diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/delayed_controls.h b/include/libcamera/internal/delayed_controls.h
index c650e672d964..2af572606d0f 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/delayed_controls.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/delayed_controls.h
@@ -76,7 +76,6 @@ private:
 	unsigned int maxDelay_;
 
 	uint32_t queueCount_;
-	uint32_t writeCount_;
 	/* \todo Evaluate if we should index on ControlId * or unsigned int */
 	std::unordered_map<const ControlId *, ControlRingBuffer> values_;
 };
diff --git a/src/libcamera/delayed_controls.cpp b/src/libcamera/delayed_controls.cpp
index 2854016c6170..123a37bdc887 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/delayed_controls.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/delayed_controls.cpp
@@ -116,7 +116,6 @@ DelayedControls::DelayedControls(V4L2Device *device,
 void DelayedControls::reset()
 {
 	queueCount_ = 1;
-	writeCount_ = 0;
 
 	/* Retrieve control as reported by the device. */
 	std::vector<uint32_t> ids;
@@ -272,6 +271,13 @@ void DelayedControls::applyControls(uint32_t sequence)
 {
 	LOG(DelayedControls, Debug) << "frame " << sequence << " started";
 
+	while (queueCount_ - 1 < sequence) {
+		LOG(DelayedControls, Warning)
+			<< "Queue is empty, auto queue no-op for sequence "
+			<< queueCount_;
+		push(queueCount_, {});
+	}
+
 	/*
 	 * Create control list peeking ahead in the value queue to ensure
 	 * values are set in time to satisfy the sensor delay.
@@ -280,7 +286,7 @@ void DelayedControls::applyControls(uint32_t sequence)
 	for (auto &ctrl : values_) {
 		const ControlId *id = ctrl.first;
 		unsigned int delayDiff = maxDelay_ - controlParams_[id].delay;
-		unsigned int index = std::max<int>(0, writeCount_ - delayDiff);
+		unsigned int index = std::max<int>(0, sequence - delayDiff);
 		Info &info = ctrl.second[index];
 
 		if (info.updated) {
@@ -310,14 +316,6 @@ void DelayedControls::applyControls(uint32_t sequence)
 		}
 	}
 
-	writeCount_ = sequence + 1;
-
-	while (writeCount_ > queueCount_) {
-		LOG(DelayedControls, Warning)
-			<< "Queue is empty, auto queue no-op.";
-		push(queueCount_, {});
-	}
-
 	device_->setControls(&out);
 }