diff --git a/channels/rdpecam/client/camera.h b/channels/rdpecam/client/camera.h
index 68282f28f..a0a1e7a1a 100644
--- a/channels/rdpecam/client/camera.h
+++ b/channels/rdpecam/client/camera.h
@@ -153,20 +153,85 @@ typedef UINT (*ICamHalEnumCallback)(CameraPlugin* ecam, GENERIC_CHANNEL_CALLBACK
 typedef UINT (*ICamHalSampleCapturedCallback)(CameraDevice* dev, int streamIndex,
                                               const BYTE* sample, size_t size);
 
+/** @brief interface to implement for the camera HAL*/
 struct s_ICamHal
 {
+	/** callback to enumerate available camera calling callback for each found item
+	 *
+	 * @param ihal the hal interface
+	 * @param callback the enum callback
+	 * @param ecam the camera plugin
+	 * @param hchannel the generic freerdp channel
+	 * @return the number of found cameras
+	 */
 	UINT(*Enumerate)
 	(ICamHal* ihal, ICamHalEnumCallback callback, CameraPlugin* ecam,
 	 GENERIC_CHANNEL_CALLBACK* hchannel);
+
+	/**
+	 * callback to activate a given camera device
+	 * @param ihal the hal interface
+	 * @param deviceId the name of the device
+	 * @param errorCode a pointer to an error code set if the call failed
+	 * @return if the operation was successful
+	 * @since 3.18.0
+	 */
+	BOOL (*Activate)(ICamHal* ihal, const char* deviceId, UINT32* errorCode);
+
+	/**
+	 * callback to deactivate a given camera device
+	 * @param ihal the hal interface
+	 * @param deviceId the name of the device
+	 * @param errorCode a pointer to an error code set if the call failed
+	 * @return if the operation was successful
+	 * @since 3.18.0
+	 */
+	BOOL (*Deactivate)(ICamHal* ihal, const char* deviceId, UINT32* errorCode);
+
+	/**
+	 * callback that returns the list of compatible media types given a set of supported formats
+	 * @param ihal the hal interface
+	 * @param deviceId the name of the device
+	 * @param streamIndex stream index number
+	 * @param supportedFormats a pointer to supported formats
+	 * @param nSupportedFormats number of supported formats
+	 * @param mediaTypes resulting media type descriptors
+	 * @param nMediaTypes output number of media descriptors
+	 * @return number of matched supported formats
+	 */
 	INT16(*GetMediaTypeDescriptions)
 	(ICamHal* ihal, const char* deviceId, int streamIndex,
 	 const CAM_MEDIA_FORMAT_INFO* supportedFormats, size_t nSupportedFormats,
 	 CAM_MEDIA_TYPE_DESCRIPTION* mediaTypes, size_t* nMediaTypes);
+
+	/**
+	 * callback to start a stream
+	 * @param ihal the hal interface
+	 * @param dev
+	 * @param streamIndex stream index number
+	 * @param mediaType
+	 * @param callback
+	 * @return 0 on success, a CAM_Error otherwise
+	 */
 	UINT(*StartStream)
 	(ICamHal* ihal, CameraDevice* dev, int streamIndex, const CAM_MEDIA_TYPE_DESCRIPTION* mediaType,
 	 ICamHalSampleCapturedCallback callback);
+
+	/**
+	 * callback to stop a stream
+	 * @param ihal the hal interface
+	 * @param deviceId the name of the device
+	 * @param streamIndex stream index number
+	 * @return 0 on success, a CAM_Error otherwise
+	 */
 	UINT (*StopStream)(ICamHal* ihal, const char* deviceId, int streamIndex);
-	UINT (*Free)(ICamHal* hal);
+
+	/**
+	 * callback to free the ICamHal
+	 * @param hal the hal interface
+	 * @return 0 on success, a CAM_Error otherwise
+	 */
+	UINT (*Free)(ICamHal* ihal);
 };
 
 typedef UINT (*PREGISTERCAMERAHAL)(IWTSPlugin* plugin, ICamHal* hal);
diff --git a/channels/rdpecam/client/camera_device_main.c b/channels/rdpecam/client/camera_device_main.c
index 463214b41..6bb3a16f4 100644
--- a/channels/rdpecam/client/camera_device_main.c
+++ b/channels/rdpecam/client/camera_device_main.c
@@ -555,9 +555,12 @@ static UINT ecam_dev_process_activate_device_request(CameraDevice* dev,
                                                      WINPR_ATTR_UNUSED wStream* s)
 {
 	WINPR_ASSERT(dev);
+	UINT32 errorCode = 0;
 
-	/* TODO: TBD if this is required */
-	return ecam_channel_send_generic_msg(dev->ecam, hchannel, CAM_MSG_ID_SuccessResponse);
+	if (dev->ihal->Activate(dev->ihal, dev->deviceId, &errorCode))
+		return ecam_channel_send_generic_msg(dev->ecam, hchannel, CAM_MSG_ID_SuccessResponse);
+
+	return ecam_channel_send_error_response(dev->ecam, hchannel, errorCode);
 }
 
 /**
@@ -575,7 +578,11 @@ static UINT ecam_dev_process_deactivate_device_request(CameraDevice* dev,
 	for (size_t i = 0; i < ECAM_DEVICE_MAX_STREAMS; i++)
 		ecam_dev_stop_stream(dev, i);
 
-	return ecam_channel_send_generic_msg(dev->ecam, hchannel, CAM_MSG_ID_SuccessResponse);
+	UINT32 errorCode = 0;
+	if (dev->ihal->Deactivate(dev->ihal, dev->deviceId, &errorCode))
+		return ecam_channel_send_generic_msg(dev->ecam, hchannel, CAM_MSG_ID_SuccessResponse);
+
+	return ecam_channel_send_error_response(dev->ecam, hchannel, errorCode);
 }
 
 /**
diff --git a/channels/rdpecam/client/v4l/camera_v4l.c b/channels/rdpecam/client/v4l/camera_v4l.c
index 0f2d1afbb..e604f6468 100644
--- a/channels/rdpecam/client/v4l/camera_v4l.c
+++ b/channels/rdpecam/client/v4l/camera_v4l.c
@@ -154,6 +154,24 @@ static int cam_v4l_open_device(const char* deviceId, int flags)
 	return fd;
 }
 
+static BOOL cam_v4l_activate(ICamHal* ihal, const char* deviceId, UINT32* errorCode)
+{
+	WINPR_UNUSED(ihal);
+	WINPR_UNUSED(deviceId);
+
+	*errorCode = 0;
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
+static BOOL cam_v4l_deactivate(ICamHal* ihal, const char* deviceId, UINT32* errorCode)
+{
+	WINPR_UNUSED(ihal);
+	WINPR_UNUSED(deviceId);
+
+	*errorCode = 0;
+	return TRUE;
+}
+
 /**
  * Function description
  *
@@ -781,6 +799,8 @@ FREERDP_ENTRY_POINT(UINT VCAPITYPE v4l_freerdp_rdpecam_client_subsystem_entry(
 
 	hal->iHal.Enumerate = cam_v4l_enumerate;
 	hal->iHal.GetMediaTypeDescriptions = cam_v4l_get_media_type_descriptions;
+	hal->iHal.Activate = cam_v4l_activate;
+	hal->iHal.Deactivate = cam_v4l_deactivate;
 	hal->iHal.StartStream = cam_v4l_stream_start;
 	hal->iHal.StopStream = cam_v4l_stream_stop_by_device_id;
 	hal->iHal.Free = cam_v4l_free;