An apparatus configured to construct a reference picture list includes a memory and one or more processors in communication with the memory. The memory is configured to store one or more reference pictures. The one or more processors are configured to determine (i) a first number representative of a total number of reference pictures available for prediction in at least one of inter mode or intra block copy mode and (ii) a second number representative of a total number of reference pictures to be included in the reference picture list, and in response to a determination that the second number is greater than or equal to the first number, refrain from replacing a reference picture in the reference picture list with a current picture to be predicted. The one or more processors may encode or decode the current picture based on the reference picture list.