diff --git a/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.cpp b/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.cpp
index b9f2aaa6d..a7af2e12c 100644
--- a/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.cpp
+++ b/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.cpp
@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@ BlackLevel::BlackLevel()
 int BlackLevel::configure(IPAContext &context,
 			  [[maybe_unused]] const IPAConfigInfo &configInfo)
 {
-	context.activeState.blc.level = 255;
+	context.activeState.blc.level =
+		context.configuration.black.level.value_or(255);
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -34,6 +35,9 @@ void BlackLevel::process(IPAContext &context,
 			 const SwIspStats *stats,
 			 [[maybe_unused]] ControlList &metadata)
 {
+	if (context.configuration.black.level.has_value())
+		return;
+
 	if (frameContext.sensor.exposure == exposure_ &&
 	    frameContext.sensor.gain == gain_) {
 		return;
diff --git a/src/ipa/simple/ipa_context.h b/src/ipa/simple/ipa_context.h
index 3519f20f6..fd121eebe 100644
--- a/src/ipa/simple/ipa_context.h
+++ b/src/ipa/simple/ipa_context.h
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 #pragma once
 
 #include <array>
+#include <optional>
 #include <stdint.h>
 
 #include <libipa/fc_queue.h>
@@ -22,6 +23,9 @@ struct IPASessionConfiguration {
 		int32_t exposureMin, exposureMax;
 		double againMin, againMax, againMinStep;
 	} agc;
+	struct {
+		std::optional<uint8_t> level;
+	} black;
 };
 
 struct IPAActiveState {
diff --git a/src/ipa/simple/soft_simple.cpp b/src/ipa/simple/soft_simple.cpp
index b28c7039f..e96e65bd1 100644
--- a/src/ipa/simple/soft_simple.cpp
+++ b/src/ipa/simple/soft_simple.cpp
@@ -201,6 +201,16 @@ int IPASoftSimple::configure(const IPAConfigInfo &configInfo)
 			(context_.configuration.agc.againMax -
 			 context_.configuration.agc.againMin) /
 			100.0;
+		if (camHelper_->blackLevel().has_value()) {
+			/*
+			 * The black level from camHelper_ is a 16 bit value, software ISP
+			 * works with 8 bit pixel values, both regardless of the actual
+			 * sensor pixel width. Hence we obtain the pixel-based black value
+			 * by dividing the value from the helper by 256.
+			 */
+			context_.configuration.black.level =
+				camHelper_->blackLevel().value() / 256;
+		}
 	} else {
 		/*
 		 * The camera sensor gain (g) is usually not equal to the value written