diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpbe_display.c b/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpbe_display.c
index e512767cf7ea..7a0e40ee60e3 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpbe_display.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpbe_display.c
@@ -344,11 +344,6 @@ static int vpbe_start_streaming(struct vb2_queue *vq, unsigned int count)
 	struct vpbe_device *vpbe_dev = fh->disp_dev->vpbe_dev;
 	int ret;
 
-	/* If buffer queue is empty, return error */
-	if (list_empty(&layer->dma_queue)) {
-		v4l2_err(&vpbe_dev->v4l2_dev, "buffer queue is empty\n");
-		return -ENOBUFS;
-	}
 	/* Get the next frame from the buffer queue */
 	layer->next_frm = layer->cur_frm = list_entry(layer->dma_queue.next,
 				struct vpbe_disp_buffer, list);
@@ -1416,6 +1411,7 @@ static int vpbe_display_reqbufs(struct file *file, void *priv,
 	q->mem_ops = &vb2_dma_contig_memops;
 	q->buf_struct_size = sizeof(struct vpbe_disp_buffer);
 	q->timestamp_flags = V4L2_BUF_FLAG_TIMESTAMP_MONOTONIC;
+	q->min_buffers_needed = 1;
 
 	ret = vb2_queue_init(q);
 	if (ret) {
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpif_capture.c b/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpif_capture.c
index cd6da8b78108..756da78bac23 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpif_capture.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpif_capture.c
@@ -272,13 +272,7 @@ static int vpif_start_streaming(struct vb2_queue *vq, unsigned int count)
 	unsigned long flags;
 	int ret;
 
-	/* If buffer queue is empty, return error */
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&common->irqlock, flags);
-	if (list_empty(&common->dma_queue)) {
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&common->irqlock, flags);
-		vpif_dbg(1, debug, "buffer queue is empty\n");
-		return -ENOBUFS;
-	}
 
 	/* Get the next frame from the buffer queue */
 	common->cur_frm = common->next_frm = list_entry(common->dma_queue.next,
@@ -1024,6 +1018,7 @@ static int vpif_reqbufs(struct file *file, void *priv,
 	q->mem_ops = &vb2_dma_contig_memops;
 	q->buf_struct_size = sizeof(struct vpif_cap_buffer);
 	q->timestamp_flags = V4L2_BUF_FLAG_TIMESTAMP_MONOTONIC;
+	q->min_buffers_needed = 1;
 
 	ret = vb2_queue_init(q);
 	if (ret) {
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpif_display.c b/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpif_display.c
index fd68236657c2..0ac841e35aa4 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpif_display.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/davinci/vpif_display.c
@@ -234,13 +234,7 @@ static int vpif_start_streaming(struct vb2_queue *vq, unsigned int count)
 	unsigned long flags;
 	int ret;
 
-	/* If buffer queue is empty, return error */
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&common->irqlock, flags);
-	if (list_empty(&common->dma_queue)) {
-		spin_unlock_irqrestore(&common->irqlock, flags);
-		vpif_err("buffer queue is empty\n");
-		return -ENOBUFS;
-	}
 
 	/* Get the next frame from the buffer queue */
 	common->next_frm = common->cur_frm =
@@ -984,6 +978,7 @@ static int vpif_reqbufs(struct file *file, void *priv,
 	q->mem_ops = &vb2_dma_contig_memops;
 	q->buf_struct_size = sizeof(struct vpif_disp_buffer);
 	q->timestamp_flags = V4L2_BUF_FLAG_TIMESTAMP_MONOTONIC;
+	q->min_buffers_needed = 1;
 
 	ret = vb2_queue_init(q);
 	if (ret) {
diff --git a/drivers/media/platform/s5p-tv/mixer_video.c b/drivers/media/platform/s5p-tv/mixer_video.c
index c5059ba0d733..a1ce55fd30f3 100644
--- a/drivers/media/platform/s5p-tv/mixer_video.c
+++ b/drivers/media/platform/s5p-tv/mixer_video.c
@@ -946,11 +946,6 @@ static int start_streaming(struct vb2_queue *vq, unsigned int count)
 
 	mxr_dbg(mdev, "%s\n", __func__);
 
-	if (count == 0) {
-		mxr_dbg(mdev, "no output buffers queued\n");
-		return -ENOBUFS;
-	}
-
 	/* block any changes in output configuration */
 	mxr_output_get(mdev);
 
@@ -1124,6 +1119,7 @@ struct mxr_layer *mxr_base_layer_create(struct mxr_device *mdev,
 		.drv_priv = layer,
 		.buf_struct_size = sizeof(struct mxr_buffer),
 		.ops = &mxr_video_qops,
+		.min_buffers_needed = 1,
 		.mem_ops = &vb2_dma_contig_memops,
 	};
 
diff --git a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/videobuf2-core.c b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/videobuf2-core.c
index 4e5004335309..ce308f6d2095 100644
--- a/drivers/media/v4l2-core/videobuf2-core.c
+++ b/drivers/media/v4l2-core/videobuf2-core.c
@@ -818,6 +818,7 @@ static int __reqbufs(struct vb2_queue *q, struct v4l2_requestbuffers *req)
 	 * Make sure the requested values and current defaults are sane.
 	 */
 	num_buffers = min_t(unsigned int, req->count, VIDEO_MAX_FRAME);
+	num_buffers = max_t(unsigned int, req->count, q->min_buffers_needed);
 	memset(q->plane_sizes, 0, sizeof(q->plane_sizes));
 	memset(q->alloc_ctx, 0, sizeof(q->alloc_ctx));
 	q->memory = req->memory;
@@ -840,10 +841,17 @@ static int __reqbufs(struct vb2_queue *q, struct v4l2_requestbuffers *req)
 		return -ENOMEM;
 	}
 
+	/*
+	 * There is no point in continuing if we can't allocate the minimum
+	 * number of buffers needed by this vb2_queue.
+	 */
+	if (allocated_buffers < q->min_buffers_needed)
+		ret = -ENOMEM;
+
 	/*
 	 * Check if driver can handle the allocated number of buffers.
 	 */
-	if (allocated_buffers < num_buffers) {
+	if (!ret && allocated_buffers < num_buffers) {
 		num_buffers = allocated_buffers;
 
 		ret = call_qop(q, queue_setup, q, NULL, &num_buffers,
@@ -1051,13 +1059,20 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(vb2_plane_cookie);
  * vb2_buffer_done() - inform videobuf that an operation on a buffer is finished
  * @vb:		vb2_buffer returned from the driver
  * @state:	either VB2_BUF_STATE_DONE if the operation finished successfully
- *		or VB2_BUF_STATE_ERROR if the operation finished with an error
+ *		or VB2_BUF_STATE_ERROR if the operation finished with an error.
+ *		If start_streaming fails then it should return buffers with state
+ *		VB2_BUF_STATE_QUEUED to put them back into the queue.
  *
  * This function should be called by the driver after a hardware operation on
  * a buffer is finished and the buffer may be returned to userspace. The driver
  * cannot use this buffer anymore until it is queued back to it by videobuf
  * by the means of buf_queue callback. Only buffers previously queued to the
  * driver by buf_queue can be passed to this function.
+ *
+ * While streaming a buffer can only be returned in state DONE or ERROR.
+ * The start_streaming op can also return them in case the DMA engine cannot
+ * be started for some reason. In that case the buffers should be returned with
+ * state QUEUED.
  */
 void vb2_buffer_done(struct vb2_buffer *vb, enum vb2_buffer_state state)
 {
@@ -1065,11 +1080,17 @@ void vb2_buffer_done(struct vb2_buffer *vb, enum vb2_buffer_state state)
 	unsigned long flags;
 	unsigned int plane;
 
-	if (vb->state != VB2_BUF_STATE_ACTIVE)
+	if (WARN_ON(vb->state != VB2_BUF_STATE_ACTIVE))
 		return;
 
-	if (state != VB2_BUF_STATE_DONE && state != VB2_BUF_STATE_ERROR)
-		return;
+	if (!q->start_streaming_called) {
+		if (WARN_ON(state != VB2_BUF_STATE_QUEUED))
+			state = VB2_BUF_STATE_QUEUED;
+	} else if (!WARN_ON(!q->start_streaming_called)) {
+		if (WARN_ON(state != VB2_BUF_STATE_DONE &&
+			    state != VB2_BUF_STATE_ERROR))
+			state = VB2_BUF_STATE_ERROR;
+	}
 
 #ifdef CONFIG_VIDEO_ADV_DEBUG
 	/*
@@ -1088,10 +1109,14 @@ void vb2_buffer_done(struct vb2_buffer *vb, enum vb2_buffer_state state)
 	/* Add the buffer to the done buffers list */
 	spin_lock_irqsave(&q->done_lock, flags);
 	vb->state = state;
-	list_add_tail(&vb->done_entry, &q->done_list);
+	if (state != VB2_BUF_STATE_QUEUED)
+		list_add_tail(&vb->done_entry, &q->done_list);
 	atomic_dec(&q->owned_by_drv_count);
 	spin_unlock_irqrestore(&q->done_lock, flags);
 
+	if (state == VB2_BUF_STATE_QUEUED)
+		return;
+
 	/* Inform any processes that may be waiting for buffers */
 	wake_up(&q->done_wq);
 }
@@ -1588,34 +1613,49 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(vb2_prepare_buf);
  * vb2_start_streaming() - Attempt to start streaming.
  * @q:		videobuf2 queue
  *
- * If there are not enough buffers, then retry_start_streaming is set to
- * 1 and 0 is returned. The next time a buffer is queued and
- * retry_start_streaming is 1, this function will be called again to
- * retry starting the DMA engine.
+ * Attempt to start streaming. When this function is called there must be
+ * at least q->min_buffers_needed buffers queued up (i.e. the minimum
+ * number of buffers required for the DMA engine to function). If the
+ * @start_streaming op fails it is supposed to return all the driver-owned
+ * buffers back to vb2 in state QUEUED. Check if that happened and if
+ * not warn and reclaim them forcefully.
  */
 static int vb2_start_streaming(struct vb2_queue *q)
 {
+	struct vb2_buffer *vb;
 	int ret;
 
-	/* Tell the driver to start streaming */
-	ret = call_qop(q, start_streaming, q, atomic_read(&q->owned_by_drv_count));
-	if (ret)
-		fail_qop(q, start_streaming);
-
 	/*
-	 * If there are not enough buffers queued to start streaming, then
-	 * the start_streaming operation will return -ENOBUFS and you have to
-	 * retry when the next buffer is queued.
+	 * If any buffers were queued before streamon,
+	 * we can now pass them to driver for processing.
 	 */
-	if (ret == -ENOBUFS) {
-		dprintk(1, "qbuf: not enough buffers, retry when more buffers are queued.\n");
-		q->retry_start_streaming = 1;
+	list_for_each_entry(vb, &q->queued_list, queued_entry)
+		__enqueue_in_driver(vb);
+
+	/* Tell the driver to start streaming */
+	ret = call_qop(q, start_streaming, q,
+		       atomic_read(&q->owned_by_drv_count));
+	q->start_streaming_called = ret == 0;
+	if (!ret)
 		return 0;
+
+	fail_qop(q, start_streaming);
+	dprintk(1, "qbuf: driver refused to start streaming\n");
+	if (WARN_ON(atomic_read(&q->owned_by_drv_count))) {
+		unsigned i;
+
+		/*
+		 * Forcefully reclaim buffers if the driver did not
+		 * correctly return them to vb2.
+		 */
+		for (i = 0; i < q->num_buffers; ++i) {
+			vb = q->bufs[i];
+			if (vb->state == VB2_BUF_STATE_ACTIVE)
+				vb2_buffer_done(vb, VB2_BUF_STATE_QUEUED);
+		}
+		/* Must be zero now */
+		WARN_ON(atomic_read(&q->owned_by_drv_count));
 	}
-	if (ret)
-		dprintk(1, "qbuf: driver refused to start streaming\n");
-	else
-		q->retry_start_streaming = 0;
 	return ret;
 }
 
@@ -1651,6 +1691,7 @@ static int vb2_internal_qbuf(struct vb2_queue *q, struct v4l2_buffer *b)
 	 * dequeued in dqbuf.
 	 */
 	list_add_tail(&vb->queued_entry, &q->queued_list);
+	q->queued_count++;
 	vb->state = VB2_BUF_STATE_QUEUED;
 	if (V4L2_TYPE_IS_OUTPUT(q->type)) {
 		/*
@@ -1669,13 +1710,20 @@ static int vb2_internal_qbuf(struct vb2_queue *q, struct v4l2_buffer *b)
 	 * If already streaming, give the buffer to driver for processing.
 	 * If not, the buffer will be given to driver on next streamon.
 	 */
-	if (q->streaming)
+	if (q->start_streaming_called)
 		__enqueue_in_driver(vb);
 
 	/* Fill buffer information for the userspace */
 	__fill_v4l2_buffer(vb, b);
 
-	if (q->retry_start_streaming) {
+	/*
+	 * If streamon has been called, and we haven't yet called
+	 * start_streaming() since not enough buffers were queued, and
+	 * we now have reached the minimum number of queued buffers,
+	 * then we can finally call start_streaming().
+	 */
+	if (q->streaming && !q->start_streaming_called &&
+	    q->queued_count >= q->min_buffers_needed) {
 		ret = vb2_start_streaming(q);
 		if (ret)
 			return ret;
@@ -1830,7 +1878,7 @@ int vb2_wait_for_all_buffers(struct vb2_queue *q)
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
 
-	if (!q->retry_start_streaming)
+	if (q->start_streaming_called)
 		wait_event(q->done_wq, !atomic_read(&q->owned_by_drv_count));
 	return 0;
 }
@@ -1891,6 +1939,7 @@ static int vb2_internal_dqbuf(struct vb2_queue *q, struct v4l2_buffer *b, bool n
 	__fill_v4l2_buffer(vb, b);
 	/* Remove from videobuf queue */
 	list_del(&vb->queued_entry);
+	q->queued_count--;
 	/* go back to dequeued state */
 	__vb2_dqbuf(vb);
 
@@ -1941,18 +1990,23 @@ static void __vb2_queue_cancel(struct vb2_queue *q)
 {
 	unsigned int i;
 
-	if (q->retry_start_streaming) {
-		q->retry_start_streaming = 0;
-		q->streaming = 0;
-	}
-
 	/*
 	 * Tell driver to stop all transactions and release all queued
 	 * buffers.
 	 */
-	if (q->streaming)
+	if (q->start_streaming_called)
 		call_qop(q, stop_streaming, q);
 	q->streaming = 0;
+	q->start_streaming_called = 0;
+	q->queued_count = 0;
+
+	if (WARN_ON(atomic_read(&q->owned_by_drv_count))) {
+		for (i = 0; i < q->num_buffers; ++i)
+			if (q->bufs[i]->state == VB2_BUF_STATE_ACTIVE)
+				vb2_buffer_done(q->bufs[i], VB2_BUF_STATE_ERROR);
+		/* Must be zero now */
+		WARN_ON(atomic_read(&q->owned_by_drv_count));
+	}
 
 	/*
 	 * Remove all buffers from videobuf's list...
@@ -1988,7 +2042,6 @@ static void __vb2_queue_cancel(struct vb2_queue *q)
 
 static int vb2_internal_streamon(struct vb2_queue *q, enum v4l2_buf_type type)
 {
-	struct vb2_buffer *vb;
 	int ret;
 
 	if (type != q->type) {
@@ -2010,19 +2063,22 @@ static int vb2_internal_streamon(struct vb2_queue *q, enum v4l2_buf_type type)
 		dprintk(1, "streamon: no buffers have been allocated\n");
 		return -EINVAL;
 	}
+	if (q->num_buffers < q->min_buffers_needed) {
+		dprintk(1, "streamon: need at least %u allocated buffers\n",
+				q->min_buffers_needed);
+		return -EINVAL;
+	}
 
 	/*
-	 * If any buffers were queued before streamon,
-	 * we can now pass them to driver for processing.
+	 * Tell driver to start streaming provided sufficient buffers
+	 * are available.
 	 */
-	list_for_each_entry(vb, &q->queued_list, queued_entry)
-		__enqueue_in_driver(vb);
-
-	/* Tell driver to start streaming. */
-	ret = vb2_start_streaming(q);
-	if (ret) {
-		__vb2_queue_cancel(q);
-		return ret;
+	if (q->queued_count >= q->min_buffers_needed) {
+		ret = vb2_start_streaming(q);
+		if (ret) {
+			__vb2_queue_cancel(q);
+			return ret;
+		}
 	}
 
 	q->streaming = 1;
diff --git a/drivers/staging/media/davinci_vpfe/vpfe_video.c b/drivers/staging/media/davinci_vpfe/vpfe_video.c
index 1f3b0f9a8d10..8c101cbbee97 100644
--- a/drivers/staging/media/davinci_vpfe/vpfe_video.c
+++ b/drivers/staging/media/davinci_vpfe/vpfe_video.c
@@ -1201,8 +1201,6 @@ static int vpfe_start_streaming(struct vb2_queue *vq, unsigned int count)
 	unsigned long addr;
 	int ret;
 
-	if (count == 0)
-		return -ENOBUFS;
 	ret = mutex_lock_interruptible(&video->lock);
 	if (ret)
 		goto streamoff;
@@ -1327,6 +1325,7 @@ static int vpfe_reqbufs(struct file *file, void *priv,
 	q->type = req_buf->type;
 	q->io_modes = VB2_MMAP | VB2_USERPTR;
 	q->drv_priv = fh;
+	q->min_buffers_needed = 1;
 	q->ops = &video_qops;
 	q->mem_ops = &vb2_dma_contig_memops;
 	q->buf_struct_size = sizeof(struct vpfe_cap_buffer);
diff --git a/include/media/videobuf2-core.h b/include/media/videobuf2-core.h
index 36e3e8e2d457..af4621109726 100644
--- a/include/media/videobuf2-core.h
+++ b/include/media/videobuf2-core.h
@@ -356,20 +356,24 @@ struct v4l2_fh;
  * @gfp_flags:	additional gfp flags used when allocating the buffers.
  *		Typically this is 0, but it may be e.g. GFP_DMA or __GFP_DMA32
  *		to force the buffer allocation to a specific memory zone.
+ * @min_buffers_needed: the minimum number of buffers needed before
+ *		start_streaming() can be called. Used when a DMA engine
+ *		cannot be started unless at least this number of buffers
+ *		have been queued into the driver.
  *
  * @memory:	current memory type used
  * @bufs:	videobuf buffer structures
  * @num_buffers: number of allocated/used buffers
  * @queued_list: list of buffers currently queued from userspace
+ * @queued_count: number of buffers queued and ready for streaming.
  * @owned_by_drv_count: number of buffers owned by the driver
  * @done_list:	list of buffers ready to be dequeued to userspace
  * @done_lock:	lock to protect done_list list
  * @done_wq:	waitqueue for processes waiting for buffers ready to be dequeued
  * @alloc_ctx:	memory type/allocator-specific contexts for each plane
  * @streaming:	current streaming state
- * @retry_start_streaming: start_streaming() was called, but there were not enough
- *		buffers queued. If set, then retry calling start_streaming when
- *		queuing a new buffer.
+ * @start_streaming_called: start_streaming() was called successfully and we
+ *		started streaming.
  * @fileio:	file io emulator internal data, used only if emulator is active
  */
 struct vb2_queue {
@@ -385,6 +389,7 @@ struct vb2_queue {
 	unsigned int			buf_struct_size;
 	u32				timestamp_flags;
 	gfp_t				gfp_flags;
+	u32				min_buffers_needed;
 
 /* private: internal use only */
 	enum v4l2_memory		memory;
@@ -392,6 +397,7 @@ struct vb2_queue {
 	unsigned int			num_buffers;
 
 	struct list_head		queued_list;
+	unsigned int			queued_count;
 
 	atomic_t			owned_by_drv_count;
 	struct list_head		done_list;
@@ -402,7 +408,7 @@ struct vb2_queue {
 	unsigned int			plane_sizes[VIDEO_MAX_PLANES];
 
 	unsigned int			streaming:1;
-	unsigned int			retry_start_streaming:1;
+	unsigned int			start_streaming_called:1;
 
 	struct vb2_fileio_data		*fileio;