diff --git a/src/ipa/libipa/exposure_mode_helper.cpp b/src/ipa/libipa/exposure_mode_helper.cpp
index 4ec31f54c3..4076d6f385 100644
--- a/src/ipa/libipa/exposure_mode_helper.cpp
+++ b/src/ipa/libipa/exposure_mode_helper.cpp
@@ -241,12 +241,10 @@ ExposureModeHelper::splitExposure(utils::Duration exposure) const
 	}
 
 	double stageGain = clampGain(1.0);
-	double lastStageGain = stageGain;
 
 	for (const auto &stage : stages_) {
 		utils::Duration stageExposureTime = clampExposureTime(stage.exposureTime,
 								      &quantGain);
-		stageGain = clampGain(stage.gain);
 
 		/*
 		 * We perform the clamping on both exposure time and gain in
@@ -256,9 +254,9 @@ ExposureModeHelper::splitExposure(utils::Duration exposure) const
 		 * the stage limits are initialised.
 		 */
 
-		/* Clamp the gain to lastStageGain and regulate exposureTime. */
-		if (stageExposureTime * lastStageGain >= exposure) {
-			exposureTime = clampExposureTime(exposure / lastStageGain, &quantGain);
+		/* Clamp the gain to that of the last stage and regulate exposure time. */
+		if (stageExposureTime * stageGain >= exposure) {
+			exposureTime = clampExposureTime(exposure / stageGain, &quantGain);
 			gain = clampGain(exposure / exposureTime, &quantGain2);
 			quantGain *= quantGain2;
 
@@ -266,7 +264,9 @@ ExposureModeHelper::splitExposure(utils::Duration exposure) const
 				 exposure / (exposureTime * gain * quantGain) };
 		}
 
-		/* Clamp the exposureTime to stageExposureTime and regulate gain. */
+		/* Clamp the exposure time to stageExposureTime and regulate gain. */
+		stageGain = clampGain(stage.gain);
+
 		if (stageExposureTime * stageGain >= exposure) {
 			exposureTime = stageExposureTime;
 			gain = clampGain(exposure / exposureTime, &quantGain2);
@@ -275,8 +275,6 @@ ExposureModeHelper::splitExposure(utils::Duration exposure) const
 			return { exposureTime, gain, quantGain,
 				 exposure / (exposureTime * gain * quantGain) };
 		}
-
-		lastStageGain = stageGain;
 	}
 
 	/*