diff --git a/src/lib/internal.h b/src/lib/internal.h
index 71b72a268..c67611377 100644
--- a/src/lib/internal.h
+++ b/src/lib/internal.h
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ int prep_special_keys(notcurses* nc);
 // free up the input escapes trie
 void input_free_esctrie(struct esctrie** trie);
 
+// initialize libav
+int ncvisual_init(void);
+
 static inline void
 ncplane_lock(const ncplane* n){
   pthread_mutex_lock(&n->nc->lock);
diff --git a/src/lib/libav.c b/src/lib/libav.c
index 752da26f2..3d5ea2269 100644
--- a/src/lib/libav.c
+++ b/src/lib/libav.c
@@ -255,9 +255,6 @@ ncvisual* ncplane_visual_open(ncplane* nc, const char* filename, int* averr){
     return NULL;
   }
   ncplane_dim_yx(nc, &ncv->dstheight, &ncv->dstwidth);
-  // FIXME we only want to do this if we're not already large enough to
-  // faithfully reproduce the image, methinks?
-  // ncv->dstwidth *= 2;
   ncv->dstheight *= 2;
   ncv->ncp = nc;
   ncv->style = NCSCALE_STRETCH;
@@ -277,3 +274,9 @@ ncvisual* ncvisual_open_plane(notcurses* nc, const char* filename,
   ncv->ncp = NULL;
   return ncv;
 }
+
+int ncvisual_init(void){
+  av_log_set_level(AV_LOG_QUIET); // FIXME make this configurable?
+  // FIXME could also use av_log_set_callback() and capture the message...
+  return 0;
+}
diff --git a/src/lib/notcurses.c b/src/lib/notcurses.c
index d9ee03189..953f9e232 100644
--- a/src/lib/notcurses.c
+++ b/src/lib/notcurses.c
@@ -763,6 +763,9 @@ notcurses* notcurses_init(const notcurses_options* opts, FILE* outfp){
   if(interrogate_terminfo(ret, opts)){
     goto err;
   }
+  if(ncvisual_init()){
+    goto err;
+  }
   if((ret->stdscr = create_initial_ncplane(ret)) == NULL){
     goto err;
   }