, 42) required to decode the encoded representation (60)