diff --git a/cmd/camera.c b/cmd/camera.c
index 98e95fa..b8b2a09 100644
--- a/cmd/camera.c
+++ b/cmd/camera.c
@@ -58,6 +58,11 @@ camera_t *camera_open(camera_options_t *options)
   }
   camera->camera->capture_list->do_timestamps = true;
 
+  if (camera->options.fps > 0) {
+    camera->camera->capture_list->fmt_interval_us = 1000 * 1000 / camera->options.fps;
+    printf("buffer_lock.c: frame interval: %d\n", camera->camera->capture_list->fmt_interval_us);
+  }
+
   switch (camera->camera->capture_list->fmt_format) {
   case V4L2_PIX_FMT_YUYV:
     if (camera_configure_direct(camera) < 0) {
diff --git a/hw/buffer_list.h b/hw/buffer_list.h
index ef01e24..40d1510 100644
--- a/hw/buffer_list.h
+++ b/hw/buffer_list.h
@@ -15,9 +15,11 @@ typedef struct buffer_list_s {
   bool do_dma;
   bool do_capture;
 
-  unsigned fmt_width, fmt_height, fmt_format, fmt_bytesperline;
+  unsigned fmt_width, fmt_height, fmt_format, fmt_bytesperline, fmt_interval_us;
   bool do_timestamps;
 
+  uint64_t last_dequeued_us;
+
   bool streaming;
   int frames;
 } buffer_list_t;
diff --git a/hw/buffer_queue.c b/hw/buffer_queue.c
index 5cb5c2a..cece078 100644
--- a/hw/buffer_queue.c
+++ b/hw/buffer_queue.c
@@ -180,6 +180,7 @@ buffer_t *buffer_list_dequeue(buffer_list_t *buf_list)
   }
   buf->v4l2_buffer.flags = v4l2_buf.flags;
   buf->v4l2_buffer.timestamp = v4l2_buf.timestamp;
+  buf_list->last_dequeued_us = get_monotonic_time_us(NULL, NULL);
 
   if (buf->mmap_reflinks > 0) {
     E_LOG_PERROR(buf, "Buffer appears to be enqueued? (links=%d)", buf->mmap_reflinks);
diff --git a/hw/links.c b/hw/links.c
index 24b3d42..631eca4 100644
--- a/hw/links.c
+++ b/hw/links.c
@@ -5,9 +5,10 @@
 
 #define N_FDS 50
 
-int _build_fds(link_t *all_links, struct pollfd *fds, link_t **links, buffer_list_t **buf_lists, int max_n)
+int _build_fds(link_t *all_links, struct pollfd *fds, link_t **links, buffer_list_t **buf_lists, int max_n, int *max_timeout_ms)
 {
   int n = 0, nlinks = 0;
+  uint64_t now_us = get_monotonic_time_us(NULL, NULL);
 
   for (nlinks = 0; all_links[nlinks].source; nlinks++);
 
@@ -67,9 +68,20 @@ int _build_fds(link_t *all_links, struct pollfd *fds, link_t **links, buffer_lis
   
     int count_enqueued = buffer_list_count_enqueued(source);
 
+    bool can_dequeue = count_enqueued > 0;
+    int64_t since_last_us = now_us - source->last_dequeued_us;
+    if (since_last_us < source->fmt_interval_us) {
+      can_dequeue = false;
+
+      int64_t since_last_ms = since_last_us / 1000;
+      if (since_last_ms < *max_timeout_ms) {
+        *max_timeout_ms = since_last_ms;
+      }
+    }
+
     fds[n].fd = source->device->fd;
     fds[n].events = POLLHUP;
-    if (count_enqueued > 0)
+    if (can_dequeue)
       fds[n].events |= POLLIN;
     fds[n].revents = 0;
     buf_lists[n] = source;
@@ -132,16 +144,16 @@ void print_pollfds(struct pollfd *fds, int n)
   printf("pollfds = %d\n", n);
 }
 
-int links_step(link_t *all_links, int timeout)
+int links_step(link_t *all_links, int timeout_ms)
 {
   struct pollfd fds[N_FDS] = {0};
   link_t *links[N_FDS];
   buffer_list_t *buf_lists[N_FDS];
   buffer_t *buf;
 
-  int n = _build_fds(all_links, fds, links, buf_lists, N_FDS);
+  int n = _build_fds(all_links, fds, links, buf_lists, N_FDS, &timeout_ms);
   print_pollfds(fds, n);
-  int ret = poll(fds, n, timeout);
+  int ret = poll(fds, n, timeout_ms);
   print_pollfds(fds, n);
 
   if (ret < 0 && errno != EINTR) {