diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h b/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h
index 1e31d490b..7ef1ca0d9 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/egl.h
@@ -99,11 +99,11 @@ private:
 class eGL
 {
 public:
-	eGL();
+	eGL(EGLDisplay display);
 	~eGL();
 
 	int initEGLContext();
-	static bool isAvailable();
+	static EGLDisplay probeDisplay();
 
 	int createInputDMABufTexture2D(eGLImage &eglImage, int fd);
 	int createOutputDMABufTexture2D(eGLImage &eglImage, int fd);
@@ -137,7 +137,6 @@ private:
 	EGLContext context_ = EGL_NO_CONTEXT;
 	EGLSurface surface_ = EGL_NO_SURFACE;
 
-	static EGLDisplay probeDisplay();
 	int compileShader(int shaderType, GLuint &shaderId, Span<const unsigned char> shaderData,
 			  Span<const std::string> shaderEnv);
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/egl.cpp b/src/libcamera/egl.cpp
index 7ec7a654d..b5ed0e13a 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/egl.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/egl.cpp
@@ -64,12 +64,15 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(eGL)
 
 /**
  * \brief Construct an EGL helper
+ * \param[in] display The EGL display to use
  *
  * Creates an eGL instance with uninitialised context. Call initEGLContext()
- * to set up the EGL display, context, and load extension functions.
+ * to set up the EGL context, and load extension functions.
  */
-eGL::eGL()
+eGL::eGL(EGLDisplay display)
+	: display_(display)
 {
+	ASSERT(display_ != EGL_NO_DISPLAY);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -299,6 +302,13 @@ void eGL::createTexture2D(eGLImage &eglImage, void *data)
 	glTexParameteri(GL_TEXTURE_2D, GL_TEXTURE_WRAP_T, GL_CLAMP_TO_EDGE);
 }
 
+/**
+ * \brief Try to create an EGL display for surfaceless rendering
+ *
+ * Tries to create an EGL display for surfaceless rendering.
+ *
+ * \return A EGL display handle if successful, otherwise \a EGL_NO_DISPLAY
+ */
 EGLDisplay eGL::probeDisplay()
 {
 	EGLDisplay display;
@@ -325,24 +335,6 @@ EGLDisplay eGL::probeDisplay()
 	return display;
 }
 
-/**
- * \brief Probe whether EGL surfaceless rendering is available
- *
- * Checks if an EGL surfaceless display can be obtained and initialised.
- * The display is immediately terminated so that no resources are leaked.
- *
- * \return True if EGL surfaceless rendering is available, false otherwise
- */
-bool eGL::isAvailable()
-{
-	EGLDisplay display = probeDisplay();
-	if (display == EGL_NO_DISPLAY)
-		return false;
-
-	eglTerminate(display);
-	return true;
-}
-
 /**
  * \brief Update a 2D texture already created
  * \param[in,out] eglImage EGL image to associate with the texture
@@ -403,12 +395,6 @@ int eGL::initEGLContext()
 	EGLint numConfigs;
 	EGLConfig config;
 
-	display_ = probeDisplay();
-	if (display_ == EGL_NO_DISPLAY) {
-		LOG(eGL, Error) << "Unable to probe display";
-		goto fail;
-	}
-
 	LOG(eGL, Info) << "EGL: EGL_VERSION: " << eglQueryString(display_, EGL_VERSION);
 	LOG(eGL, Info) << "EGL: EGL_VENDOR: " << eglQueryString(display_, EGL_VENDOR);
 	LOG(eGL, Info) << "EGL: EGL_CLIENT_APIS: " << eglQueryString(display_, EGL_CLIENT_APIS);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.cpp b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.cpp
index dd2041219..20b478b1c 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.cpp
@@ -40,9 +40,10 @@ namespace libcamera {
  * \brief Construct a DebayerEGL object
  * \param[in] stats Statistics processing object
  * \param[in] cm The camera manager
+ * \param[in] display The EGL display to use
  */
-DebayerEGL::DebayerEGL(std::unique_ptr<SwStatsCpu> stats, const CameraManager &cm)
-	: Debayer(cm), stats_(std::move(stats))
+DebayerEGL::DebayerEGL(std::unique_ptr<SwStatsCpu> stats, const CameraManager &cm, EGLDisplay display)
+	: Debayer(cm), stats_(std::move(stats)), egl_(display)
 {
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.h b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.h
index e613639f5..30e51a477 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/debayer_egl.h
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ class CameraManager;
 class DebayerEGL : public Debayer
 {
 public:
-	DebayerEGL(std::unique_ptr<SwStatsCpu> stats, const CameraManager &cm);
+	DebayerEGL(std::unique_ptr<SwStatsCpu> stats, const CameraManager &cm, EGLDisplay display);
 	~DebayerEGL();
 
 	int configure(const StreamConfiguration &inputCfg,
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp b/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
index c73a16ce0..c7165771c 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
@@ -120,8 +120,9 @@ SoftwareIsp::SoftwareIsp(PipelineHandler *pipe, const CameraSensor *sensor,
 	}
 
 	if (!softISPMode || softISPMode == "gpu") {
-		if (eGL::isAvailable()) {
-			debayer_ = std::make_unique<DebayerEGL>(std::move(stats), cm);
+		auto display = eGL::probeDisplay();
+		if (display != EGL_NO_DISPLAY) {
+			debayer_ = std::make_unique<DebayerEGL>(std::move(stats), cm, display);
 		} else {
 			LOG(SoftwareIsp, Info)
 				<< "EGL not available, falling back to CPU debayer";