diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
index e4efb9722f76..1abd20e5fee5 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
@@ -927,14 +927,8 @@ void IPU3CameraData::imguOutputBufferReady(Buffer *buffer)
 		/* Request not completed yet, return here. */
 		return;
 
-	/* Complete the pending requests in queueing order. */
-	while (1) {
-		request = queuedRequests_.front();
-		if (request->hasPendingBuffers())
-			break;
-
-		pipe_->completeRequest(camera_, request);
-	}
+	/* Mark the request as complete. */
+	pipe_->completeRequest(camera_, request);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp
index 4a5898d25f91..383236435a7f 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp
@@ -491,9 +491,7 @@ bool PipelineHandlerRkISP1::match(DeviceEnumerator *enumerator)
 void PipelineHandlerRkISP1::bufferReady(Buffer *buffer)
 {
 	ASSERT(activeCamera_);
-
-	RkISP1CameraData *data = cameraData(activeCamera_);
-	Request *request = data->queuedRequests_.front();
+	Request *request = buffer->request();
 
 	completeBuffer(activeCamera_, request, buffer);
 	completeRequest(activeCamera_, request);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/uvcvideo.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/uvcvideo.cpp
index 72313cfd246f..387d71ef567c 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/uvcvideo.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/uvcvideo.cpp
@@ -382,7 +382,7 @@ int UVCCameraData::init(MediaEntity *entity)
 
 void UVCCameraData::bufferReady(Buffer *buffer)
 {
-	Request *request = queuedRequests_.front();
+	Request *request = buffer->request();
 
 	pipe_->completeBuffer(camera_, request, buffer);
 	pipe_->completeRequest(camera_, request);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc.cpp
index f8a58be060bb..ff2529c974fd 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc.cpp
@@ -376,7 +376,7 @@ int VimcCameraData::init(MediaDevice *media)
 
 void VimcCameraData::bufferReady(Buffer *buffer)
 {
-	Request *request = queuedRequests_.front();
+	Request *request = buffer->request();
 
 	pipe_->completeBuffer(camera_, request, buffer);
 	pipe_->completeRequest(camera_, request);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
index 0283e4e5ad51..c609200252f1 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
@@ -391,8 +391,9 @@ int PipelineHandler::queueRequest(Camera *camera, Request *request)
  * This method shall be called by pipeline handlers to signal completion of the
  * \a buffer part of the \a request. It notifies applications of buffer
  * completion and updates the request's internal buffer tracking. The request
- * is not completed automatically when the last buffer completes, pipeline
- * handlers shall complete requests explicitly with completeRequest().
+ * is not completed automatically when the last buffer completes to give
+ * pipeline handlers a chance to perform any operation that may still be
+ * needed. They shall complete requests explicitly with completeRequest().
  *
  * \return True if all buffers contained in the request have completed, false
  * otherwise
@@ -413,17 +414,24 @@ bool PipelineHandler::completeBuffer(Camera *camera, Request *request,
  * request has completed. The request is deleted and shall not be accessed once
  * this method returns.
  *
- * The pipeline handler shall ensure that requests complete in the same order
- * they are submitted.
+ * This method ensures that requests will be returned to the application in
+ * submission order, the pipeline handler may call it on any complete request
+ * without any ordering constraint.
  */
 void PipelineHandler::completeRequest(Camera *camera, Request *request)
 {
-	CameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
-	ASSERT(request == data->queuedRequests_.front());
-	data->queuedRequests_.pop_front();
-
 	request->complete(Request::RequestComplete);
-	camera->requestComplete(request);
+
+	CameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
+
+	while (!data->queuedRequests_.empty()) {
+		request = data->queuedRequests_.front();
+		if (request->hasPendingBuffers())
+			break;
+
+		data->queuedRequests_.pop_front();
+		camera->requestComplete(request);
+	}
 }
 
 /**