diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/software_isp.h b/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/software_isp.h
index da893d24..9f3227d5 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/software_isp.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/software_isp.h
@@ -73,7 +73,7 @@ public:
 	void processStats(const uint32_t frame, const uint32_t bufferId,
 			  const ControlList &sensorControls);
 
-	int start();
+	int start(const ControlList &controls);
 	void stop();
 
 	void queueRequest(const uint32_t frame, const ControlList &controls);
diff --git a/include/libcamera/ipa/softisp.mojom b/include/libcamera/ipa/softisp.mojom
index a892d84f..d9c9842f 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/ipa/softisp.mojom
+++ b/include/libcamera/ipa/softisp.mojom
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@ interface IPASoftIspInterface {
 	     libcamera.IPACameraSensorInfo sensorInfo,
 	     libcamera.ControlInfoMap sensorControls)
 		=> (int32 ret, libcamera.ControlInfoMap ipaControls, bool ccmEnabled);
-	start() => (int32 ret);
+	start(libcamera.ControlList controls) => (int32 ret);
 	stop();
 	configure(IPAConfigInfo configInfo)
 		=> (int32 ret);
diff --git a/src/ipa/softisp/softisp.cpp b/src/ipa/softisp/softisp.cpp
index 612f9dfa..6d6b80d5 100644
--- a/src/ipa/softisp/softisp.cpp
+++ b/src/ipa/softisp/softisp.cpp
@@ -61,7 +61,7 @@ public:
 		 bool *ccmEnabled) override;
 	int configure(const IPAConfigInfo &configInfo) override;
 
-	int start() override;
+	int start(const ControlList &controls) override;
 	void stop() override;
 
 	void queueRequest(const uint32_t frame, const ControlList &controls) override;
@@ -301,8 +301,17 @@ int IPASoftIsp::configure(const IPAConfigInfo &configInfo)
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int IPASoftIsp::start()
+int IPASoftIsp::start(const ControlList &controls)
 {
+	/*
+	 * Apply the startup controls through the algorithms, as if they had
+	 * been queued with a request. The frame context is a throwaway, the
+	 * algorithms record what matters in the active state.
+	 */
+	IPAFrameContext frameContext{};
+	for (const auto &algo : algorithms())
+		algo->queueRequest(context_, 0, frameContext, controls);
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
index 0a0cfc55..4793a522 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
@@ -1647,7 +1647,7 @@ int SimplePipelineHandler::exportFrameBuffers(Camera *camera, Stream *stream,
 		return data->video_->exportBuffers(count, buffers);
 }
 
-int SimplePipelineHandler::start(Camera *camera, [[maybe_unused]] const ControlList *controls)
+int SimplePipelineHandler::start(Camera *camera, const ControlList *controls)
 {
 	SimpleCameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
 	V4L2VideoDevice *video = data->video_;
@@ -1705,7 +1705,7 @@ int SimplePipelineHandler::start(Camera *camera, [[maybe_unused]] const ControlL
 		if (data->converter_)
 			ret = data->converter_->start();
 		else if (data->swIsp_)
-			ret = data->swIsp_->start();
+			ret = data->swIsp_->start(controls ? *controls : ControlList());
 		else
 			ret = 0;
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp b/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
index ae86c20a..432cab24 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
@@ -374,11 +374,12 @@ int SoftwareIsp::queueBuffers(uint32_t frame, FrameBuffer *input,
 
 /**
  * \brief Starts the Software ISP streaming operation
+ * \param[in] controls The controls to apply before the first frame
  * \return 0 on success, any other value indicates an error
  */
-int SoftwareIsp::start()
+int SoftwareIsp::start(const ControlList &controls)
 {
-	int ret = ipa_->start();
+	int ret = ipa_->start(controls);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;