diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h b/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h
index e89d6a33e398..2ca210d0ae4f 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h
@@ -73,6 +73,7 @@ public:
 protected:
 	void registerCamera(std::shared_ptr<Camera> camera);
 	void hotplugMediaDevice(MediaDevice *media);
+	unsigned int useCount() const { return useCount_; };
 
 	virtual int queueRequestDevice(Camera *camera, Request *request) = 0;
 	virtual void stopDevice(Camera *camera) = 0;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
index e5f9e55c9783..15fb32566543 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline_handler.cpp
@@ -811,6 +811,12 @@ void PipelineHandler::disconnect()
  * \return The pipeline handler name
  */
 
+/**
+ * \fn PipelineHandler::useCount()
+ * \brief Retrieve the pipeline handler's used camera count
+ * \return The number of acquired cameras of the pipeline handler
+ */
+
 /**
  * \fn PipelineHandler::cameraManager() const
  * \brief Retrieve the CameraManager that this pipeline handler belongs to