diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h b/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h
index f7bfb28d4e9a..523a62aa89d5 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h
@@ -112,11 +112,9 @@ public:
 	void pushEnv(std::vector<std::string> &shaderEnv, const char *str);
 	void makeCurrent();
 
-	int compileVertexShader(GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *shaderData,
-				unsigned int shaderDataLen,
+	int compileVertexShader(GLuint &shaderId, Span<const unsigned char> shaderData,
 				Span<const std::string> shaderEnv);
-	int compileFragmentShader(GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *shaderData,
-				  unsigned int shaderDataLen,
+	int compileFragmentShader(GLuint &shaderId, Span<const unsigned char> shaderData,
 				  Span<const std::string> shaderEnv);
 	int linkProgram(GLuint &programId, GLuint fragmentshaderId, GLuint vertexshaderId);
 	void dumpShaderSource(GLuint shaderId);
@@ -135,8 +133,7 @@ private:
 	EGLSurface surface_ = EGL_NO_SURFACE;
 
 	static EGLDisplay probeDisplay();
-	int compileShader(int shaderType, GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *shaderData,
-			  unsigned int shaderDataLen,
+	int compileShader(int shaderType, GLuint &shaderId, Span<const unsigned char> shaderData,
 			  Span<const std::string> shaderEnv);
 
 	int createDMABufTexture2D(eGLImage &eglImage, int fd, bool output);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/egl.cpp b/src/libcamera/egl.cpp
index f03abb8ae07d..b5a5dc60b110 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/egl.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/egl.cpp
@@ -463,8 +463,7 @@ void eGL::pushEnv(std::vector<std::string> &shaderEnv, const char *str)
 /**
  * \brief Compile a vertex shader
  * \param[out] shaderId OpenGL shader object ID
- * \param[in] shaderData Pointer to shader source code
- * \param[in] shaderDataLen Length of shader source in bytes
+ * \param[in] shaderData Shader source code
  * \param[in] shaderEnv Span of preprocessor definitions to prepend
  *
  * Compiles a vertex shader from source code with optional preprocessor
@@ -472,18 +471,17 @@ void eGL::pushEnv(std::vector<std::string> &shaderEnv, const char *str)
  *
  * \return 0 on success, or -EINVAL on compilation failure
  */
-int eGL::compileVertexShader(GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *shaderData,
-			     unsigned int shaderDataLen,
+int eGL::compileVertexShader(GLuint &shaderId,
+			     Span<const unsigned char> shaderData,
 			     Span<const std::string> shaderEnv)
 {
-	return compileShader(GL_VERTEX_SHADER, shaderId, shaderData, shaderDataLen, shaderEnv);
+	return compileShader(GL_VERTEX_SHADER, shaderId, shaderData, shaderEnv);
 }
 
 /**
  * \brief Compile a fragment shader
  * \param[out] shaderId OpenGL shader object ID
- * \param[in] shaderData Pointer to shader source code
- * \param[in] shaderDataLen Length of shader source in bytes
+ * \param[in] shaderData Shader source code
  * \param[in] shaderEnv Span of preprocessor definitions to prepend
  *
  * Compiles a fragment shader from source code with optional preprocessor
@@ -491,19 +489,18 @@ int eGL::compileVertexShader(GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *shaderData,
  *
  * \return 0 on success, or -EINVAL on compilation failure
  */
-int eGL::compileFragmentShader(GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *shaderData,
-			       unsigned int shaderDataLen,
+int eGL::compileFragmentShader(GLuint &shaderId,
+			       Span<const unsigned char> shaderData,
 			       Span<const std::string> shaderEnv)
 {
-	return compileShader(GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER, shaderId, shaderData, shaderDataLen, shaderEnv);
+	return compileShader(GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER, shaderId, shaderData, shaderEnv);
 }
 
 /**
  * \brief Compile a shader of specified type
  * \param[in] shaderType GL_VERTEX_SHADER or GL_FRAGMENT_SHADER
  * \param[out] shaderId OpenGL shader object ID
- * \param[in] shaderData Pointer to shader source code
- * \param[in] shaderDataLen Length of shader source in bytes
+ * \param[in] shaderData Shader source code
  * \param[in] shaderEnv Span of preprocessor definitions to prepend
  *
  * Internal helper function for shader compilation. Prepends environment
@@ -511,8 +508,8 @@ int eGL::compileFragmentShader(GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *shaderData
  *
  * \return 0 on success, or -EINVAL on compilation failure
  */
-int eGL::compileShader(int shaderType, GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *shaderData,
-		       unsigned int shaderDataLen,
+int eGL::compileShader(int shaderType, GLuint &shaderId,
+		       Span<const unsigned char> shaderData,
 		       Span<const std::string> shaderEnv)
 {
 	GLint success;
@@ -531,8 +528,8 @@ int eGL::compileShader(int shaderType, GLuint &shaderId, const unsigned char *sh
 	}
 
 	// Now the main body of the shader program
-	shaderSourceData[i] = reinterpret_cast<const GLchar *>(shaderData);
-	shaderDataLengths[i] = shaderDataLen;
+	shaderSourceData[i] = reinterpret_cast<const GLchar *>(shaderData.data());
+	shaderDataLengths[i] = shaderData.size();
 
 	// And create the shader
 	shaderId = glCreateShader(shaderType);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.cpp b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.cpp
index 1f5fc6a4466d..56545816ead5 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.cpp
@@ -251,15 +251,15 @@ int DebayerEGL::initBayerShaders(PixelFormat inputFormat, PixelFormat outputForm
 		break;
 	};
 
-	if (egl_.compileVertexShader(vertexShaderId_, vertexShaderData.data(),
-				     vertexShaderData.size(), shaderEnv)) {
+	if (egl_.compileVertexShader(vertexShaderId_, vertexShaderData,
+				     shaderEnv)) {
 		LOG(Debayer, Error) << "Compile vertex shader fail";
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
 	utils::scope_exit vShaderGuard([&] { glDeleteShader(vertexShaderId_); });
 
-	if (egl_.compileFragmentShader(fragmentShaderId_, fragmentShaderData.data(),
-				       fragmentShaderData.size(), shaderEnv)) {
+	if (egl_.compileFragmentShader(fragmentShaderId_, fragmentShaderData,
+				       shaderEnv)) {
 		LOG(Debayer, Error) << "Compile fragment shader fail";
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}