diff --git a/Documentation/runtime_configuration.rst b/Documentation/runtime_configuration.rst
index e99ef2fb9..07d1a9123 100644
--- a/Documentation/runtime_configuration.rst
+++ b/Documentation/runtime_configuration.rst
@@ -51,6 +51,7 @@ file structure:
       measure:
         skip: # non-negative integer, frames to skip initially
         number: # non-negative integer, frames to measure
+      threads: # integer >= 1, number of render threads to use, default 2
 
 Configuration file example
 --------------------------
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_cpu.cpp b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_cpu.cpp
index d57d640df..f7c3e1751 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_cpu.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_cpu.cpp
@@ -76,6 +76,7 @@ DebayerCpuThread::DebayerCpuThread(DebayerCpu *debayer, unsigned int threadIndex
 	  debayer_(debayer), threadIndex_(threadIndex),
 	  enableInputMemcpy_(enableInputMemcpy)
 {
+	moveToThread(this);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -107,8 +108,10 @@ DebayerCpu::DebayerCpu(std::unique_ptr<SwStatsCpu> stats, const GlobalConfigurat
 	bool enableInputMemcpy =
 		configuration.option<bool>({ "software_isp", "copy_input_buffer" }).value_or(true);
 
-	/* Just one thread object for now, which will be called inline rather than async */
-	threads_.resize(1);
+	unsigned int threadCount =
+		configuration.option<unsigned int>({ "software_isp", "threads" }).value_or(kDefaultThreads);
+	threadCount = std::clamp(threadCount, kMinThreads, kMaxThreads);
+	threads_.resize(threadCount);
 
 	for (unsigned int i = 0; i < threads_.size(); i++)
 		threads_[i] = std::make_unique<DebayerCpuThread>(this, i, enableInputMemcpy);
@@ -746,6 +749,11 @@ void DebayerCpuThread::process(uint32_t frame, const uint8_t *src, uint8_t *dst)
 		process2(frame, src, dst);
 	else
 		process4(frame, src, dst);
+
+	debayer_->workPendingMutex_.lock();
+	debayer_->workPending_ &= ~(1 << threadIndex_);
+	debayer_->workPendingMutex_.unlock();
+	debayer_->workPendingCv_.notify_one();
 }
 
 void DebayerCpuThread::process2(uint32_t frame, const uint8_t *src, uint8_t *dst)
@@ -985,7 +993,21 @@ void DebayerCpu::process(uint32_t frame, FrameBuffer *input, FrameBuffer *output
 
 	stats_->startFrame(frame);
 
-	threads_[0]->process(frame, in.planes()[0].data(), out.planes()[0].data());
+	workPendingMutex_.lock();
+	workPending_ = (1 << threads_.size()) - 1;
+	workPendingMutex_.unlock();
+
+	for (auto &thread : threads_)
+		thread->invokeMethod(&DebayerCpuThread::process,
+				     ConnectionTypeQueued, frame,
+				     in.planes()[0].data(), out.planes()[0].data());
+
+	{
+		MutexLocker locker(workPendingMutex_);
+		workPendingCv_.wait(locker, [&]() LIBCAMERA_TSA_REQUIRES(workPendingMutex_) {
+			return workPending_ == 0;
+		});
+	}
 
 	metadata.planes()[0].bytesused = out.planes()[0].size();
 
@@ -1004,6 +1026,23 @@ void DebayerCpu::process(uint32_t frame, FrameBuffer *input, FrameBuffer *output
 	inputBufferReady.emit(input);
 }
 
+int DebayerCpu::start()
+{
+	for (auto &thread : threads_)
+		thread->start();
+
+	return 0;
+}
+
+void DebayerCpu::stop()
+{
+	for (auto &thread : threads_)
+		thread->exit();
+
+	for (auto &thread : threads_)
+		thread->wait();
+}
+
 SizeRange DebayerCpu::sizes(PixelFormat inputFormat, const Size &inputSize)
 {
 	Size patternSize = this->patternSize(inputFormat);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_cpu.h b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_cpu.h
index 780576090..11280c0a1 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_cpu.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_cpu.h
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include <libcamera/base/object.h>
+#include <libcamera/base/mutex.h>
 
 #include "libcamera/internal/bayer_format.h"
 #include "libcamera/internal/global_configuration.h"
@@ -41,6 +42,8 @@ public:
 	std::tuple<unsigned int, unsigned int>
 	strideAndFrameSize(const PixelFormat &outputFormat, const Size &size);
 	void process(uint32_t frame, FrameBuffer *input, FrameBuffer *output, const DebayerParams &params);
+	int start();
+	void stop();
 	SizeRange sizes(PixelFormat inputFormat, const Size &inputSize);
 	const SharedFD &getStatsFD() { return stats_->getStatsFD(); }
 
@@ -144,6 +147,13 @@ private:
 	std::unique_ptr<SwStatsCpu> stats_;
 	unsigned int xShift_; /* Offset of 0/1 applied to window_.x */
 
+	static constexpr unsigned int kMinThreads = 1;
+	static constexpr unsigned int kMaxThreads = 8;
+	static constexpr unsigned int kDefaultThreads = 2;
+
+	unsigned int workPending_ LIBCAMERA_TSA_GUARDED_BY(workPendingMutex_);
+	Mutex workPendingMutex_;
+	ConditionVariable workPendingCv_;
 	std::vector<std::unique_ptr<DebayerCpuThread>>threads_;
 };