diff --git a/src/cam/capture.cpp b/src/cam/capture.cpp
index 7580f798288c..43b109d099f6 100644
--- a/src/cam/capture.cpp
+++ b/src/cam/capture.cpp
@@ -157,6 +157,15 @@ void Capture::requestComplete(Request *request)
 	if (request->status() == Request::RequestCancelled)
 		return;
 
+	/*
+	 * Defer processing of the completed request to the event loop, to avoid
+	 * blocking the camera manager thread.
+	 */
+	loop_->callLater(std::bind(&Capture::processRequest, this, request));
+}
+
+void Capture::processRequest(Request *request)
+{
 	const Request::BufferMap &buffers = request->buffers();
 
 	/*
diff --git a/src/cam/capture.h b/src/cam/capture.h
index 45e5e8a9ba27..d21c95a26ce7 100644
--- a/src/cam/capture.h
+++ b/src/cam/capture.h
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ private:
 	int capture(libcamera::FrameBufferAllocator *allocator);
 
 	void requestComplete(libcamera::Request *request);
+	void processRequest(libcamera::Request *request);
 
 	std::shared_ptr<libcamera::Camera> camera_;
 	libcamera::CameraConfiguration *config_;