diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
index 6e039bf3..088b9156 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
@@ -277,6 +277,7 @@ public:
 	std::list<Entity> entities_;
 	std::unique_ptr<CameraSensor> sensor_;
 	V4L2VideoDevice *video_;
+	V4L2Subdevice *frameStartEmitter_;
 
 	std::vector<Configuration> configs_;
 	std::map<PixelFormat, std::vector<const Configuration *>> formats_;
@@ -579,6 +580,19 @@ int SimpleCameraData::init()
 
 	properties_ = sensor_->properties();
 
+	frameStartEmitter_ = nullptr;
+	for (auto it = entities_.rbegin(); it != entities_.rend(); ++it) {
+		V4L2Subdevice *sd = pipe->subdev(it->entity);
+		if (!sd || !sd->supportsFrameStartEvent())
+			continue;
+
+		LOG(SimplePipeline, Debug)
+			<< "Using " << it->entity->name() << " frameStart signal";
+
+		frameStartEmitter_ = sd;
+		break;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -897,8 +911,11 @@ void SimpleCameraData::ispStatsReady(uint32_t frame, uint32_t bufferId)
 void SimpleCameraData::setSensorControls(const ControlList &sensorControls)
 {
 	delayedCtrls_->push(sensorControls);
-	ControlList ctrls(sensorControls);
-	sensor_->setControls(&ctrls);
+	/* Directly apply controls now if there is no frameStart signal */
+	if (!frameStartEmitter_ || !frameStartEmitter_->frameStartEnabled()) {
+		ControlList ctrls(sensorControls);
+		sensor_->setControls(&ctrls);
+	}
 }
 
 /* Retrieve all source pads connected to a sink pad through active routes. */
@@ -1285,8 +1302,6 @@ int SimplePipelineHandler::configure(Camera *camera, CameraConfiguration *c)
 	data->delayedCtrls_ =
 		std::make_unique<DelayedControls>(data->sensor_->device(),
 						  params);
-	data->video_->frameStart.connect(data->delayedCtrls_.get(),
-					 &DelayedControls::applyControls);
 
 	StreamConfiguration inputCfg;
 	inputCfg.pixelFormat = pipeConfig->captureFormat;
@@ -1325,6 +1340,7 @@ int SimplePipelineHandler::start(Camera *camera, [[maybe_unused]] const ControlL
 {
 	SimpleCameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
 	V4L2VideoDevice *video = data->video_;
+	V4L2Subdevice *frameStartEmitter = data->frameStartEmitter_;
 	int ret;
 
 	const MediaPad *pad = acquirePipeline(data);
@@ -1354,6 +1370,15 @@ int SimplePipelineHandler::start(Camera *camera, [[maybe_unused]] const ControlL
 
 	video->bufferReady.connect(data, &SimpleCameraData::imageBufferReady);
 
+	if (frameStartEmitter) {
+		ret = frameStartEmitter->setFrameStartEnabled(true);
+		if (ret == 0)
+			frameStartEmitter->frameStart.connect(data->delayedCtrls_.get(),
+							      &DelayedControls::applyControls);
+	}
+
+	data->delayedCtrls_->reset();
+
 	ret = video->streamOn();
 	if (ret < 0) {
 		stop(camera);
@@ -1385,6 +1410,13 @@ void SimplePipelineHandler::stopDevice(Camera *camera)
 {
 	SimpleCameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
 	V4L2VideoDevice *video = data->video_;
+	V4L2Subdevice *frameStartEmitter = data->frameStartEmitter_;
+
+	if (frameStartEmitter) {
+		frameStartEmitter->setFrameStartEnabled(false);
+		frameStartEmitter->frameStart.disconnect(data->delayedCtrls_.get(),
+							 &DelayedControls::applyControls);
+	}
 
 	if (data->useConversion_) {
 		if (data->converter_)