diff --git a/include/libcamera/request.h b/include/libcamera/request.h
index 4cf5ff3f..45c707f3 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/request.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/request.h
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #ifndef __LIBCAMERA_REQUEST_H__
 #define __LIBCAMERA_REQUEST_H__
 
+#include <chrono>
 #include <map>
 #include <memory>
 #include <stdint.h>
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ public:
 	Request(Camera *camera, uint64_t cookie = 0);
 	~Request();
 
-	void reuse(ReuseFlag flags = Default);
+	bool reuse(ReuseFlag flags = Default);
 
 	ControlList &controls() { return *controls_; }
 	ControlList &metadata() { return *metadata_; }
@@ -57,6 +58,8 @@ public:
 
 	bool hasPendingBuffers() const { return !pending_.empty(); }
 
+	void setHalfLife(std::chrono::duration<double> hl);
+
 	std::string toString() const;
 
 private:
@@ -79,6 +82,9 @@ private:
 	const uint64_t cookie_;
 	Status status_;
 	bool cancelled_;
+
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point birthTime_;
+	std::chrono::duration<double> halfLife_;
 };
 
 } /* namespace libcamera */
diff --git a/src/libcamera/request.cpp b/src/libcamera/request.cpp
index ce2dd7b1..0543abaf 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/request.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/request.cpp
@@ -7,7 +7,9 @@
 
 #include <libcamera/request.h>
 
+#include <chrono>
 #include <map>
+#include <random>
 #include <sstream>
 
 #include <libcamera/buffer.h>
@@ -74,7 +76,9 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(Request)
  */
 Request::Request(Camera *camera, uint64_t cookie)
 	: camera_(camera), sequence_(0), cookie_(cookie),
-	  status_(RequestPending), cancelled_(false)
+	  status_(RequestPending), cancelled_(false),
+	  birthTime_(std::chrono::steady_clock::now()),
+	  halfLife_(std::chrono::seconds(10))
 {
 	/**
 	 * \todo Should the Camera expose a validator instance, to avoid
@@ -111,11 +115,28 @@ Request::~Request()
  * prior to queueing the request to the camera, in lieu of constructing a new
  * request. The application can reuse the buffers that were previously added
  * to the request via addBuffer() by setting \a flags to ReuseBuffers.
+ *
+ * The request for reuse may fail, as Requests can decay based on the half
+ * life.
+ *
+ * \return True on success, false otherwise
  */
-void Request::reuse(ReuseFlag flags)
+bool Request::reuse(ReuseFlag flags)
 {
 	LIBCAMERA_TRACEPOINT(request_reuse, this);
 
+	std::chrono::steady_clock::time_point end =
+		std::chrono::steady_clock::now();
+	std::chrono::duration<double> diff = end - birthTime_;
+
+	std::random_device rd{};
+	std::mt19937 gen{ rd() };
+	double hlns =
+		std::chrono::duration_cast<std::chrono::nanoseconds>(halfLife_).count();
+	std::normal_distribution<> dist{ hlns, hlns / 2 };
+	if (dist(gen) > hlns)
+		return false;
+
 	pending_.clear();
 	if (flags & ReuseBuffers) {
 		for (auto pair : bufferMap_) {
@@ -133,6 +154,8 @@ void Request::reuse(ReuseFlag flags)
 
 	controls_->clear();
 	metadata_->clear();
+
+	return true;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -320,6 +343,15 @@ bool Request::completeBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer)
 	return !hasPendingBuffers();
 }
 
+/**
+ * \brief Set the half life of the request
+ * \param[in] hl Half-life of the request
+ */
+void Request::setHalfLife(std::chrono::duration<double> hl)
+{
+	halfLife_ = hl;
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief Generate a string representation of the Request internals
  *