diff --git a/DOCS/man/options.rst b/DOCS/man/options.rst
index f1d045622ad40..cbc0e0cea3723 100644
--- a/DOCS/man/options.rst
+++ b/DOCS/man/options.rst
@@ -761,6 +761,10 @@ Video
     :top:     top field first
     :bottom:  bottom field first
 
+    .. note::
+
+        Setting either :top: or :bottom: will flag all frames as interlaced.
+
 ``--frames=<number>``
     Play/convert only first ``<number>`` video frames, then quit.
 
diff --git a/video/decode/dec_video.c b/video/decode/dec_video.c
index 34b437aa52022..f46d1c47ac5ce 100644
--- a/video/decode/dec_video.c
+++ b/video/decode/dec_video.c
@@ -326,11 +326,13 @@ struct mp_image *video_decode(struct dec_video *d_video,
         return NULL;            // error / skipped frame
     }
 
-    if (opts->field_dominance == 0)
-        mpi->fields |= MP_IMGFIELD_TOP_FIRST;
-    else if (opts->field_dominance == 1)
+    if (opts->field_dominance == 0) {
+        mpi->fields |= MP_IMGFIELD_TOP_FIRST | MP_IMGFIELD_INTERLACED;
+    } else if (opts->field_dominance == 1) {
         mpi->fields &= ~MP_IMGFIELD_TOP_FIRST;
-
+        mpi->fields |= MP_IMGFIELD_INTERLACED;
+    }
+    
     // Note: the PTS is reordered, but the DTS is not. Both should be monotonic.
     double pts = d_video->codec_pts;
     double dts = d_video->codec_dts;