A method for encoding a picture in a video sequence is provided that includes determining the current encoded size of the picture after coding a plurality of macroblocks in the picture, determining that encoding remaining macroblocks in the picture may cause the encoded size of the picture to exceed a maximum encoded picture size, computing a quantization scale responsive to the determining, wherein the quantization scale is computed such that the estimated encoded size of the remaining macroblocks if the remaining macroblocks are quantized with the quantization scale does not exceed the difference between the maximum encoded picture size and the current encoded picture size, and quantizing at least one of the remaining macroblocks with the new quantization scale.