diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/v4l2_videodevice.h b/include/libcamera/internal/v4l2_videodevice.h
index 6d8850c99afd..64296c5849f2 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/v4l2_videodevice.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/v4l2_videodevice.h
@@ -228,7 +228,8 @@ public:
 	static std::unique_ptr<V4L2VideoDevice>
 	fromEntityName(const MediaDevice *media, const std::string &entity);
 
-	V4L2PixelFormat toV4L2PixelFormat(const PixelFormat &pixelFormat) const;
+	V4L2PixelFormat toV4L2PixelFormat(const PixelFormat &pixelFormat,
+					  bool multiplanar = false) const;
 
 protected:
 	std::string logPrefix() const override;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/v4l2_videodevice.cpp b/src/libcamera/v4l2_videodevice.cpp
index a3242ba755c0..767ab2361ef5 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/v4l2_videodevice.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/v4l2_videodevice.cpp
@@ -1992,23 +1992,24 @@ V4L2VideoDevice::fromEntityName(const MediaDevice *media,
 /**
  * \brief Convert \a PixelFormat to one of the device supported V4L2 FourCC
  * \param[in] pixelFormat The PixelFormat to convert
+ * \param[in] multiplanar Use the multiplanar format version, default to false
  *
  * Convert a\ pixelformat to a V4L2 FourCC that is known to be supported by
  * the video device.
  *
- * For multiplanar formats, the V4L2 format variant (contiguous or
- * non-contiguous planes) is selected automatically based on the capabilities
- * of the video device. If the video device supports the V4L2 multiplanar API,
- * non-contiguous formats are preferred.
+ * V4L2 defines different format variants for the same format when using
+ * contiguous or non-contiguous planes. The \a multiplanar parameter allows
+ * to select which variant to use.
  *
  * \return The V4L2PixelFormat corresponding to \a pixelFormat or an invalid
  * PixelFormat if \a pixelFormat is not supported by the video device
  */
-V4L2PixelFormat V4L2VideoDevice::toV4L2PixelFormat(const PixelFormat &pixelFormat) const
+V4L2PixelFormat V4L2VideoDevice::toV4L2PixelFormat(const PixelFormat &pixelFormat,
+						   bool multiplanar) const
 {
 	std::vector<V4L2PixelFormat> deviceFormats = enumPixelformats(0);
 	std::vector<V4L2PixelFormat> v4l2PixelFormats =
-		V4L2PixelFormat::fromPixelFormat(pixelFormat, caps_.isMultiplanar());
+		V4L2PixelFormat::fromPixelFormat(pixelFormat, multiplanar);
 
 	for (const V4L2PixelFormat &v4l2Format : v4l2PixelFormats) {
 		auto it = std::find_if(deviceFormats.begin(), deviceFormats.end(),