diff --git a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-source.c b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-source.c
index 20ae2fc95..dcc7bb3ad 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-source.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-source.c
@@ -75,6 +75,7 @@ struct port {
 	bool alloc_buffers;
 	bool probed_expbuf;
 	bool have_expbuf;
+	uint32_t max_buffers;
 
 	bool next_fmtdesc;
 	struct v4l2_fmtdesc fmtdesc;
@@ -578,10 +579,13 @@ static int impl_node_port_enum_params(void *object, int seq,
 			return -EIO;
 		if (result.index > 0)
 			return 0;
+		if (port->max_buffers == 0)
+			return -EIO;
 
 		param = spa_pod_builder_add_object(&b.b,
 			SPA_TYPE_OBJECT_ParamBuffers, id,
-			SPA_PARAM_BUFFERS_buffers, SPA_POD_CHOICE_RANGE_Int(4, 1, MAX_BUFFERS),
+			SPA_PARAM_BUFFERS_buffers, SPA_POD_CHOICE_RANGE_Int(SPA_MIN(4u, port->max_buffers),
+				1, port->max_buffers),
 			SPA_PARAM_BUFFERS_blocks,  SPA_POD_Int(1),
 			SPA_PARAM_BUFFERS_size,    SPA_POD_Int(port->fmt.fmt.pix.sizeimage),
 			SPA_PARAM_BUFFERS_stride,  SPA_POD_Int(port->fmt.fmt.pix.bytesperline));
diff --git a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c
index a03639f51..a30a09512 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c
@@ -911,12 +911,13 @@ static int probe_expbuf(struct impl *this)
 	spa_zero(reqbuf);
 	reqbuf.type = V4L2_BUF_TYPE_VIDEO_CAPTURE;
 	reqbuf.memory = V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP;
-	reqbuf.count = 2;
+	reqbuf.count = port->max_buffers = MAX_BUFFERS;
 
 	if (xioctl(dev->fd, VIDIOC_REQBUFS, &reqbuf) < 0) {
 		spa_log_error(this->log, "'%s' VIDIOC_REQBUFS: %m", this->props.device);
 		return -errno;
 	}
+	port->max_buffers = reqbuf.count;
 
 	spa_zero(expbuf);
 	expbuf.type = V4L2_BUF_TYPE_VIDEO_CAPTURE;