diff --git a/frigate/config.py b/frigate/config.py
index 387927c6b..32f6af141 100644
--- a/frigate/config.py
+++ b/frigate/config.py
@@ -1329,7 +1329,7 @@ class FrigateConfig(FrigateBaseModel):
         )
         detector_config.model.compute_model_hash()
 
-        if detector_config.type != "cpu":
+        if detector_config.enable_cpu_fallback and detector_config.type != "cpu":
             fallback_config = config.copy(deep=True)
             fallback_config.model = ModelConfig()
             detector_config.fallback_config = self.generate_detector_config(
diff --git a/frigate/detectors/detector_config.py b/frigate/detectors/detector_config.py
index ca1915449..839312786 100644
--- a/frigate/detectors/detector_config.py
+++ b/frigate/detectors/detector_config.py
@@ -139,6 +139,9 @@ class ModelConfig(BaseModel):
 class BaseDetectorConfig(BaseModel):
     # the type field must be defined in all subclasses
     type: str = Field(default="cpu", title="Detector Type")
+    enable_cpu_fallback: bool = Field(
+        default=False, title="Fallback to CPU if startup fails"
+    )
     model: ModelConfig = Field(
         default=None, title="Detector specific model configuration."
     )
diff --git a/frigate/object_detection.py b/frigate/object_detection.py
index cb1dca624..fed8a094a 100644
--- a/frigate/object_detection.py
+++ b/frigate/object_detection.py
@@ -103,11 +103,16 @@ def run_detector(
     try:
         object_detector = LocalObjectDetector(detector_config=detector_config)
     except Exception as ex:
-        logger.error(f"Got exception when initializing detector: {ex}, falling back to CPU detector")
-
-        object_detector = LocalObjectDetector(detector_config=detector_config.fallback_config)
-        using_fallback_detector.value = 1
-        
+        if detector_config.enable_cpu_fallback:
+            logger.error(
+                f"Got exception when initializing detector: {ex}, falling back to CPU detector"
+            )
+            object_detector = LocalObjectDetector(
+                detector_config=detector_config.fallback_config
+            )
+            using_fallback_detector.value = 1
+        else:
+            raise ex
 
     outputs = {}
     for name in out_events.keys():