A method of decoding video data, the method comprising: receiving (802, 804) an entropy encoded bitstream that includes a first group of syntax elements comprising a plurality of flags and a second group of syntax elements for prediction units (PUs) of a coding unit, wherein syntax elements of the second group of syntax elements correspond to respective syntax elements of the first group of syntax elements, and wherein a flag of the plurality of flags of the first group of syntax elements indicates whether an intra-prediction mode of luma samples of a respective PU in the CU is based on an index into a list of most probable modes; context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) decoding the first group of syntax elements; subsequent to CABAC decoding the first group of syntax elements, bypass decoding the second group of syntax elements, wherein the second group of syntax elements comprises one of: a first syntax element that indicates the index into the list of most probable modes if the flag in the first group of syntax elements indicates that the intra-prediction mode of the luma samples of the respective PU is based on the index into the list of most probable modes; and a second syntax element that indicates the intra-prediction mode of the luma samples of the respective PU if the flag in the first group of syntax elements indicates that the intra-prediction mode of the luma samples of the respective PU is not based on the index into the list of most probable modes; and reconstructing the video data based on the decoded first group of syntax elements and the decoded second group of syntax elements. receiving (802, 804) an entropy encoded bitstream that includes a first group of syntax elements comprising a plurality of flags and a second group of syntax elements for prediction units (PUs) of a coding unit, wherein syntax elements of the second group of syntax elements correspond to respective syntax elements of the first group of syntax elements, and wherein a flag of the plurality of flags of the first group of syntax elements indicates whether an intra-prediction mode of luma samples of a respective PU in the CU is based on an index into a list of most probable modes; context adaptive binary arithmetic coding (CABAC) decoding the first group of syntax elements; subsequent to CABAC decoding the first group of syntax elements, bypass decoding the second group of syntax elements, wherein the second group of syntax elements comprises one of: a first syntax element that indicates the index into the list of most probable modes if the flag in the first group of syntax elements indicates that the intra-prediction mode of the luma samples of the respective PU is based on the index into the list of most probable modes; and a second syntax element that indicates the intra-prediction mode of the luma samples of the respective PU if the flag in the first group of syntax elements indicates that the intra-prediction mode of the luma samples of the respective PU is not based on the index into the list of most probable modes; and a first syntax element that indicates the index into the list of most probable modes if the flag in the first group of syntax elements indicates that the intra-prediction mode of the luma samples of the respective PU is based on the index into the list of most probable modes; and a second syntax element that indicates the intra-prediction mode of the luma samples of the respective PU if the flag in the first group of syntax elements indicates that the intra-prediction mode of the luma samples of the respective PU is not based on the index into the list of most probable modes; and reconstructing the video data based on the decoded first group of syntax elements and the decoded second group of syntax elements.