diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/imgu.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/imgu.cpp
index e955bc3456ba..f36e99dacbe7 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/imgu.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/imgu.cpp
@@ -593,22 +593,22 @@ int ImgUDevice::configureVideoDevice(V4L2VideoDevice *dev, unsigned int pad,
 /**
  * \brief Allocate buffers for all the ImgU video devices
  */
-int ImgUDevice::allocateBuffers(unsigned int bufferCount)
+int ImgUDevice::allocateBuffers()
 {
 	/* Share buffers between CIO2 output and ImgU input. */
-	int ret = input_->importBuffers(bufferCount);
+	int ret = input_->importBuffers(IPU3_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT);
 	if (ret) {
 		LOG(IPU3, Error) << "Failed to import ImgU input buffers";
 		return ret;
 	}
 
-	ret = param_->allocateBuffers(bufferCount, &paramBuffers_);
+	ret = param_->allocateBuffers(IPU3_INTERNAL_BUFFER_COUNT, &paramBuffers_);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		LOG(IPU3, Error) << "Failed to allocate ImgU param buffers";
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	ret = stat_->allocateBuffers(bufferCount, &statBuffers_);
+	ret = stat_->allocateBuffers(IPU3_INTERNAL_BUFFER_COUNT, &statBuffers_);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		LOG(IPU3, Error) << "Failed to allocate ImgU stat buffers";
 		goto error;
@@ -619,13 +619,13 @@ int ImgUDevice::allocateBuffers(unsigned int bufferCount)
 	 * corresponding stream is active or inactive, as the driver needs
 	 * buffers to be requested on the V4L2 devices in order to operate.
 	 */
-	ret = output_->importBuffers(bufferCount);
+	ret = output_->importBuffers(IPU3_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		LOG(IPU3, Error) << "Failed to import ImgU output buffers";
 		goto error;
 	}
 
-	ret = viewfinder_->importBuffers(bufferCount);
+	ret = viewfinder_->importBuffers(IPU3_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		LOG(IPU3, Error) << "Failed to import ImgU viewfinder buffers";
 		goto error;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/imgu.h b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/imgu.h
index 9d4915116087..f934a951fc75 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/imgu.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/imgu.h
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public:
 					    outputFormat);
 	}
 
-	int allocateBuffers(unsigned int bufferCount);
+	int allocateBuffers();
 	void freeBuffers();
 
 	int start();
@@ -86,6 +86,9 @@ private:
 	static constexpr unsigned int PAD_VF = 3;
 	static constexpr unsigned int PAD_STAT = 4;
 
+	static constexpr unsigned int IPU3_INTERNAL_BUFFER_COUNT = 4;
+	static constexpr unsigned int IPU3_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT = 5;
+
 	int linkSetup(const std::string &source, unsigned int sourcePad,
 		      const std::string &sink, unsigned int sinkPad,
 		      bool enable);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
index f3b456ba3afa..e80b0aaea8dc 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
@@ -681,16 +681,9 @@ int PipelineHandlerIPU3::allocateBuffers(Camera *camera)
 {
 	IPU3CameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
 	ImgUDevice *imgu = data->imgu_;
-	unsigned int bufferCount;
 	int ret;
 
-	bufferCount = std::max({
-		data->outStream_.configuration().bufferCount,
-		data->vfStream_.configuration().bufferCount,
-		data->rawStream_.configuration().bufferCount,
-	});
-
-	ret = imgu->allocateBuffers(bufferCount);
+	ret = imgu->allocateBuffers();
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/raspberrypi/raspberrypi.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/raspberrypi/raspberrypi.cpp
index f357e6c16ba8..8db7f651b6c4 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/raspberrypi/raspberrypi.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/raspberrypi/raspberrypi.cpp
@@ -1151,20 +1151,15 @@ int PipelineHandlerRPi::prepareBuffers(Camera *camera)
 {
 	RPiCameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
 	int ret;
+	constexpr unsigned int bufferCount = 4;
 
 	/*
-	 * Decide how many internal buffers to allocate. For now, simply look
-	 * at how many external buffers will be provided. We'll need to improve
-	 * this logic. However, we really must have all streams allocate the same
-	 * number of buffers to simplify error handling in queueRequestDevice().
+	 * Allocate internal buffers. We really must have all streams allocate
+	 * the same number of buffers to simplify error handling in
+	 * queueRequestDevice().
 	 */
-	unsigned int maxBuffers = 0;
-	for (const Stream *s : camera->streams())
-		if (static_cast<const RPi::Stream *>(s)->isExternal())
-			maxBuffers = std::max(maxBuffers, s->configuration().bufferCount);
-
 	for (auto const stream : data->streams_) {
-		ret = stream->prepareBuffers(maxBuffers);
+		ret = stream->prepareBuffers(bufferCount);
 		if (ret < 0)
 			return ret;
 	}
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp
index 4d52a0eb1413..840b853214c4 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp
@@ -690,16 +690,11 @@ int PipelineHandlerRkISP1::allocateBuffers(Camera *camera)
 	unsigned int ipaBufferId = 1;
 	int ret;
 
-	unsigned int maxCount = std::max({
-		data->mainPathStream_.configuration().bufferCount,
-		data->selfPathStream_.configuration().bufferCount,
-	});
-
-	ret = param_->allocateBuffers(maxCount, &paramBuffers_);
+	ret = param_->allocateBuffers(RKISP1_INTERNAL_BUFFER_COUNT, &paramBuffers_);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto error;
 
-	ret = stat_->allocateBuffers(maxCount, &statBuffers_);
+	ret = stat_->allocateBuffers(RKISP1_INTERNAL_BUFFER_COUNT, &statBuffers_);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		goto error;
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1_path.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1_path.cpp
index 25f482eb8d8e..fea330f72886 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1_path.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1_path.cpp
@@ -172,7 +172,7 @@ int RkISP1Path::start()
 		return -EBUSY;
 
 	/* \todo Make buffer count user configurable. */
-	ret = video_->importBuffers(RKISP1_BUFFER_COUNT);
+	ret = video_->importBuffers(RKISP1_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1_path.h b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1_path.h
index 91757600ccdc..3c5891009c58 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1_path.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1_path.h
@@ -27,6 +27,9 @@ class V4L2Subdevice;
 struct StreamConfiguration;
 struct V4L2SubdeviceFormat;
 
+static constexpr unsigned int RKISP1_INTERNAL_BUFFER_COUNT = 4;
+static constexpr unsigned int RKISP1_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT = 5;
+
 class RkISP1Path
 {
 public:
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/converter.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/converter.cpp
index b5e34c4cd0c5..b3bcf01483f7 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/converter.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/converter.cpp
@@ -103,11 +103,11 @@ int SimpleConverter::Stream::exportBuffers(unsigned int count,
 
 int SimpleConverter::Stream::start()
 {
-	int ret = m2m_->output()->importBuffers(inputBufferCount_);
+	int ret = m2m_->output()->importBuffers(SIMPLE_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
 
-	ret = m2m_->capture()->importBuffers(outputBufferCount_);
+	ret = m2m_->capture()->importBuffers(SIMPLE_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT);
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		stop();
 		return ret;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/converter.h b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/converter.h
index 276a2a291c21..7e1d60674f62 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/converter.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/converter.h
@@ -29,6 +29,9 @@ class SizeRange;
 struct StreamConfiguration;
 class V4L2M2MDevice;
 
+constexpr unsigned int SIMPLE_INTERNAL_BUFFER_COUNT = 5;
+constexpr unsigned int SIMPLE_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT = 5;
+
 class SimpleConverter
 {
 public:
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
index 37e880db0782..a14eb228b733 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
@@ -803,12 +803,10 @@ int SimplePipelineHandler::start(Camera *camera, [[maybe_unused]] const ControlL
 		 * When using the converter allocate a fixed number of internal
 		 * buffers.
 		 */
-		ret = video->allocateBuffers(kNumInternalBuffers,
+		ret = video->allocateBuffers(SIMPLE_INTERNAL_BUFFER_COUNT,
 					     &data->converterBuffers_);
 	} else {
-		/* Otherwise, prepare for using buffers from the only stream. */
-		Stream *stream = &data->streams_[0];
-		ret = video->importBuffers(stream->configuration().bufferCount);
+		ret = video->importBuffers(SIMPLE_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT);
 	}
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/uvcvideo/uvcvideo.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/uvcvideo/uvcvideo.cpp
index a1fa295a6456..4ae417914516 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/uvcvideo/uvcvideo.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/uvcvideo/uvcvideo.cpp
@@ -91,6 +91,8 @@ private:
 		return static_cast<UVCCameraData *>(
 			PipelineHandler::cameraData(camera));
 	}
+
+	static constexpr unsigned int UVC_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT = 5;
 };
 
 UVCCameraConfiguration::UVCCameraConfiguration(UVCCameraData *data)
@@ -236,9 +238,8 @@ int PipelineHandlerUVC::exportFrameBuffers(Camera *camera,
 int PipelineHandlerUVC::start(Camera *camera, [[maybe_unused]] const ControlList *controls)
 {
 	UVCCameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
-	unsigned int count = data->stream_.configuration().bufferCount;
 
-	int ret = data->video_->importBuffers(count);
+	int ret = data->video_->importBuffers(UVC_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc/vimc.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc/vimc.cpp
index 082631b76702..6069f665c8f2 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc/vimc.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc/vimc.cpp
@@ -102,6 +102,8 @@ private:
 		return static_cast<VimcCameraData *>(
 			PipelineHandler::cameraData(camera));
 	}
+
+	static constexpr unsigned int VIMC_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT = 5;
 };
 
 namespace {
@@ -312,9 +314,8 @@ int PipelineHandlerVimc::exportFrameBuffers(Camera *camera,
 int PipelineHandlerVimc::start(Camera *camera, [[maybe_unused]] const ControlList *controls)
 {
 	VimcCameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
-	unsigned int count = data->stream_.configuration().bufferCount;
 
-	int ret = data->video_->importBuffers(count);
+	int ret = data->video_->importBuffers(VIMC_BUFFER_SLOT_COUNT);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;