diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/cio2.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/cio2.cpp
index 3d7348782b0fa6cb..efaa460b246697a6 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/cio2.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/cio2.cpp
@@ -207,44 +207,12 @@ CIO2Device::generateConfiguration(const Size &desiredSize) const
 	return cfg;
 }
 
-/**
- * \brief Allocate frame buffers for the CIO2 output
- *
- * Allocate frame buffers in the CIO2 video device to be used to capture frames
- * from the CIO2 output. The buffers are stored in the CIO2Device::buffers_
- * vector.
- *
- * \return Number of buffers allocated or negative error code
- */
-int CIO2Device::allocateBuffers()
-{
-	int ret = output_->allocateBuffers(CIO2_BUFFER_COUNT, &buffers_);
-	if (ret < 0)
-		return ret;
-
-	for (std::unique_ptr<FrameBuffer> &buffer : buffers_)
-		availableBuffers_.push(buffer.get());
-
-	return ret;
-}
-
 int CIO2Device::exportBuffers(unsigned int count,
 			      std::vector<std::unique_ptr<FrameBuffer>> *buffers)
 {
 	return output_->exportBuffers(count, buffers);
 }
 
-void CIO2Device::freeBuffers()
-{
-	/* The default std::queue constructor is explicit with gcc 5 and 6. */
-	availableBuffers_ = std::queue<FrameBuffer *>{};
-
-	buffers_.clear();
-
-	if (output_->releaseBuffers())
-		LOG(IPU3, Error) << "Failed to release CIO2 buffers";
-}
-
 FrameBuffer *CIO2Device::getBuffer()
 {
 	if (availableBuffers_.empty()) {
@@ -266,12 +234,39 @@ void CIO2Device::putBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer)
 
 int CIO2Device::start()
 {
-	return output_->streamOn();
+	int ret = output_->allocateBuffers(CIO2_BUFFER_COUNT, &buffers_);
+	if (ret < 0)
+		return ret;
+
+	for (std::unique_ptr<FrameBuffer> &buffer : buffers_)
+		availableBuffers_.push(buffer.get());
+
+	ret = output_->streamOn();
+	if (ret) {
+		/* The default std::queue constructor is explicit with gcc 5 and 6. */
+		availableBuffers_ = std::queue<FrameBuffer *>{};
+
+		buffers_.clear();
+
+		output_->releaseBuffers();
+	}
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 int CIO2Device::stop()
 {
-	return output_->streamOff();
+	int ret = output_->streamOff();
+
+	/* The default std::queue constructor is explicit with gcc 5 and 6. */
+	availableBuffers_ = std::queue<FrameBuffer *>{};
+
+	buffers_.clear();
+
+	if (output_->releaseBuffers())
+		LOG(IPU3, Error) << "Failed to release CIO2 buffers";
+
+	return ret;
 }
 
 int CIO2Device::queueBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer)
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/cio2.h b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/cio2.h
index cc898f13fd73f865..405e6c03755367c4 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/cio2.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/cio2.h
@@ -37,10 +37,8 @@ public:
 
 	StreamConfiguration generateConfiguration(const Size &desiredSize) const;
 
-	int allocateBuffers();
 	int exportBuffers(unsigned int count,
 			  std::vector<std::unique_ptr<FrameBuffer>> *buffers);
-	void freeBuffers();
 
 	FrameBuffer *getBuffer();
 	void putBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer);
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
index 2d1ec707ea4b08fe..4818027e8db1f7a3 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/ipu3/ipu3.cpp
@@ -658,15 +658,10 @@ int PipelineHandlerIPU3::exportFrameBuffers(Camera *camera, Stream *stream,
 int PipelineHandlerIPU3::allocateBuffers(Camera *camera)
 {
 	IPU3CameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
-	CIO2Device *cio2 = &data->cio2_;
 	ImgUDevice *imgu = data->imgu_;
 	unsigned int bufferCount;
 	int ret;
 
-	ret = cio2->allocateBuffers();
-	if (ret < 0)
-		return ret;
-
 	bufferCount = std::max({
 		data->outStream_.configuration().bufferCount,
 		data->vfStream_.configuration().bufferCount,
@@ -674,10 +669,8 @@ int PipelineHandlerIPU3::allocateBuffers(Camera *camera)
 	});
 
 	ret = imgu->allocateBuffers(data, bufferCount);
-	if (ret < 0) {
-		cio2->freeBuffers();
+	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
-	}
 
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -686,7 +679,6 @@ int PipelineHandlerIPU3::freeBuffers(Camera *camera)
 {
 	IPU3CameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
 
-	data->cio2_.freeBuffers();
 	data->imgu_->freeBuffers(data);
 
 	return 0;
@@ -731,10 +723,10 @@ error:
 void PipelineHandlerIPU3::stop(Camera *camera)
 {
 	IPU3CameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
-	int ret;
+	int ret = 0;
 
-	ret = data->cio2_.stop();
 	ret |= data->imgu_->stop();
+	ret |= data->cio2_.stop();
 	if (ret)
 		LOG(IPU3, Warning) << "Failed to stop camera "
 				   << camera->name();