diff --git a/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.cpp b/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.cpp
index b4e32fe1..1d7d370b 100644
--- a/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.cpp
+++ b/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.cpp
@@ -21,7 +21,8 @@ BlackLevel::BlackLevel()
 {
 }
 
-int BlackLevel::init(IPAContext &context, const YamlObject &tuningData)
+int BlackLevel::init([[maybe_unused]] IPAContext &context,
+		     const YamlObject &tuningData)
 {
 	auto blackLevel = tuningData["blackLevel"].get<int16_t>();
 	if (blackLevel.has_value()) {
@@ -29,7 +30,7 @@ int BlackLevel::init(IPAContext &context, const YamlObject &tuningData)
 		 * Convert 16 bit values from the tuning file to 8 bit black
 		 * level for the SoftISP.
 		 */
-		context.configuration.black.level = blackLevel.value() >> 8;
+		definedLevel_ = blackLevel.value() >> 8;
 	}
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -37,6 +38,8 @@ int BlackLevel::init(IPAContext &context, const YamlObject &tuningData)
 int BlackLevel::configure(IPAContext &context,
 			  [[maybe_unused]] const IPAConfigInfo &configInfo)
 {
+	if (definedLevel_.has_value())
+		context.configuration.black.level = definedLevel_;
 	context.activeState.blc.level =
 		context.configuration.black.level.value_or(255);
 	return 0;
diff --git a/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.h b/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.h
index 67c688ae..52d59cab 100644
--- a/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.h
+++ b/src/ipa/simple/algorithms/blc.h
@@ -7,6 +7,9 @@
 
 #pragma once
 
+#include <optional>
+#include <stdint.h>
+
 #include "algorithm.h"
 
 namespace libcamera {
@@ -29,6 +32,7 @@ public:
 private:
 	int32_t exposure_;
 	double gain_;
+	std::optional<uint8_t> definedLevel_;
 };
 
 } /* namespace ipa::soft::algorithms */
diff --git a/src/ipa/simple/soft_simple.cpp b/src/ipa/simple/soft_simple.cpp
index ba3d5265..e1b6d3af 100644
--- a/src/ipa/simple/soft_simple.cpp
+++ b/src/ipa/simple/soft_simple.cpp
@@ -206,8 +206,7 @@ int IPASoftSimple::configure(const IPAConfigInfo &configInfo)
 			(context_.configuration.agc.againMax -
 			 context_.configuration.agc.againMin) /
 			100.0;
-		if (!context_.configuration.black.level.has_value() &&
-		    camHelper_->blackLevel().has_value()) {
+		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