diff --git a/include/libcamera/ipa/core.mojom b/include/libcamera/ipa/core.mojom
index 74f3339e56f2..2bc3028c22d6 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/ipa/core.mojom
+++ b/include/libcamera/ipa/core.mojom
@@ -172,10 +172,17 @@ module libcamera;
  */
 
 /**
- * \var IPACameraSensorInfo::lineLength
- * \brief Total line length in pixels
+ * \var IPACameraSensorInfo::minLineLength
+ * \brief The minimum line length in pixels
  *
- * The total line length in pixel clock periods, including blanking.
+ * The minimum allowable line length in pixel clock periods, including blanking.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \var IPACameraSensorInfo::maxLineLength
+ * \brief The maximum line length in pixels
+ *
+ * The maximum allowable line length in pixel clock periods, including blanking.
  */
 
 /**
@@ -189,7 +196,7 @@ module libcamera;
  * To obtain the minimum frame duration:
  *
  * \verbatim
-       frameDuration(s) = minFrameLength(lines) * lineLength(pixels) / pixelRate(pixels per second)
+       frameDuration(s) = minFrameLength(lines) * minLineLength(pixels) / pixelRate(pixels per second)
    \endverbatim
  */
 
@@ -204,7 +211,7 @@ module libcamera;
  * To obtain the maximum frame duration:
  *
  * \verbatim
-       frameDuration(s) = maxFrameLength(lines) * lineLength(pixels) / pixelRate(pixels per second)
+       frameDuration(s) = maxFrameLength(lines) * maxLineLength(pixels) / pixelRate(pixels per second)
    \endverbatim
  */
 struct IPACameraSensorInfo {
@@ -217,7 +224,9 @@ struct IPACameraSensorInfo {
 	Size outputSize;
 
 	uint64 pixelRate;
-	uint32 lineLength;
+
+	uint32 minLineLength;
+	uint32 maxLineLength;
 
 	uint32 minFrameLength;
 	uint32 maxFrameLength;
diff --git a/src/ipa/ipu3/ipu3.cpp b/src/ipa/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
index b93a09d40c39..c89f76c56ee3 100644
--- a/src/ipa/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
+++ b/src/ipa/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
@@ -336,7 +336,8 @@ int IPAIPU3::init(const IPASettings &settings,
 
 	/* Clean context */
 	context_.configuration = {};
-	context_.configuration.sensor.lineDuration = sensorInfo.lineLength * 1.0s / sensorInfo.pixelRate;
+	context_.configuration.sensor.lineDuration = sensorInfo.minLineLength
+						   * 1.0s / sensorInfo.pixelRate;
 
 	/* Load the tuning data file. */
 	File file(settings.configurationFile);
@@ -499,7 +500,8 @@ int IPAIPU3::configure(const IPAConfigInfo &configInfo,
 	context_.frameContexts.clear();
 
 	/* Initialise the sensor configuration. */
-	context_.configuration.sensor.lineDuration = sensorInfo_.lineLength * 1.0s / sensorInfo_.pixelRate;
+	context_.configuration.sensor.lineDuration = sensorInfo_.minLineLength
+						   * 1.0s / sensorInfo_.pixelRate;
 
 	/*
 	 * Compute the sensor V4L2 controls to be used by the algorithms and
diff --git a/src/ipa/raspberrypi/raspberrypi.cpp b/src/ipa/raspberrypi/raspberrypi.cpp
index 8d731435764e..358a119da222 100644
--- a/src/ipa/raspberrypi/raspberrypi.cpp
+++ b/src/ipa/raspberrypi/raspberrypi.cpp
@@ -356,7 +356,7 @@ void IPARPi::setMode(const IPACameraSensorInfo &sensorInfo)
 	 * Calculate the line length as the ratio between the line length in
 	 * pixels and the pixel rate.
 	 */
-	mode_.lineLength = sensorInfo.lineLength * (1.0s / sensorInfo.pixelRate);
+	mode_.lineLength = sensorInfo.minLineLength * (1.0s / sensorInfo.pixelRate);
 
 	/*
 	 * Set the frame length limits for the mode to ensure exposure and
diff --git a/src/ipa/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp b/src/ipa/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp
index 32feb1682749..ddb22d98eb41 100644
--- a/src/ipa/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp
+++ b/src/ipa/rkisp1/rkisp1.cpp
@@ -246,7 +246,7 @@ int IPARkISP1::configure([[maybe_unused]] const IPACameraSensorInfo &info,
 	context_.configuration.hw.revision = hwRevision_;
 
 	context_.configuration.sensor.size = info.outputSize;
-	context_.configuration.sensor.lineDuration = info.lineLength * 1.0s / info.pixelRate;
+	context_.configuration.sensor.lineDuration = info.minLineLength * 1.0s / info.pixelRate;
 
 	/*
 	 * When the AGC computes the new exposure values for a frame, it needs
diff --git a/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp b/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp
index 911fd0beae4e..572a313a8f99 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp
@@ -176,6 +176,32 @@ int CameraSensor::init()
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+	/*
+	 * Set HBLANK to the minimum to start with a well-defined line length,
+	 * allowing IPA modules that do not modify HBLANK to use the sensor
+	 * minimum line length in their calculations.
+	 *
+	 * At present, there is no way of knowing if a control is read-only.
+	 * As a workaround, assume that if the minimum and maximum values of
+	 * the V4L2_CID_HBLANK control are the same, it implies the control
+	 * is read-only.
+	 *
+	 * \todo The control API ought to have a flag to specify if a control
+	 * is read-only which could be used below.
+	 */
+	const ControlInfo hblank = ctrls.infoMap()->at(V4L2_CID_HBLANK);
+	const int32_t hblankMin = hblank.min().get<int32_t>();
+	const int32_t hblankMax = hblank.max().get<int32_t>();
+
+	if (hblankMin != hblankMax) {
+		ControlList ctrl(subdev_->controls());
+
+		ctrl.set(V4L2_CID_HBLANK, hblankMin);
+		ret = subdev_->setControls(&ctrl);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
 	return applyTestPatternMode(controls::draft::TestPatternModeEnum::TestPatternModeOff);
 }
 
@@ -883,10 +909,12 @@ int CameraSensor::sensorInfo(IPACameraSensorInfo *info) const
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	int32_t hblank = ctrls.get(V4L2_CID_HBLANK).get<int32_t>();
-	info->lineLength = info->outputSize.width + hblank;
 	info->pixelRate = ctrls.get(V4L2_CID_PIXEL_RATE).get<int64_t>();
 
+	const ControlInfo hblank = ctrls.infoMap()->at(V4L2_CID_HBLANK);
+	info->minLineLength = info->outputSize.width + hblank.min().get<int32_t>();
+	info->maxLineLength = info->outputSize.width + hblank.max().get<int32_t>();
+
 	const ControlInfo vblank = ctrls.infoMap()->at(V4L2_CID_VBLANK);
 	info->minFrameLength = info->outputSize.height + vblank.min().get<int32_t>();
 	info->maxFrameLength = info->outputSize.height + vblank.max().get<int32_t>();