diff --git a/include/libcamera/stream.h b/include/libcamera/stream.h
index 29235ddf0d8a..233ff0450451 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/stream.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/stream.h
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@
 #include <string>
 #include <vector>
 
+#include <libcamera/base/flags.h>
+
 #include <libcamera/color_space.h>
 #include <libcamera/framebuffer.h>
 #include <libcamera/geometry.h>
@@ -51,6 +53,12 @@ struct StreamConfiguration {
 
 	std::optional<ColorSpace> colorSpace;
 
+	enum class Hint {
+		None = 0,
+		OptionalStream = (1 << 0),
+	};
+	Flags<Hint> hints;
+
 	Stream *stream() const { return stream_; }
 	void setStream(Stream *stream) { stream_ = stream; }
 	const StreamFormats &formats() const { return formats_; }
diff --git a/src/libcamera/stream.cpp b/src/libcamera/stream.cpp
index 67f308157fbf..b7de85f8b9c7 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/stream.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/stream.cpp
@@ -349,6 +349,30 @@ StreamConfiguration::StreamConfiguration(const StreamFormats &formats)
  * color spaces can be supported and in what combinations.
  */
 
+/**
+ * \enum StreamConfiguration::Hint
+ * \brief List of available hint flags provided by the application for a stream
+ *
+ * \var StreamConfiguration::Hint::None
+ * No hints for this stream.
+ * \var StreamConfiguration::Hint::OptionalStream
+ * Informs the pipeline handler that the application may not always provide a
+ * buffer for the configured stream in every Request. This may ensure the
+ * pipeline handler allocates additional stream buffers for internal use.
+ */
+
+/**
+ * \var StreamConfiguration::hints
+ * \brief Application provided StreamConfiguration::Hint flags for specific
+ * stream behavior
+ *
+ * Provides hints from the application to the pipeline handlers on how it
+ * intends on handling a given configured stream. These hints may alter the
+ * behavior of the pipeline handlers, for example, by allocating additional
+ * buffers for internal use if an application does not guarantee buffers will be
+ * provided in every Request for a stream.
+ */
+
 /**
  * \fn StreamConfiguration::stream()
  * \brief Retrieve the stream associated with the configuration