diff --git a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c
index 3dcc6f293..ab9d3aec9 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c
@@ -1369,6 +1369,11 @@ static int mmap_read(struct impl *this)
 	if (xioctl(dev->fd, VIDIOC_DQBUF, &buf) < 0)
 		return -errno;
 
+	/* Drop the first frame in order to work around common firmware
+	 * timestamp issues */
+	if (buf.sequence == 0)
+		return 0;
+
 	pts = SPA_TIMEVAL_TO_NSEC(&buf.timestamp);
 	spa_log_trace(this->log, "v4l2 %p: have output %d", this, buf.index);