diff --git a/include/libcamera/internal/camera_sensor.h b/include/libcamera/internal/camera_sensor.h
index d79bd9ce9d58..44dd4b099913 100644
--- a/include/libcamera/internal/camera_sensor.h
+++ b/include/libcamera/internal/camera_sensor.h
@@ -69,6 +69,8 @@ protected:
 	std::string logPrefix() const;
 
 private:
+	int initProperties();
+
 	const MediaEntity *entity_;
 	std::unique_ptr<V4L2Subdevice> subdev_;
 	unsigned int pad_;
diff --git a/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp b/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp
index b14b4051dca6..b9428175c55e 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/camera_sensor.cpp
@@ -205,7 +205,47 @@ int CameraSensor::init()
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
 
-	/* Retrieve and store the camera sensor properties. */
+	/* Enumerate, sort and cache media bus codes and sizes. */
+	formats_ = subdev_->formats(pad_);
+	if (formats_.isEmpty()) {
+		LOG(CameraSensor, Error) << "No image format found";
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
+
+	mbusCodes_ = formats_.formats();
+	std::sort(mbusCodes_.begin(), mbusCodes_.end());
+
+	for (const auto &format : formats_.data()) {
+		const std::vector<SizeRange> &ranges = format.second;
+		std::transform(ranges.begin(), ranges.end(), std::back_inserter(sizes_),
+			       [](const SizeRange &range) { return range.max; });
+	}
+
+	std::sort(sizes_.begin(), sizes_.end());
+
+	/* Remove duplicates. */
+	auto last = std::unique(sizes_.begin(), sizes_.end());
+	sizes_.erase(last, sizes_.end());
+
+	/*
+	 * The sizes_ vector is sorted in ascending order, the resolution is
+	 * thus the last element of the vector.
+	 */
+	resolution_ = sizes_.back();
+
+	return initProperties();
+}
+
+/**
+ * \brief Initialize the camera sensor standard properties
+ *
+ * This method initializes the camera sensor standard properties, by inspecting
+ * the control information reported by the sensor subdevice.
+ *
+ * \return 0 on success, a negative error code otherwise
+ */
+int CameraSensor::initProperties()
+{
 	const ControlInfoMap &controls = subdev_->controls();
 	int32_t propertyValue;
 
@@ -243,35 +283,6 @@ int CameraSensor::init()
 		propertyValue = 0;
 	properties_.set(properties::Rotation, propertyValue);
 
-	/* Enumerate, sort and cache media bus codes and sizes. */
-	formats_ = subdev_->formats(pad_);
-	if (formats_.isEmpty()) {
-		LOG(CameraSensor, Error) << "No image format found";
-		return -EINVAL;
-	}
-
-	mbusCodes_ = formats_.formats();
-	std::sort(mbusCodes_.begin(), mbusCodes_.end());
-
-	for (const auto &format : formats_.data()) {
-		const std::vector<SizeRange> &ranges = format.second;
-		std::transform(ranges.begin(), ranges.end(), std::back_inserter(sizes_),
-			       [](const SizeRange &range) { return range.max; });
-	}
-
-	std::sort(sizes_.begin(), sizes_.end());
-
-	/* Remove duplicates. */
-	auto last = std::unique(sizes_.begin(), sizes_.end());
-	sizes_.erase(last, sizes_.end());
-
-	/*
-	 * The sizes_ vector is sorted in ascending order, the resolution is
-	 * thus the last element of the vector.
-	 */
-	resolution_ = sizes_.back();
-
-	return 0;
 }
 
 /**
@@ -438,12 +449,6 @@ ControlList CameraSensor::getControls(const std::vector<uint32_t> &ids)
 	return subdev_->getControls(ids);
 }
 
-/**
- * \fn CameraSensor::properties()
- * \brief Retrieve the camera sensor properties
- * \return The list of camera sensor properties
- */
-
 /**
  * \brief Write controls to the sensor
  * \param[in] ctrls The list of controls to write
@@ -535,6 +540,12 @@ int CameraSensor::sensorInfo(CameraSensorInfo *info) const
 	return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * \fn CameraSensor::properties()
+ * \brief Retrieve the camera sensor properties
+ * \return The list of camera sensor properties
+ */
+
 std::string CameraSensor::logPrefix() const
 {
 	return "'" + entity_->name() + "'";