diff --git a/plugins/publish/publish_node.cpp b/plugins/publish/publish_node.cpp
index 367d73f..2b35d49 100644
--- a/plugins/publish/publish_node.cpp
+++ b/plugins/publish/publish_node.cpp
@@ -222,7 +222,7 @@ private:
         }
 
         if (!(fmt->oformat->flags & AVFMT_NOFILE)) {
-            if (av_io_open_helper(fmt, url_, opts) < 0) {
+            if (av_io_open_helper(fmt, url_, &opts) < 0) {
                 av_dict_free(&opts);
                 avformat_free_context(fmt);
                 return false;
@@ -245,12 +245,10 @@ private:
         return true;
     }
 
-    int av_io_open_helper(AVFormatContext* fmt, const std::string& url, AVDictionary* opts) {
-        if (proto_ == "hls") {
-            // HLS open is slightly different handled in logic but avio_open2 can take callbacks
-             return avio_open2(&fmt->pb, url.c_str(), AVIO_FLAG_WRITE, &fmt->interrupt_callback, &opts);
-        }
-        return avio_open2(&fmt->pb, url.c_str(), AVIO_FLAG_WRITE, &fmt->interrupt_callback, &opts);
+    int av_io_open_helper(AVFormatContext* fmt, const std::string& url, AVDictionary** opts) {
+        // IMPORTANT: options must be passed by pointer-to-pointer so FFmpeg can consume/remove entries safely.
+        // Passing a copied AVDictionary* leads to use-after-free / double-free when FFmpeg updates the dict.
+        return avio_open2(&fmt->pb, url.c_str(), AVIO_FLAG_WRITE, &fmt->interrupt_callback, opts);
     }
 
     static int CheckInterrupt(void* opaque) {