diff --git a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/mediactl/media-types.rst b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/mediactl/media-types.rst
index 0ffeece1e0c8..6332e8395263 100644
--- a/Documentation/userspace-api/media/mediactl/media-types.rst
+++ b/Documentation/userspace-api/media/mediactl/media-types.rst
@@ -375,12 +375,11 @@ Types and flags used to represent the media graph elements
 	  are origins of links.
 
     *  -  ``MEDIA_PAD_FL_MUST_CONNECT``
-       -  If this flag is set and the pad is linked to any other pad, then
-	  at least one of those links must be enabled for the entity to be
-	  able to stream. There could be temporary reasons (e.g. device
-	  configuration dependent) for the pad to need enabled links even
-	  when this flag isn't set; the absence of the flag doesn't imply
-	  there is none.
+       -  If this flag is set, then for this pad to be able to stream, it must
+	  be connected by at least one enabled link. There could be temporary
+	  reasons (e.g. device configuration dependent) for the pad to need
+	  enabled links even when this flag isn't set; the absence of the flag
+	  doesn't imply there is none.
 
 
 One and only one of ``MEDIA_PAD_FL_SINK`` and ``MEDIA_PAD_FL_SOURCE``
diff --git a/drivers/media/mc/mc-entity.c b/drivers/media/mc/mc-entity.c
index 7da899bc9d08..21c354067f44 100644
--- a/drivers/media/mc/mc-entity.c
+++ b/drivers/media/mc/mc-entity.c
@@ -522,14 +522,15 @@ static int media_pipeline_walk_push(struct media_pipeline_walk *walk,
 
 /*
  * Move the top entry link cursor to the next link. If all links of the entry
- * have been visited, pop the entry itself.
+ * have been visited, pop the entry itself. Return true if the entry has been
+ * popped.
  */
-static void media_pipeline_walk_pop(struct media_pipeline_walk *walk)
+static bool media_pipeline_walk_pop(struct media_pipeline_walk *walk)
 {
 	struct media_pipeline_walk_entry *entry;
 
 	if (WARN_ON(walk->stack.top < 0))
-		return;
+		return false;
 
 	entry = media_pipeline_walk_top(walk);
 
@@ -539,7 +540,7 @@ static void media_pipeline_walk_pop(struct media_pipeline_walk *walk)
 			walk->stack.top);
 
 		walk->stack.top--;
-		return;
+		return true;
 	}
 
 	entry->links = entry->links->next;
@@ -547,6 +548,8 @@ static void media_pipeline_walk_pop(struct media_pipeline_walk *walk)
 	dev_dbg(walk->mdev->dev,
 		"media pipeline: moved entry %u to next link\n",
 		walk->stack.top);
+
+	return false;
 }
 
 /* Free all memory allocated while walking the pipeline. */
@@ -596,11 +599,12 @@ static int media_pipeline_explore_next_link(struct media_pipeline *pipe,
 	struct media_link *link;
 	struct media_pad *local;
 	struct media_pad *remote;
+	bool last_link;
 	int ret;
 
 	origin = entry->pad;
 	link = list_entry(entry->links, typeof(*link), list);
-	media_pipeline_walk_pop(walk);
+	last_link = media_pipeline_walk_pop(walk);
 
 	dev_dbg(walk->mdev->dev,
 		"media pipeline: exploring link '%s':%u -> '%s':%u\n",
@@ -625,7 +629,7 @@ static int media_pipeline_explore_next_link(struct media_pipeline *pipe,
 					   local->index)) {
 		dev_dbg(walk->mdev->dev,
 			"media pipeline: skipping link (no route)\n");
-		return 0;
+		goto done;
 	}
 
 	/*
@@ -640,13 +644,44 @@ static int media_pipeline_explore_next_link(struct media_pipeline *pipe,
 	if (!(link->flags & MEDIA_LNK_FL_ENABLED)) {
 		dev_dbg(walk->mdev->dev,
 			"media pipeline: skipping link (disabled)\n");
-		return 0;
+		goto done;
 	}
 
 	ret = media_pipeline_add_pad(pipe, walk, remote);
 	if (ret)
 		return ret;
 
+done:
+	/*
+	 * If we're done iterating over links, iterate over pads of the entity.
+	 * This is necessary to discover pads that are not connected with any
+	 * link. Those are dead ends from a pipeline exploration point of view,
+	 * but are still part of the pipeline and need to be added to enable
+	 * proper validation.
+	 */
+	if (!last_link)
+		return 0;
+
+	dev_dbg(walk->mdev->dev,
+		"media pipeline: adding unconnected pads of '%s'\n",
+		local->entity->name);
+
+	media_entity_for_each_pad(origin->entity, local) {
+		/*
+		 * Skip the origin pad (already handled), pad that have links
+		 * (already discovered through iterating over links) and pads
+		 * not internally connected.
+		 */
+		if (origin == local || !local->num_links ||
+		    !media_entity_has_pad_interdep(origin->entity, origin->index,
+						   local->index))
+			continue;
+
+		ret = media_pipeline_add_pad(pipe, walk, local);
+		if (ret)
+			return ret;
+	}
+
 	return 0;
 }
 
@@ -758,7 +793,6 @@ __must_check int __media_pipeline_start(struct media_pad *pad,
 		struct media_pad *pad = ppad->pad;
 		struct media_entity *entity = pad->entity;
 		bool has_enabled_link = false;
-		bool has_link = false;
 		struct media_link *link;
 
 		dev_dbg(mdev->dev, "Validating pad '%s':%u\n", pad->entity->name,
@@ -788,7 +822,6 @@ __must_check int __media_pipeline_start(struct media_pad *pad,
 			/* Record if the pad has links and enabled links. */
 			if (link->flags & MEDIA_LNK_FL_ENABLED)
 				has_enabled_link = true;
-			has_link = true;
 
 			/*
 			 * Validate the link if it's enabled and has the
@@ -826,7 +859,7 @@ __must_check int __media_pipeline_start(struct media_pad *pad,
 		 * 3. If the pad has the MEDIA_PAD_FL_MUST_CONNECT flag set,
 		 * ensure that it has either no link or an enabled link.
 		 */
-		if ((pad->flags & MEDIA_PAD_FL_MUST_CONNECT) && has_link &&
+		if ((pad->flags & MEDIA_PAD_FL_MUST_CONNECT) &&
 		    !has_enabled_link) {
 			dev_dbg(mdev->dev,
 				"Pad '%s':%u must be connected by an enabled link\n",