diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.cpp
index 7de45f4e..8784c229 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.cpp
@@ -668,7 +668,7 @@ int PipelineHandlerBase::start(Camera *camera, const ControlList *controls)
 
 	if (!data->buffersAllocated_) {
 		/* Allocate buffers for internal pipeline usage. */
-		ret = prepareBuffers(camera);
+		ret = allocateBuffers(camera);
 		if (ret) {
 			LOG(RPI, Error) << "Failed to allocate buffers";
 			data->freeBuffers();
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.h b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.h
index 7735d0a9..6257a934 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/pipeline_base.h
@@ -242,7 +242,7 @@ private:
 	}
 
 	int queueAllBuffers(Camera *camera);
-	virtual int prepareBuffers(Camera *camera) = 0;
+	virtual int allocateBuffers(Camera *camera) = 0;
 };
 
 class RPiCameraConfiguration final : public CameraConfiguration
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.cpp
index accf59eb..e73f4b7d 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.cpp
@@ -106,7 +106,7 @@ void Stream::setExportedBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer)
 	bufferEmplace(++id_, buffer);
 }
 
-int Stream::prepareBuffers(unsigned int count)
+int Stream::allocateBuffers(unsigned int count)
 {
 	int ret;
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.h b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.h
index 0dba1296..c267447e 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.h
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/common/rpi_stream.h
@@ -125,7 +125,7 @@ public:
 
 	void setExportedBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer);
 
-	int prepareBuffers(unsigned int count);
+	int allocateBuffers(unsigned int count);
 	int queueBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer);
 	void returnBuffer(FrameBuffer *buffer);
 
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/pisp/pisp.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/pisp/pisp.cpp
index 77acd2f6..7bcba32b 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/pisp/pisp.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/pisp/pisp.cpp
@@ -864,7 +864,7 @@ private:
 		return static_cast<PiSPCameraData *>(camera->_d());
 	}
 
-	int prepareBuffers(Camera *camera) override;
+	int allocateBuffers(Camera *camera) override;
 	int platformRegister(std::unique_ptr<RPi::CameraData> &cameraData,
 			     std::shared_ptr<MediaDevice> cfe,
 			     std::shared_ptr<MediaDevice> isp) override;
@@ -958,7 +958,7 @@ bool PipelineHandlerPiSP::match(DeviceEnumerator *enumerator)
 	return false;
 }
 
-int PipelineHandlerPiSP::prepareBuffers(Camera *camera)
+int PipelineHandlerPiSP::allocateBuffers(Camera *camera)
 {
 	PiSPCameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
 	unsigned int numRawBuffers = 0;
@@ -1021,7 +1021,7 @@ int PipelineHandlerPiSP::prepareBuffers(Camera *camera)
 		LOG(RPI, Debug) << "Preparing " << numBuffers
 				<< " buffers for stream " << stream->name();
 
-		ret = stream->prepareBuffers(numBuffers);
+		ret = stream->allocateBuffers(numBuffers);
 		if (ret < 0)
 			return ret;
 	}
diff --git a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/vc4/vc4.cpp b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/vc4/vc4.cpp
index f0cb99d5..8a80439e 100644
--- a/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/vc4/vc4.cpp
+++ b/src/libcamera/pipeline/rpi/vc4/vc4.cpp
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ private:
 		return static_cast<Vc4CameraData *>(camera->_d());
 	}
 
-	int prepareBuffers(Camera *camera) override;
+	int allocateBuffers(Camera *camera) override;
 	int platformRegister(std::unique_ptr<RPi::CameraData> &cameraData,
 			     std::shared_ptr<MediaDevice> unicam,
 			     std::shared_ptr<MediaDevice> isp) override;
@@ -219,7 +219,7 @@ bool PipelineHandlerVc4::match(DeviceEnumerator *enumerator)
 	return false;
 }
 
-int PipelineHandlerVc4::prepareBuffers(Camera *camera)
+int PipelineHandlerVc4::allocateBuffers(Camera *camera)
 {
 	Vc4CameraData *data = cameraData(camera);
 	unsigned int numRawBuffers = 0;
@@ -289,7 +289,7 @@ int PipelineHandlerVc4::prepareBuffers(Camera *camera)
 		LOG(RPI, Debug) << "Preparing " << numBuffers
 				<< " buffers for stream " << stream->name();
 
-		ret = stream->prepareBuffers(numBuffers);
+		ret = stream->allocateBuffers(numBuffers);
 		if (ret < 0)
 			return ret;
 	}