diff --git a/src/gstreamer/gstlibcamerasrc.cpp b/src/gstreamer/gstlibcamerasrc.cpp
index 3feb87254916..59400f17ae85 100644
--- a/src/gstreamer/gstlibcamerasrc.cpp
+++ b/src/gstreamer/gstlibcamerasrc.cpp
@@ -120,6 +120,7 @@ struct GstLibcameraSrcState {
 		LIBCAMERA_TSA_GUARDED_BY(lock_);
 	std::queue<std::unique_ptr<RequestWrap>> completedRequests_
 		LIBCAMERA_TSA_GUARDED_BY(lock_);
+	bool wakeup_ LIBCAMERA_TSA_GUARDED_BY(lock_);
 
 	guint group_id_;
 
@@ -237,14 +238,16 @@ GstLibcameraSrcState::requestCompleted(Request *request)
 	{
 		MutexLocker locker(lock_);
 		completedRequests_.push(std::move(wrap));
-	}
+		wakeup_ = true;
 
-	gst_task_resume(src_->task);
+		gst_task_resume(src_->task);
+	}
 }
 
 int GstLibcameraSrcState::processRequest()
 {
 	std::unique_ptr<RequestWrap> wrap;
+	int err = 0;
 
 	{
 		MutexLocker locker(lock_);
@@ -253,10 +256,13 @@ int GstLibcameraSrcState::processRequest()
 			wrap = std::move(completedRequests_.front());
 			completedRequests_.pop();
 		}
+
+		if (completedRequests_.empty())
+			err = -ENOBUFS;
 	}
 
 	if (!wrap)
-		return -ENODATA;
+		return -ENOBUFS;
 
 	GstFlowReturn ret = GST_FLOW_OK;
 	gst_flow_combiner_reset(src_->flow_combiner);
@@ -296,7 +302,7 @@ int GstLibcameraSrcState::processRequest()
 		return -EPIPE;
 	}
 
-	return 0;
+	return err;
 }
 
 static bool
@@ -360,53 +366,88 @@ gst_libcamera_src_open(GstLibcameraSrc *self)
 	return true;
 }
 
+static void
+gst_libcamera_src_task_resume(gpointer user_data)
+{
+	GstLibcameraSrc *self = GST_LIBCAMERA_SRC(user_data);
+	GstLibcameraSrcState *state = self->state;
+
+	MutexLocker locker(state->lock_);
+	state->wakeup_ = true;
+	gst_task_resume(self->task);
+}
+
 static void
 gst_libcamera_src_task_run(gpointer user_data)
 {
 	GstLibcameraSrc *self = GST_LIBCAMERA_SRC(user_data);
 	GstLibcameraSrcState *state = self->state;
 
+	{
+		MutexLocker locker(state->lock_);
+		state->wakeup_ = true;
+	}
+
+	bool doPause = true;
+
 	/*
 	 * Create and queue one request. If no buffers are available the
 	 * function returns -ENOBUFS, which we ignore here as that's not a
 	 * fatal error.
 	 */
 	int ret = state->queueRequest();
-	if (ret == -ENOMEM) {
+	switch (ret) {
+	case 0:
+		/*
+		 * The request was successfully queued, there may be enough
+		 * buffers to create a new one. Don't pause the task to give it
+		 * another try.
+		 */
+		doPause = false;
+		break;
+
+	case -ENOMEM:
 		GST_ELEMENT_ERROR(self, RESOURCE, NO_SPACE_LEFT,
 				  ("Failed to allocate request for camera '%s'.",
 				   state->cam_->id().c_str()),
 				  ("libcamera::Camera::createRequest() failed"));
 		gst_task_stop(self->task);
 		return;
+
+	case -ENOBUFS:
+	default:
+		break;
 	}
 
-	/* Process one completed request, if available. */
+	/*
+	 * Process one completed request, if available, and record if further
+	 * requests are ready for processing.
+	 */
 	ret = state->processRequest();
 	switch (ret) {
+	case -ENOBUFS:
+		doPause = false;
+		break;
+
 	case -EPIPE:
 		gst_task_stop(self->task);
 		return;
 
-	case -ENODATA:
-		gst_task_pause(self->task);
-		return;
+	case 0:
+	default:
+		break;
 	}
 
 	/*
-	 * Here we need to decide if we want to pause. This needs to
-	 * happen in lock step with the callback thread which may want
-	 * to resume the task and might push pending buffers.
+	 * Here we need to decide if we want to pause. This needs to happen in
+	 * lock step with the requestCompleted callback and the buffer-notify
+	 * signal handler that resume the task.
 	 */
-	bool do_pause;
-
-	{
+	if (doPause) {
 		MutexLocker locker(state->lock_);
-		do_pause = state->completedRequests_.empty();
+		if (!state->wakeup_)
+			gst_task_pause(self->task);
 	}
-
-	if (do_pause)
-		gst_task_pause(self->task);
 }
 
 static void
@@ -517,7 +558,8 @@ gst_libcamera_src_task_enter(GstTask *task, [[maybe_unused]] GThread *thread,
 		GstLibcameraPool *pool = gst_libcamera_pool_new(self->allocator,
 								stream_cfg.stream());
 		g_signal_connect_swapped(pool, "buffer-notify",
-					 G_CALLBACK(gst_task_resume), task);
+					 G_CALLBACK(gst_libcamera_src_task_resume),
+					 self);
 
 		gst_libcamera_pad_set_pool(srcpad, pool);
 		gst_flow_combiner_add_pad(self->flow_combiner, srcpad);