diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc.cpp
index 3d6808222a8a2c5d..4dc514638da3746d 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/vimc.cpp
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 #include <iomanip>
 #include <tuple>
 
+#include <linux/media-bus-format.h>
+
 #include <libcamera/camera.h>
 #include <libcamera/controls.h>
 #include <libcamera/ipa/ipa_interface.h>
@@ -25,6 +27,7 @@
 #include "pipeline_handler.h"
 #include "utils.h"
 #include "v4l2_controls.h"
+#include "v4l2_subdevice.h"
 #include "v4l2_videodevice.h"
 
 namespace libcamera {
@@ -35,13 +38,15 @@ class VimcCameraData : public CameraData
 {
 public:
 	VimcCameraData(PipelineHandler *pipe)
-		: CameraData(pipe), video_(nullptr), sensor_(nullptr)
+		: CameraData(pipe), video_(nullptr), debayer_(nullptr),
+		  sensor_(nullptr)
 	{
 	}
 
 	~VimcCameraData()
 	{
 		delete sensor_;
+		delete debayer_;
 		delete video_;
 	}
 
@@ -49,6 +54,7 @@ public:
 	void bufferReady(Buffer *buffer);
 
 	V4L2VideoDevice *video_;
+	V4L2Subdevice *debayer_;
 	CameraSensor *sensor_;
 	Stream stream_;
 };
@@ -101,10 +107,11 @@ VimcCameraConfiguration::VimcCameraConfiguration()
 
 CameraConfiguration::Status VimcCameraConfiguration::validate()
 {
-	static const std::array<unsigned int, 3> formats{
-		V4L2_PIX_FMT_BGR24,
-		V4L2_PIX_FMT_RGB24,
-		V4L2_PIX_FMT_ARGB32,
+	static const std::array<unsigned int, 4> formats{
+		V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8,
+		V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG8,
+		V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG8,
+		V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB8,
 	};
 
 	Status status = Valid;
@@ -123,8 +130,8 @@ CameraConfiguration::Status VimcCameraConfiguration::validate()
 	/* Adjust the pixel format. */
 	if (std::find(formats.begin(), formats.end(), cfg.pixelFormat) ==
 	    formats.end()) {
-		LOG(VIMC, Debug) << "Adjusting format to RGB24";
-		cfg.pixelFormat = V4L2_PIX_FMT_RGB24;
+		LOG(VIMC, Debug) << "Adjusting format to SBGGR8";
+		cfg.pixelFormat = V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8;
 		status = Adjusted;
 	}
 
@@ -159,7 +166,7 @@ CameraConfiguration *PipelineHandlerVimc::generateConfiguration(Camera *camera,
 		return config;
 
 	StreamConfiguration cfg{};
-	cfg.pixelFormat = V4L2_PIX_FMT_RGB24;
+	cfg.pixelFormat = V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8;
 	cfg.size = { 640, 480 };
 	cfg.bufferCount = 4;
 
@@ -176,6 +183,33 @@ int PipelineHandlerVimc::configure(Camera *camera, CameraConfiguration *config)
 	StreamConfiguration &cfg = config->at(0);
 	int ret;
 
+	V4L2SubdeviceFormat subformat = {};
+	subformat.size = cfg.size;
+	switch (cfg.pixelFormat) {
+	case V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8:
+		subformat.mbus_code = MEDIA_BUS_FMT_SBGGR8_1X8;
+		break;
+	case V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGBRG8:
+		subformat.mbus_code = MEDIA_BUS_FMT_SGBRG8_1X8;
+		break;
+	case V4L2_PIX_FMT_SGRBG8:
+		subformat.mbus_code = MEDIA_BUS_FMT_SGRBG8_1X8;
+		break;
+	case V4L2_PIX_FMT_SRGGB8:
+		subformat.mbus_code = MEDIA_BUS_FMT_SRGGB8_1X8;
+		break;
+	default:
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	ret = data->sensor_->setFormat(&subformat);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
+	ret = data->debayer_->setFormat(0, &subformat);
+	if (ret)
+		return ret;
+
 	V4L2DeviceFormat format = {};
 	format.fourcc = cfg.pixelFormat;
 	format.size = cfg.size;
@@ -340,6 +374,10 @@ int VimcCameraData::init(MediaDevice *media)
 	if (video_->open())
 		return -ENODEV;
 
+	debayer_ = new V4L2Subdevice(media->getEntityByName("Debayer B"));
+	if (debayer_->open())
+		return -ENODEV;
+
 	video_->bufferReady.connect(this, &VimcCameraData::bufferReady);
 
 	sensor_ = new CameraSensor(media->getEntityByName("Sensor B"));
diff --git a/test/camera/buffer_import.cpp b/test/camera/buffer_import.cpp
index 400d02b350c1aa8f..2c29267f22d1ba27 100644
--- a/test/camera/buffer_import.cpp
+++ b/test/camera/buffer_import.cpp
@@ -74,10 +74,10 @@ public:
 
 		format_.size.width = 640;
 		format_.size.height = 480;
-		format_.fourcc = V4L2_PIX_FMT_RGB24;
+		format_.fourcc = V4L2_PIX_FMT_SBGGR8;
 		format_.planesCount = 1;
-		format_.planes[0].size = 640 * 480 * 3;
-		format_.planes[0].bpl = 640 * 3;
+		format_.planes[0].size = 640 * 480;
+		format_.planes[0].bpl = 640;
 
 		if (video_->setFormat(&format_)) {
 			cleanup();