diff --git a/src/libcamera/include/pipeline_handler.h b/src/libcamera/include/pipeline_handler.h
index 4400c7ed835f551d..d2581a327c0804c3 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/include/pipeline_handler.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/include/pipeline_handler.h
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ class DeviceMatch;
 class MediaDevice;
 class PipelineHandler;
 class Request;
+struct IPAMetaData;
 
 class CameraData
 {
@@ -94,6 +95,8 @@ protected:
 
 	CameraData *cameraData(const Camera *camera);
 
+	void processMetaData(Request *request, const IPAMetaData &metaData);
+
 	CameraManager *manager_;
 
 private:
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
index b8a3787e10a587b5..da0ad678b652768c 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
@@ -480,6 +480,22 @@ void PipelineHandler::hotplugMediaDevice(MediaDevice *media)
 	media->disconnected.connect(this, &PipelineHandler::mediaDeviceDisconnected);
 }
 
+/**
+ * \brief Helper to process meta data from the IPA
+ * \param[in] request The request to associate the \a metaData with
+ * \param[in] metaData The meta data to process
+ *
+ * This function is a helper for pipline handler implementations to process
+ * meta data retrived from an IPA. It is mandatory to call this function with
+ * any meta data returned from the IPA before it's passed to the application.
+ */
+void PipelineHandler::processMetaData(Request *request,
+				      const IPAMetaData &metaData)
+{
+	request->metaData_ = metaData;
+	request->metaData_.ready = true;
+}
+
 /**
  * \brief Slot for the MediaDevice disconnected signal
  */