diff --git a/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c b/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c
index 57bd8391f..1bbc0f96f 100644
--- a/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c
+++ b/spa/plugins/videoconvert/videoadapter.c
@@ -114,8 +114,7 @@ static int follower_enum_params(struct impl *this,
 {
 	int res;
 	if (result->next < 0x100000) {
-		if (this->convert != NULL &&
-		    (res = spa_node_enum_params_sync(this->convert,
+		if ((res = spa_node_enum_params_sync(this->convert,
 				id, &result->next, filter, &result->param, builder)) == 1)
 			return res;
 		result->next = 0x100000;
@@ -176,14 +175,12 @@ static int impl_node_enum_params(void *object, int seq,
 next:
 	result.index = result.next;
 
-	spa_log_debug(this->log, "%p: %d id:%u", this, seq, id);
+	spa_log_info(this->log, "%p: %d id:%u", this, seq, id);
 
 	spa_pod_builder_reset(&b.b, &state);
 
 	switch (id) {
 	case SPA_PARAM_EnumPortConfig:
-		if (this->convert == NULL)
-			return 0;
 		return convert_enum_port_config(this, seq, id, start, num, filter, &b.b);
 	case SPA_PARAM_PortConfig:
 		if (this->passthrough) {
@@ -201,8 +198,6 @@ next:
 				return 0;
 			}
 		} else {
-			if (this->convert == NULL)
-				return 0;
 			return convert_enum_port_config(this, seq, id, start, num, filter, &b.b);
 		}
 		break;
@@ -247,9 +242,6 @@ static int link_io(struct impl *this)
 	struct spa_io_rate_match *rate_match;
 	size_t rate_match_size;
 
-	if (this->convert == NULL)
-		return 0;
-
 	spa_log_debug(this->log, "%p: controls", this);
 
 	spa_zero(this->io_rate_match);
@@ -518,7 +510,7 @@ static int configure_format(struct impl *this, uint32_t flags, const struct spa_
 		format = fmt;
 	}
 
-	if (this->convert && this->target != this->follower) {
+	if (this->target != this->follower) {
 		if ((res = spa_node_port_set_param(this->convert,
 					   SPA_DIRECTION_REVERSE(this->direction), 0,
 					   SPA_PARAM_Format, flags,
@@ -541,9 +533,6 @@ static int configure_convert(struct impl *this, uint32_t mode)
 	uint8_t buffer[1024];
 	struct spa_pod *param;
 
-	if (this->convert == NULL)
-		return 0;
-
 	spa_pod_builder_init(&b, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
 
 	spa_log_debug(this->log, "%p: configure convert %p %d", this, this->target, mode);
@@ -573,9 +562,6 @@ static int recalc_latency(struct impl *this, struct spa_node *src, enum spa_dire
 	if (this->target == this->follower)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (dst == NULL)
-		return 0;
-
 	while (true) {
 		spa_pod_builder_init(&b, buffer, sizeof(buffer));
 		if ((res = spa_node_port_enum_params_sync(src,
@@ -613,9 +599,6 @@ static int recalc_tag(struct impl *this, struct spa_node *src, enum spa_directio
 	if (this->target == this->follower)
 		return 0;
 
-	if (dst == NULL)
-		return 0;
-
 	spa_pod_dynamic_builder_init(&b, buffer, sizeof(buffer), 2048);
 	spa_pod_builder_get_state(&b.b, &state);
 
@@ -639,7 +622,8 @@ static int recalc_tag(struct impl *this, struct spa_node *src, enum spa_directio
 
 
 static int reconfigure_mode(struct impl *this, bool passthrough,
-                enum spa_direction direction, struct spa_pod *format)
+                enum spa_direction direction, enum spa_param_port_config_mode mode,
+                struct spa_pod *format)
 {
 	int res = 0;
 	struct spa_hook l;
@@ -675,7 +659,7 @@ static int reconfigure_mode(struct impl *this, bool passthrough,
 			spa_hook_remove(&l);
 		} else {
 			/* add converter ports */
-			configure_convert(this, SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_dsp);
+			configure_convert(this, mode);
 		}
 		link_io(this);
 	}
@@ -756,14 +740,12 @@ static int impl_node_set_param(void *object, uint32_t id, uint32_t flags,
 		case SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_none:
 			return -ENOTSUP;
 		case SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_passthrough:
-			if ((res = reconfigure_mode(this, true, dir, format)) < 0)
+			if ((res = reconfigure_mode(this, true, dir, mode, format)) < 0)
 				return res;
 			break;
 		case SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_convert:
 		case SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_dsp:
-			if (this->convert == NULL)
-				return -ENOTSUP;
-			if ((res = reconfigure_mode(this, false, dir, NULL)) < 0)
+			if ((res = reconfigure_mode(this, false, dir, mode, NULL)) < 0)
 				return res;
 			break;
 		default:
@@ -894,7 +876,7 @@ static int negotiate_format(struct impl *this)
 		}
 	}
 	state = 0;
-	if (this->convert && (res = spa_node_port_enum_params_sync(this->convert,
+	if ((res = spa_node_port_enum_params_sync(this->convert,
 				SPA_DIRECTION_REVERSE(this->direction), 0,
 				SPA_PARAM_EnumFormat, &state,
 				format, &format, &b)) != 1) {
@@ -1067,7 +1049,7 @@ static void follower_convert_port_info(void *data,
 			this->direction == SPA_DIRECTION_INPUT ?
 				"Input" : "Output", info, info->change_mask);
 
-	if (this->convert && info->change_mask & SPA_PORT_CHANGE_MASK_PARAMS) {
+	if (info->change_mask & SPA_PORT_CHANGE_MASK_PARAMS) {
 		for (i = 0; i < info->n_params; i++) {
 			uint32_t idx;
 
@@ -1389,7 +1371,7 @@ static int follower_reuse_buffer(void *data, uint32_t port_id, uint32_t buffer_i
 	int res;
 	struct impl *this = data;
 
-	if (this->convert && this->target != this->follower)
+	if (this->target != this->follower)
 		res = spa_node_port_reuse_buffer(this->convert, port_id, buffer_id);
 	else
 		res = spa_node_call_reuse_buffer(&this->callbacks, port_id, buffer_id);
@@ -1432,11 +1414,9 @@ static int impl_node_add_listener(void *object,
 		spa_node_add_listener(this->follower, &l, &follower_node_events, this);
 		spa_hook_remove(&l);
 
-		if (this->convert) {
-			spa_zero(l);
-			spa_node_add_listener(this->convert, &l, &convert_node_events, this);
-			spa_hook_remove(&l);
-		}
+		spa_zero(l);
+		spa_node_add_listener(this->convert, &l, &convert_node_events, this);
+		spa_hook_remove(&l);
 
 		this->add_listener = false;
 
@@ -1618,7 +1598,7 @@ static int impl_node_process(void *object)
 		 * First we run the converter to process the input for the follower
 		 * then if it produced data, we run the follower. */
 		while (retry--) {
-			status = this->convert ? spa_node_process(this->convert) : 0;
+			status = spa_node_process(this->convert);
 			/* schedule the follower when the converter needed
 			 * a recycled buffer */
 			if (status == -EPIPE || status == 0)
@@ -1650,7 +1630,7 @@ static int impl_node_process(void *object)
 			/* output node (source). First run the converter to make
 			 * sure we push out any queued data. Then when it needs
 			 * more data, schedule the follower. */
-			status = this->convert ? spa_node_process(this->convert) : 0;
+			status = spa_node_process(this->convert);
 			if (status == 0)
 				status = SPA_STATUS_NEED_DATA;
 			else if (status < 0)
@@ -1714,6 +1694,30 @@ static const struct spa_node_methods impl_node = {
 	.process = impl_node_process,
 };
 
+static int setup_convert(struct impl *this, uint32_t mode)
+{
+	int res;
+	spa_log_debug(this->log, "%p: setup converter with mode %d", this, mode);
+
+	if ((res = configure_convert(this, mode)) >= 0) {
+		reconfigure_mode(this, mode == SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_none, this->direction, mode, NULL);
+		return 0;
+	}
+
+	spa_log_warn(this->log, "%p: set mode %d on convert failed %d %s", this,
+		mode, res, spa_strerror(res));
+
+	mode = SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_none;
+	this->passthrough = mode == SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_none;
+	if ((res = configure_convert(this, mode)) < 0) {
+		spa_log_warn(this->log, "%p: set mode %d on convert failed %d %s", this,
+			mode, res, spa_strerror(res));
+		return res;
+	}
+	reconfigure_mode(this, true, this->direction, mode, NULL);
+	return 0;
+}
+
 static int load_plugin_from(struct impl *this, const struct spa_dict *info,
 		const char *convertname, struct spa_handle **handle, struct spa_node **iface)
 {
@@ -1750,7 +1754,12 @@ static int load_converter(struct impl *this, const struct spa_dict *info)
 			return ret;
 		}
 	}
-	return 0;
+	ret = load_plugin_from(this, info, "video.convert.dummy", &this->hnd_convert, &this->convert);
+	if (ret >= 0) {
+		this->convertname = strdup(factory_name);
+		return ret;
+	}
+	return -EINVAL;
 }
 
 static int impl_get_interface(struct spa_handle *handle, const char *type, void **interface)
@@ -1851,7 +1860,9 @@ impl_init(const struct spa_handle_factory *factory,
 	spa_log_debug(this->log, "%p: loaded converter %s, hnd %p, convert %p", this, this->convertname, this->hnd_convert, this->convert);
 	if (ret < 0)
 		return ret;
-	this->target = this->convert;
+	this->target = this->direction == SPA_DIRECTION_OUTPUT
+		? this->follower
+		: this->convert;
 
 	this->info_all = SPA_NODE_CHANGE_MASK_FLAGS |
 		SPA_NODE_CHANGE_MASK_PARAMS;
@@ -1874,14 +1885,14 @@ impl_init(const struct spa_handle_factory *factory,
 			&this->follower_listener, &follower_node_events, this);
 	spa_node_set_callbacks(this->follower, &follower_node_callbacks, this);
 
-	// TODO: adapt port bootstrap for arbitrary converter (incl. dummy)
-	if (this->convert) {
-		spa_node_add_listener(this->convert,
-				&this->convert_listener, &convert_node_events, this);
+	spa_node_add_listener(this->convert,
+			&this->convert_listener, &convert_node_events, this);
 
-		configure_convert(this, SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_convert);
+	// TODO: adapt port bootstrap for arbitrary converter (incl. dummy)
+	if (this->direction == SPA_DIRECTION_OUTPUT) {
+		setup_convert(this, SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_none);
 	} else {
-		reconfigure_mode(this, true, this->direction, NULL);
+		setup_convert(this, SPA_PARAM_PORT_CONFIG_MODE_convert);
 	}
 
 	link_io(this);