diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
index 14cab9e5..3935d639 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
@@ -731,10 +731,18 @@ int PipelineHandlerIPU3::start(Camera *camera, [[maybe_unused]] const ControlLis
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+	/* Power the lens, if any, for the duration of the capture session. */
+	CameraLens *lens = cio2->sensor()->focusLens();
+	if (lens) {
+		ret = lens->open();
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
 	/* Allocate buffers for internal pipeline usage. */
 	ret = allocateBuffers(camera);
 	if (ret)
-		return ret;
+		goto error_lens;
 
 	ret = data->ipa_->start();
 	if (ret)
@@ -761,6 +769,9 @@ error:
 	cio2->stop();
 	data->ipa_->stop();
 	freeBuffers(camera);
+error_lens:
+	if (lens)
+		lens->close();
 	LOG(IPU3, Error) << "Failed to start camera " << camera->id();
 
 	return ret;
@@ -781,6 +792,10 @@ void PipelineHandlerIPU3::stopDevice(Camera *camera)
 		LOG(IPU3, Warning) << "Failed to stop camera " << camera->id();
 
 	freeBuffers(camera);
+
+	CameraLens *lens = data->cio2_.sensor()->focusLens();
+	if (lens)
+		lens->close();
 }
 
 void IPU3CameraData::cancelPendingRequests()