diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/software_isp.h b/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/software_isp.h
index b64910637..7d5eab3e3 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/software_isp.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/software_isp/software_isp.h
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@
 #include <vector>
 
 #include <libcamera/base/class.h>
+#include <libcamera/base/flags.h>
 #include <libcamera/base/log.h>
 #include <libcamera/base/object.h>
 #include <libcamera/base/signal.h>
@@ -29,7 +30,6 @@
 #include <libcamera/ipa/softisp_ipa_proxy.h>
 
 #include "libcamera/internal/camera_sensor.h"
-#include "libcamera/internal/dma_buf_allocator.h"
 #include "libcamera/internal/pipeline_handler.h"
 #include "libcamera/internal/shared_mem_object.h"
 #include "libcamera/internal/software_isp/debayer_params.h"
@@ -37,6 +37,7 @@
 namespace libcamera {
 
 class Debayer;
+class DmaBufAllocator;
 class FrameBuffer;
 class PixelFormat;
 class Stream;
@@ -47,8 +48,14 @@ LOG_DECLARE_CATEGORY(SoftwareIsp)
 class SoftwareIsp : public Object
 {
 public:
+	enum class SoftwareIspFlag {
+		AllocCmaDmaBuffers = 1 << 0,
+	};
+
+	using SoftwareIspFlags = Flags<SoftwareIspFlag>;
+
 	SoftwareIsp(PipelineHandler *pipe, const CameraSensor *sensor,
-		    ControlInfoMap *ipaControls);
+		    SoftwareIspFlags flags, ControlInfoMap *ipaControls);
 	~SoftwareIsp();
 
 	int loadConfiguration([[maybe_unused]] const std::string &filename) { return 0; }
@@ -99,7 +106,7 @@ private:
 	Thread ispWorkerThread_;
 	SharedMemObject<DebayerParams> sharedParams_;
 	DebayerParams debayerParams_;
-	DmaBufAllocator dmaHeap_;
+	DmaBufAllocator *dmaHeap_;
 	bool ccmEnabled_;
 	bool lscEnabled_;
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
index 35c29ceca..caab09b00 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/simple/simple.cpp
@@ -615,7 +615,9 @@ int SimpleCameraData::init()
 	 * Instantiate Soft ISP if this is enabled for the given driver and no converter is used.
 	 */
 	if (!converter_ && pipe->swIspEnabled()) {
-		swIsp_ = std::make_unique<SoftwareIsp>(pipe, sensor_.get(), &controlInfo_);
+		swIsp_ = std::make_unique<SoftwareIsp>(pipe, sensor_.get(),
+						       SoftwareIsp::SoftwareIspFlag::AllocCmaDmaBuffers,
+						       &controlInfo_);
 		if (!swIsp_->isValid()) {
 			LOG(SimplePipeline, Warning)
 				<< "Failed to create software ISP, disabling software debayering";
diff --git a/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp b/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
index 627625b4f..1ef4211ca 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/software_isp/software_isp.cpp
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 #include <libcamera/stream.h>
 
 #include "libcamera/internal/bayer_format.h"
+#include "libcamera/internal/dma_buf_allocator.h"
 #include "libcamera/internal/framebuffer.h"
 #include "libcamera/internal/software_isp/debayer_params.h"
 
@@ -76,16 +77,22 @@ LOG_DEFINE_CATEGORY(SoftwareIsp)
  * \brief Constructs SoftwareIsp object
  * \param[in] pipe The pipeline handler in use
  * \param[in] sensor Pointer to the CameraSensor instance owned by the pipeline handler
+ * \param[in] flags SoftwareIspFlags
  * \param[out] ipaControls The IPA controls to update
  */
 SoftwareIsp::SoftwareIsp(PipelineHandler *pipe, const CameraSensor *sensor,
-			 ControlInfoMap *ipaControls)
-	: ispWorkerThread_("SWIspWorker"),
-	  dmaHeap_(DmaBufAllocator::DmaBufAllocatorFlag::CmaHeap |
-		   DmaBufAllocator::DmaBufAllocatorFlag::SystemHeap |
-		   DmaBufAllocator::DmaBufAllocatorFlag::UDmaBuf)
+			 SoftwareIspFlags flags, ControlInfoMap *ipaControls)
+	: ispWorkerThread_("SWIspWorker")
 {
-	if (!dmaHeap_.isValid()) {
+	DmaBufAllocator::DmaBufAllocatorFlags types =
+		DmaBufAllocator::DmaBufAllocatorFlag::SystemHeap |
+		DmaBufAllocator::DmaBufAllocatorFlag::UDmaBuf;
+
+	if (flags & SoftwareIsp::SoftwareIspFlag::AllocCmaDmaBuffers)
+		types |= DmaBufAllocator::DmaBufAllocatorFlag::CmaHeap;
+
+	dmaHeap_ = new DmaBufAllocator(types);
+	if (!dmaHeap_->isValid()) {
 		LOG(SoftwareIsp, Error) << "Failed to create DmaBufAllocator object";
 		return;
 	}
@@ -323,7 +330,7 @@ int SoftwareIsp::exportBuffers(const Stream *stream, unsigned int count,
 	if (stream == nullptr)
 		return -EINVAL;
 
-	return dmaHeap_.exportBuffers(count, { debayer_->frameSize() }, buffers);
+	return dmaHeap_->exportBuffers(count, { debayer_->frameSize() }, buffers);
 }
 
 /**