diff --git a/src/libcamera/include/pipeline_handler.h b/src/libcamera/include/pipeline_handler.h
index 91d40ef40a465c4e..ca40e7ef2b85f372 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/include/pipeline_handler.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/include/pipeline_handler.h
@@ -43,6 +43,8 @@ public:
 	}
 	virtual ~CameraData() {}
 
+	virtual int initIPA() { return 0; };
+
 	Camera *camera_;
 	PipelineHandler *pipe_;
 	std::list<Request *> queuedRequests_;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
index 846272485c7d2fc0..613751619a398968 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
@@ -66,6 +66,20 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(Pipeline)
  * is needed for the camera both parameters should be set to 0.
  */
 
+/**
+ * \fn CameraData::initIPA()
+ * \brief Callback to initialize the IPA
+ *
+ * This callback is called once a IPA have been associated with the camera.
+ * It allows the CameraData to preform initialization of the IPA before the
+ * camera is registered in the system.
+ *
+ * If this callback returns an error, the camera it represents will not be
+ * registered in the system.
+ *
+ * \return 0 on success or a negative error code otherwise
+ */
+
 /**
  * \var CameraData::camera_
  * \brief The camera related to this CameraData instance
@@ -461,6 +475,12 @@ void PipelineHandler::registerCamera(std::shared_ptr<Camera> camera,
 					       << " no IPA found";
 			return;
 		}
+
+		if (data->initIPA()) {
+			LOG(Pipeline, Warning) << "Skipping " << camera->name()
+				<< " initialization of camera data failed";
+			return;
+		}
 	}
 
 	cameraData_[camera.get()] = std::move(data);