diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/camera_sensor.h b/include/libcamera/internal/camera_sensor.h
index f80d836161a5..aee10aa6e3c7 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/camera_sensor.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/camera_sensor.h
@@ -69,6 +69,7 @@ protected:
 
 private:
 	int generateId();
+	int validateSensorDriver();
 	int initProperties();
 
 	const MediaEntity *entity_;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp b/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp
index bdf4415fda0e..3a65ac3de5bc 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp
@@ -207,6 +207,10 @@ int CameraSensor::init()
 	 */
 	resolution_ = sizes_.back();
 
+	ret = validateSensorDriver();
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	ret = initProperties();
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
@@ -214,6 +218,81 @@ int CameraSensor::init()
 	return 0;
 }
 
+int CameraSensor::validateSensorDriver()
+{
+	/*
+	 * Make sure the sensor driver supports the mandatory controls
+	 * required by the CameraSensor class.
+	 * - V4L2_CID_PIXEL_RATE is used to calculate the sensor timings
+	 * - V4L2_CID_HBLANK is used to calculate the line length
+	 */
+	const std::vector<uint32_t> mandatoryControls{
+		V4L2_CID_PIXEL_RATE,
+		V4L2_CID_HBLANK,
+	};
+
+	ControlList ctrls = subdev_->getControls(mandatoryControls);
+	if (ctrls.empty()) {
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Error)
+			<< "Mandatory V4L2 controls not available";
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Error)
+			<< "Please consider upgrading the sensor driver";
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	int err = 0;
+	/*
+	 * Optional controls are used to register optional sensor
+	 * properties. If not present, some values will be defaulted.
+	 */
+	const std::vector<uint32_t> optionalControls{
+		V4L2_CID_CAMERA_ORIENTATION,
+		V4L2_CID_CAMERA_SENSOR_ROTATION,
+	};
+
+	ctrls = subdev_->getControls(optionalControls);
+	if (ctrls.empty()) {
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Info)
+			<< "Optional V4L2 controls not supported";
+		err = -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	/*
+	 * Make sure the required selection targets are supported.
+	 *
+	 * Failures in reading any of the targets are not deemed to be fatal,
+	 * but some properties and features, like constructing a
+	 * CameraSensorInfo for the IPA module, won't be supported.
+	 */
+	Rectangle rect;
+	int ret = subdev_->getSelection(pad_, V4L2_SEL_TGT_CROP_BOUNDS, &rect);
+	if (ret) {
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Info)
+			<< "Failed to retrieve the readable pixel area size";
+		err = -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	ret = subdev_->getSelection(pad_, V4L2_SEL_TGT_CROP_DEFAULT, &rect);
+	if (ret) {
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Info)
+			<< "Failed to retrieve the active pixel area size";
+		err = -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	ret = subdev_->getSelection(pad_, V4L2_SEL_TGT_CROP, &rect);
+	if (ret) {
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Info)
+			<< "Failed to retreive the sensor crop rectangle";
+		err = -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	if (err)
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Info)
+			<< "Please consider upgrading the sensor driver";
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
 int CameraSensor::initProperties()
 {
 	/*
@@ -278,21 +357,29 @@ int CameraSensor::initProperties()
 		}
 	} else {
 		propertyValue = properties::CameraLocationFront;
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Debug)
+			<< "Location property defaulted to 'Front Camera'";
 	}
 	properties_.set(properties::Location, propertyValue);
 
 	/* Camera Rotation: default is 0 degrees. */
 	const auto &rotationControl = controls.find(V4L2_CID_CAMERA_SENSOR_ROTATION);
-	if (rotationControl != controls.end())
+	if (rotationControl != controls.end()) {
 		propertyValue = rotationControl->second.def().get<int32_t>();
-	else
+	} else {
 		propertyValue = 0;
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Debug)
+			<< "Rotation property defaulted to 0 degrees";
+	}
 	properties_.set(properties::Rotation, propertyValue);
 
 	Rectangle bounds;
 	ret = subdev_->getSelection(pad_, V4L2_SEL_TGT_CROP_BOUNDS, &bounds);
 	if (!ret)
 		properties_.set(properties::PixelArraySize, bounds.size());
+	else
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Debug)
+			<< "PixelArraySize property not registered";
 
 	Rectangle crop;
 	ret = subdev_->getSelection(pad_, V4L2_SEL_TGT_CROP_DEFAULT, &crop);
@@ -306,6 +393,9 @@ int CameraSensor::initProperties()
 		crop.x -= bounds.x;
 		crop.y -= bounds.y;
 		properties_.set(properties::PixelArrayActiveAreas, { crop });
+	} else {
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Debug)
+			<< "PixelArrayActiveAreas property not registered";
 	}
 
 	/* Color filter array pattern, register only for RAW sensors. */
@@ -571,6 +661,8 @@ int CameraSensor::sensorInfo(CameraSensorInfo *info) const
 		LOG(CameraSensor, Error)
 			<< "Failed to construct camera sensor info: "
 			<< "the camera sensor does not report the active area";
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Error)
+			<< "The IPA might not work correctly";
 
 		return ret;
 	}
@@ -582,6 +674,8 @@ int CameraSensor::sensorInfo(CameraSensorInfo *info) const
 		LOG(CameraSensor, Error)
 			<< "Failed to construct camera sensor info: "
 			<< "the camera sensor does not report the crop rectangle";
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Error)
+			<< "The IPA might not work correctly";
 		return ret;
 	}
 
@@ -603,16 +697,14 @@ int CameraSensor::sensorInfo(CameraSensorInfo *info) const
 	info->bitsPerPixel = format.bitsPerPixel();
 	info->outputSize = format.size;
 
-	/*
-	 * Retrieve the pixel rate and the line length through V4L2 controls.
-	 * Support for the V4L2_CID_PIXEL_RATE and V4L2_CID_HBLANK controls is
-	 * mandatory.
-	 */
+	/* Retrieve the pixel rate and the line length through V4L2 controls. */
 	ControlList ctrls = subdev_->getControls({ V4L2_CID_PIXEL_RATE,
 						   V4L2_CID_HBLANK });
 	if (ctrls.empty()) {
 		LOG(CameraSensor, Error)
 			<< "Failed to retrieve camera info controls";
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Error)
+			<< "The IPA might not work correctly";
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}