diff --git a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-source.c b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-source.c
index b79015a28..c532ea185 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-source.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-source.c
@@ -71,6 +71,7 @@ struct port {
 	struct impl *impl;
 
 	bool alloc_buffers;
+	bool probed_expbuf;
 	bool have_expbuf;
 
 	bool next_fmtdesc;
@@ -1020,8 +1021,7 @@ impl_init(const struct spa_handle_factory *factory,
 	port->info.params = port->params;
 	port->info.n_params = N_PORT_PARAMS;
 
-	port->alloc_buffers = true;
-	port->have_expbuf = true;
+	port->probed_expbuf = false;
 	port->have_query_ext_ctrl = true;
 	port->dev.log = this->log;
 	port->dev.fd = -1;
diff --git a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c
index 0c7626eb3..1ed46d62c 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/v4l2/v4l2-utils.c
@@ -867,6 +867,48 @@ do_enum_fmt:
 	return res;
 }
 
+static int probe_expbuf(struct impl *this)
+{
+	struct port *port = &this->out_ports[0];
+	struct spa_v4l2_device *dev = &port->dev;
+	struct v4l2_requestbuffers reqbuf;
+	struct v4l2_exportbuffer expbuf;
+
+	if (port->probed_expbuf)
+		return 0;
+	port->probed_expbuf = true;
+
+	spa_zero(reqbuf);
+	reqbuf.type = V4L2_BUF_TYPE_VIDEO_CAPTURE;
+	reqbuf.memory = V4L2_MEMORY_MMAP;
+	reqbuf.count = 2;
+
+	if (xioctl(dev->fd, VIDIOC_REQBUFS, &reqbuf) < 0) {
+		spa_log_error(this->log, "'%s' VIDIOC_REQBUFS: %m", this->props.device);
+		return -errno;
+	}
+
+	spa_zero(expbuf);
+	expbuf.type = V4L2_BUF_TYPE_VIDEO_CAPTURE;
+	expbuf.index = 0;
+	expbuf.flags = O_CLOEXEC | O_RDONLY;
+	if (xioctl(dev->fd, VIDIOC_EXPBUF, &expbuf) < 0) {
+		spa_log_info(this->log, "'%s' EXPBUF not supported: %m", this->props.device);
+		port->have_expbuf = false;
+		port->alloc_buffers = false;
+	} else {
+		port->have_expbuf = true;
+		port->alloc_buffers = true;
+	}
+
+	reqbuf.count = 0;
+	if (xioctl(dev->fd, VIDIOC_REQBUFS, &reqbuf) < 0) {
+		spa_log_error(this->log, "'%s' VIDIOC_REQBUFS: %m", this->props.device);
+		return -errno;
+	}
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int spa_v4l2_set_format(struct impl *this, struct spa_video_info *format, uint32_t flags)
 {
 	struct port *port = &this->out_ports[0];
@@ -973,6 +1015,8 @@ static int spa_v4l2_set_format(struct impl *this, struct spa_video_info *format,
 	port->rate.denom = framerate->num = streamparm.parm.capture.timeperframe.denominator;
 	port->rate.num = framerate->denom = streamparm.parm.capture.timeperframe.numerator;
 
+	probe_expbuf(this);
+
 	port->fmt = fmt;
 	port->info.change_mask |= SPA_PORT_CHANGE_MASK_FLAGS | SPA_PORT_CHANGE_MASK_RATE;
 	port->info.flags = (port->alloc_buffers ? SPA_PORT_FLAG_CAN_ALLOC_BUFFERS : 0) |