diff --git a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/gstvacompositor.c b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/gstvacompositor.c
index 3f2175816f..ab60fa3319 100644
--- a/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/gstvacompositor.c
+++ b/subprojects/gst-plugins-bad/sys/va/gstvacompositor.c
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 #include "gstvacompositor.h"
 
 #include <gst/va/gstva.h>
+#include <gst/va/vasurfaceimage.h>
 #include <gst/video/video.h>
 #include <va/va_drmcommon.h>
 
@@ -562,7 +563,7 @@ gst_va_compositor_propose_allocation (GstAggregator * agg,
   GstCaps *caps;
   GstVideoInfo info;
   gboolean update_allocator = FALSE;
-  guint size, usage_hint = VA_SURFACE_ATTRIB_USAGE_HINT_GENERIC;
+  guint size, usage_hint;
 
   gst_query_parse_allocation (query, &caps, NULL);
 
@@ -575,6 +576,9 @@ gst_va_compositor_propose_allocation (GstAggregator * agg,
   if (gst_query_get_n_allocation_pools (query) > 0)
     return TRUE;
 
+  usage_hint = va_get_surface_usage_hint (self->display,
+      VAEntrypointVideoProc, GST_PAD_SINK, gst_video_is_dma_drm_caps (caps));
+
   size = GST_VIDEO_INFO_SIZE (&info);
 
   if (gst_query_get_n_allocation_params (query) > 0) {
@@ -658,7 +662,7 @@ gst_va_compositor_decide_allocation (GstAggregator * agg, GstQuery * query)
   GstCaps *caps = NULL;
   GstStructure *config;
   GstVideoInfo info;
-  guint min, max, size = 0, usage_hint = VA_SURFACE_ATTRIB_USAGE_HINT_VPP_WRITE;
+  guint min, max, size = 0, usage_hint;
   gboolean update_pool, update_allocator, has_videometa, copy_frames;
   gboolean dont_use_other_pool = FALSE;
 
@@ -724,6 +728,9 @@ gst_va_compositor_decide_allocation (GstAggregator * agg, GstQuery * query)
   if (!pool)
     pool = gst_va_pool_new ();
 
+  usage_hint = va_get_surface_usage_hint (self->display,
+      VAEntrypointVideoProc, GST_PAD_SRC, gst_video_is_dma_drm_caps (caps));
+
   config = gst_buffer_pool_get_config (pool);
   gst_buffer_pool_config_set_allocator (config, allocator, &params);
   gst_buffer_pool_config_add_option (config, GST_BUFFER_POOL_OPTION_VIDEO_META);
@@ -793,7 +800,7 @@ _get_sinkpad_pool (GstVaCompositor * self, GstVaCompositorPad * pad)
   GstAllocationParams params = { 0, };
   GstCaps *caps;
   GstVideoInfo info;
-  guint size, usage_hint = VA_SURFACE_ATTRIB_USAGE_HINT_VPP_READ;
+  guint size, usage_hint;
 
   if (pad->pool)
     return pad->pool;
@@ -809,6 +816,9 @@ _get_sinkpad_pool (GstVaCompositor * self, GstVaCompositorPad * pad)
     return NULL;
   }
 
+  usage_hint = va_get_surface_usage_hint (self->display,
+      VAEntrypointVideoProc, GST_PAD_SINK, FALSE);
+
   size = GST_VIDEO_INFO_SIZE (&info);
 
   allocator = gst_va_compositor_allocator_from_caps (self, caps);
@@ -862,7 +872,7 @@ _try_import_dmabuf_unlocked (GstVaCompositor * self, GstVideoInfo * info,
 {
   GstVideoMeta *meta;
   GstMemory *mems[GST_VIDEO_MAX_PLANES];
-  guint i, n_mem, n_planes;
+  guint i, n_mem, n_planes, usage_hint;
   gsize offset[GST_VIDEO_MAX_PLANES];
   uintptr_t fd[GST_VIDEO_MAX_PLANES];
 
@@ -916,9 +926,12 @@ _try_import_dmabuf_unlocked (GstVaCompositor * self, GstVideoInfo * info,
     fd[i] = gst_dmabuf_memory_get_fd (mems[i]);
   }
 
+  usage_hint = va_get_surface_usage_hint (self->display,
+      VAEntrypointVideoProc, GST_PAD_SINK, TRUE);
+
   /* Now create a VASurfaceID for the buffer */
   return gst_va_dmabuf_memories_setup (self->display, info, n_planes,
-      mems, fd, offset, VA_SURFACE_ATTRIB_USAGE_HINT_VPP_READ);
+      mems, fd, offset, usage_hint);
 }
 
 extern GRecMutex GST_VA_SHARED_LOCK;