diff --git a/src/camera/TarisCameraSource.cpp b/src/camera/TarisCameraSource.cpp
index 1e08e8f..fd9c1c7 100644
--- a/src/camera/TarisCameraSource.cpp
+++ b/src/camera/TarisCameraSource.cpp
@@ -408,12 +408,6 @@ struct TarisCameraSource::Impl {
             }
         }
 
-        float rate = static_cast<float>(o.frame_rate_hz);
-        r = api->dev_setparam(dev, param::kFramerateHz, &rate, kTypeSingle);
-        if (!ok(r))
-            LOG_WARN << "thermal camera: cannot set " << o.frame_rate_hz
-                     << " Hz: " << describe(r) << "; it runs at its own rate";
-
         // Polling, before and again after starting: the SDK resets it on startgrab.
         setInt32(param::kPollingEnable, 1);
         r = api->dev_startgrab(dev, 0);
@@ -424,6 +418,16 @@ struct TarisCameraSource::Impl {
         }
         setInt32(param::kPollingEnable, 1);
 
+        // The frame rate only once grabbing: set before the first startgrab after
+        // connecting, the camera answers ok and keeps sending what it sent before
+        // - 50 fps from power-up, 31 MB/s and 22 000 packets a second for the SDK
+        // and the CPU to take in (measured on tower 111). Set now, it holds.
+        float rate = static_cast<float>(o.frame_rate_hz);
+        r = api->dev_setparam(dev, param::kFramerateHz, &rate, kTypeSingle);
+        if (!ok(r))
+            LOG_WARN << "thermal camera: cannot set " << o.frame_rate_hz
+                     << " Hz: " << describe(r) << "; it runs at its own rate";
+
         std::string model;
         getString(param::kCameraName, model);
         {