diff --git a/compress.c b/compress.c
index ac2c73f..027d36d 100644
--- a/compress.c
+++ b/compress.c
@@ -619,6 +619,25 @@
 	return oops(compress, EIO, "poll signalled unhandled event");
 }
 
+int compress_set_codec_params(struct compress *compress,
+	struct snd_codec *codec) {
+	struct snd_compr_params params;
+
+	if (!is_compress_ready(compress) || !compress->next_track)
+		return oops(compress, ENODEV, "device not ready");
+
+	params.buffer.fragment_size = compress->config->fragment_size;
+	params.buffer.fragments = compress->config->fragments;
+	memcpy(&params.codec, codec, sizeof(params.codec));
+	memcpy(&compress->config->codec, codec, sizeof(struct snd_codec));
+
+	if (compress->ops->ioctl(compress->data, SNDRV_COMPRESS_SET_PARAMS, &params))
+		return oops(compress, errno, "cannot set device");
+
+	compress->next_track = 0;
+	return 0;
+}
+
 #ifdef ENABLE_EXTENDED_COMPRESS_FORMAT
 int compress_get_metadata(struct compress *compress,
 		struct snd_compr_metadata *mdata) {