diff --git a/include/libcamera/controls.h b/include/libcamera/controls.h
index b1b73367e874..0b55359890e6 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/controls.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/controls.h
@@ -220,6 +220,18 @@ public:
 		return val->get<T>();
 	}
 
+	template<typename T>
+	const T &get(unsigned int id) const
+	{
+		const ControlValue *val = find(id);
+		if (!val) {
+			static T t(0);
+			return t;
+		}
+
+		return val->get<T>();
+	}
+
 	template<typename T>
 	void set(const Control<T> &ctrl, const T &value)
 	{
@@ -230,7 +242,16 @@ public:
 		val->set<T>(value);
 	}
 
-	const ControlValue &get(unsigned int id) const;
+	template<typename T>
+	void set(unsigned int id, const T &value)
+	{
+		ControlValue *val = find(id);
+		if (!val)
+			return;
+
+		val->set<T>(value);
+	}
+
 	void set(unsigned int id, const ControlValue &value);
 
 	const ControlInfoMap *infoMap() const { return infoMap_; }
diff --git a/src/libcamera/controls.cpp b/src/libcamera/controls.cpp
index 7d8a0e97ee3a..78729d55ee29 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/controls.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/controls.cpp
@@ -726,6 +726,18 @@ bool ControlList::contains(unsigned int id) const
  * \return The control value
  */
 
+/**
+ * \fn template<typename T> const T &ControlList::get(unsigned int id) const
+ * \brief Get the value of control \a id
+ * \param[in] id The control numerical ID
+ *
+ * The behaviour is undefined if the control \a id is not present in the list.
+ * Use ControlList::contains() to test for the presence of a control in the
+ * list before retrieving its value.
+ *
+ * \return The control value
+ */
+
 /**
  * \fn template<typename T> void ControlList::set(const Control<T> &ctrl, const T &value)
  * \brief Set the control \a ctrl value to \a value
@@ -741,25 +753,18 @@ bool ControlList::contains(unsigned int id) const
  */
 
 /**
- * \brief Get the value of control \a id
- * \param[in] id The control numerical ID
+ * \fn template<typename T> void ControlList::set(unsigned int id, const T &value)
+ * \brief Set the value of control \a id to \a value
+ * \param[in] id The control ID
+ * \param[in] value The control value
  *
- * The behaviour is undefined if the control \a id is not present in the list.
- * Use ControlList::contains() to test for the presence of a control in the
- * list before retrieving its value.
+ * This method sets the value of a control in the control list. If the control
+ * is already present in the list, its value is updated, otherwise it is added
+ * to the list.
  *
- * \return The control value
+ * The behaviour is undefined if the control \a id is not supported by the
+ * object that the list refers to.
  */
-const ControlValue &ControlList::get(unsigned int id) const
-{
-	static ControlValue zero;
-
-	const ControlValue *val = find(id);
-	if (!val)
-		return zero;
-
-	return *val;
-}
 
 /**
  * \brief Set the value of control \a id to \a value
diff --git a/test/ipa/ipa_wrappers_test.cpp b/test/ipa/ipa_wrappers_test.cpp
index a1e34ad52317..11fea2ccc506 100644
--- a/test/ipa/ipa_wrappers_test.cpp
+++ b/test/ipa/ipa_wrappers_test.cpp
@@ -181,9 +181,9 @@ public:
 		}
 
 		const ControlList &controls = data.controls[0];
-		if (controls.get(V4L2_CID_BRIGHTNESS).get<int32_t>() != 10 ||
-		    controls.get(V4L2_CID_CONTRAST).get<int32_t>() != 20 ||
-		    controls.get(V4L2_CID_SATURATION).get<int32_t>() != 30) {
+		if (controls.get<int32_t>(V4L2_CID_BRIGHTNESS) != 10 ||
+		    controls.get<int32_t>(V4L2_CID_CONTRAST) != 20 ||
+		    controls.get<int32_t>(V4L2_CID_SATURATION) != 30) {
 			cerr << "processEvent(): Invalid controls" << endl;
 			return report(Op_processEvent, TestFail);
 		}
diff --git a/test/v4l2_videodevice/controls.cpp b/test/v4l2_videodevice/controls.cpp
index 42c653d4435a..e6ab1b4c11bc 100644
--- a/test/v4l2_videodevice/controls.cpp
+++ b/test/v4l2_videodevice/controls.cpp
@@ -57,9 +57,9 @@ protected:
 			return TestFail;
 		}
 
-		if (ctrls.get(V4L2_CID_BRIGHTNESS).get<int32_t>() == -1 ||
-		    ctrls.get(V4L2_CID_CONTRAST).get<int32_t>() == -1 ||
-		    ctrls.get(V4L2_CID_SATURATION).get<int32_t>() == -1) {
+		if (ctrls.get<int32_t>(V4L2_CID_BRIGHTNESS) == -1 ||
+		    ctrls.get<int32_t>(V4L2_CID_CONTRAST) == -1 ||
+		    ctrls.get<int32_t>(V4L2_CID_SATURATION) == -1) {
 			cerr << "Incorrect value for retrieved controls" << endl;
 			return TestFail;
 		}
@@ -86,9 +86,9 @@ protected:
 			return TestFail;
 		}
 
-		if (ctrls.get(V4L2_CID_BRIGHTNESS) != brightness.min() ||
-		    ctrls.get(V4L2_CID_CONTRAST) != contrast.max() ||
-		    ctrls.get(V4L2_CID_SATURATION) != saturation.min().get<int32_t>() + 1) {
+		if (ctrls.get<int32_t>(V4L2_CID_BRIGHTNESS) != brightness.min().get<int32_t>() ||
+		    ctrls.get<int32_t>(V4L2_CID_CONTRAST) != contrast.max().get<int32_t>() ||
+		    ctrls.get<int32_t>(V4L2_CID_SATURATION) != saturation.min().get<int32_t>() + 1) {
 			cerr << "Controls not updated when set" << endl;
 			return TestFail;
 		}