diff --git a/frigate/app.py b/frigate/app.py
index 0185a0c382..3491f06b3d 100644
--- a/frigate/app.py
+++ b/frigate/app.py
@@ -166,11 +166,7 @@ class FrigateApp:
         # create camera_metrics
         for camera_name in self.config.cameras.keys():
             self.camera_metrics[camera_name] = CameraMetrics(self.metrics_manager)
-            self.ptz_metrics[camera_name] = PTZMetrics(
-                autotracker_enabled=self.config.cameras[
-                    camera_name
-                ].onvif.autotracking.enabled
-            )
+            self.ptz_metrics[camera_name] = PTZMetrics()
 
     def init_queues(self) -> None:
         # Queue for cameras to push tracked objects to
diff --git a/frigate/camera/__init__.py b/frigate/camera/__init__.py
index 85831653e1..c20e150041 100644
--- a/frigate/camera/__init__.py
+++ b/frigate/camera/__init__.py
@@ -43,8 +43,6 @@ class CameraMetrics:
 
 
 class PTZMetrics:
-    autotracker_enabled: Synchronized
-
     start_time: Synchronized
     stop_time: Synchronized
     frame_time: Synchronized
@@ -52,13 +50,10 @@ class PTZMetrics:
     max_zoom: Synchronized
     min_zoom: Synchronized
 
-    tracking_active: Event
     motor_stopped: Event
     reset: Event
 
-    def __init__(self, *, autotracker_enabled: bool):
-        self.autotracker_enabled = mp.Value("i", autotracker_enabled)  # type: ignore[assignment]
-
+    def __init__(self) -> None:
         self.start_time = mp.Value("d", 0)  # type: ignore[assignment]
         self.stop_time = mp.Value("d", 0)  # type: ignore[assignment]
         self.frame_time = mp.Value("d", 0)  # type: ignore[assignment]
@@ -66,7 +61,6 @@ class PTZMetrics:
         self.max_zoom = mp.Value("d", 0)  # type: ignore[assignment]
         self.min_zoom = mp.Value("d", 0)  # type: ignore[assignment]
 
-        self.tracking_active = mp.Event()
         self.motor_stopped = mp.Event()
         self.reset = mp.Event()
 
diff --git a/frigate/camera/maintainer.py b/frigate/camera/maintainer.py
index a7e7ca5ecb..9634b3803c 100644
--- a/frigate/camera/maintainer.py
+++ b/frigate/camera/maintainer.py
@@ -120,9 +120,7 @@ class CameraMaintainer(threading.Thread):
 
         if runtime:
             self.camera_metrics[name] = CameraMetrics(self.metrics_manager)
-            self.ptz_metrics[name] = PTZMetrics(
-                autotracker_enabled=config.onvif.autotracking.enabled
-            )
+            self.ptz_metrics[name] = PTZMetrics()
             self.region_grids[name] = get_camera_regions_grid(
                 name,
                 config.detect,
diff --git a/frigate/comms/dispatcher.py b/frigate/comms/dispatcher.py
index 4d9cbc0470..085f133413 100644
--- a/frigate/comms/dispatcher.py
+++ b/frigate/comms/dispatcher.py
@@ -759,15 +759,13 @@ class Dispatcher:
                     "Autotracking must be enabled in the config to be turned on via MQTT."
                 )
                 return
-            if not self.ptz_metrics[camera_name].autotracker_enabled.value:
+            if not ptz_autotracker_settings.enabled:
                 logger.info(f"Turning on ptz autotracker for {camera_name}")
-                self.ptz_metrics[camera_name].autotracker_enabled.value = True
                 self.ptz_metrics[camera_name].start_time.value = 0
                 ptz_autotracker_settings.enabled = True
         elif payload == "OFF":
-            if self.ptz_metrics[camera_name].autotracker_enabled.value:
+            if ptz_autotracker_settings.enabled:
                 logger.info(f"Turning off ptz autotracker for {camera_name}")
-                self.ptz_metrics[camera_name].autotracker_enabled.value = False
                 self.ptz_metrics[camera_name].start_time.value = 0
                 ptz_autotracker_settings.enabled = False
 
diff --git a/frigate/motion/improved_motion.py b/frigate/motion/improved_motion.py
index bbcaee23af..18115825fc 100644
--- a/frigate/motion/improved_motion.py
+++ b/frigate/motion/improved_motion.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ class ImprovedMotionDetector(MotionDetector):
         config: RuntimeMotionConfig,
         fps: int,
         ptz_metrics: PTZMetrics | None = None,
+        autotracking_enabled: bool = False,
         name: str = "improved",
         blur_radius: int = 1,
         interpolation: int = cv2.INTER_NEAREST,
@@ -45,6 +46,7 @@ class ImprovedMotionDetector(MotionDetector):
         self.contrast_values[:, 1:2] = 255
         self.contrast_values_index = 0
         self.ptz_metrics = ptz_metrics
+        self.autotracking_enabled = autotracking_enabled
         self.last_stop_time: float | None = None
 
     def is_calibrating(self) -> bool:
@@ -59,8 +61,7 @@ class ImprovedMotionDetector(MotionDetector):
         # if ptz motor is moving from autotracking, quickly return
         # a single box that is 80% of the frame
         if self.ptz_metrics is not None and (
-            self.ptz_metrics.autotracker_enabled.value
-            and not self.ptz_metrics.motor_stopped.is_set()
+            self.autotracking_enabled and not self.ptz_metrics.motor_stopped.is_set()
         ):
             return [
                 (
@@ -162,7 +163,7 @@ class ImprovedMotionDetector(MotionDetector):
         # if so, reassign the average to the current frame so we begin with a new baseline
         if self.ptz_metrics is not None and (
             # ensure we only do this for cameras with autotracking enabled
-            self.ptz_metrics.autotracker_enabled.value
+            self.autotracking_enabled
             and self.ptz_metrics.motor_stopped.is_set()
             and (
                 self.last_stop_time is None
diff --git a/frigate/ptz/autotrack.py b/frigate/ptz/autotrack.py
index 14d78bc7fd..335a3d9b6b 100644
--- a/frigate/ptz/autotrack.py
+++ b/frigate/ptz/autotrack.py
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ from frigate.config import CameraConfig, FrigateConfig, ZoomingModeEnum
 from frigate.config.camera.updater import (
     CameraConfigUpdateEnum,
     CameraConfigUpdateSubscriber,
+    CameraConfigUpdateTopic,
 )
 from frigate.const import (
     AUTOTRACKING_MAX_AREA_RATIO,
@@ -236,7 +237,7 @@ class PtzAutoTracker(threading.Thread):
 
     def run(self) -> None:
         while not self.stop_event.wait(1):
-            self.check_for_updates()
+            self.config_subscriber.check_for_updates()
 
             for camera, camera_config in list(self.config.cameras.items()):
                 if not camera_config.enabled:
@@ -257,29 +258,6 @@ class PtzAutoTracker(threading.Thread):
         self.config_subscriber.stop()
         logger.info("Exiting autotracker...")
 
-    def check_for_updates(self) -> None:
-        """Apply camera config updates and mirror autotracking state to ptz metrics.
-
-        The camera processes read autotracker_enabled rather than the config, so it
-        has to follow every path that can change autotracking, not just the mqtt
-        toggle that writes it directly.
-        """
-        updates = self.config_subscriber.check_for_updates()
-
-        for cameras in updates.values():
-            for camera in cameras:
-                camera_config = self.config.cameras.get(camera)
-                metrics = self.ptz_metrics.get(camera)
-
-                # a camera added at runtime gets its metrics from the maintainer on
-                # another thread, which seeds them from this same config value
-                if camera_config is None or metrics is None:
-                    continue
-
-                metrics.autotracker_enabled.value = (
-                    camera_config.onvif.autotracking.enabled
-                )
-
     async def _autotracker_setup(self, camera_config: CameraConfig, camera: str):
         logger.debug(f"{camera}: Autotracker init")
 
@@ -337,14 +315,19 @@ class PtzAutoTracker(threading.Thread):
             if camera_config.onvif.autotracking.calibrate_on_startup:
                 await self._calibrate_camera(camera)
 
-        self.ptz_metrics[camera].tracking_active.clear()
         self.dispatcher.publish(f"{camera}/ptz_autotracker/active", "OFF", retain=False)
         self.autotracker_init[camera] = True
 
     def _disable(self, camera: str, reason: str) -> None:
         logger.warning(f"Disabling autotracking for {camera}: {reason}")
-        self.config.cameras[camera].onvif.autotracking.enabled = False
-        self.ptz_metrics[camera].autotracker_enabled.value = False
+        autotracking_config = self.config.cameras[camera].onvif.autotracking
+        autotracking_config.enabled = False
+
+        # the camera process holds its own copy of the config
+        self.dispatcher.config_updater.publish_update(
+            CameraConfigUpdateTopic(CameraConfigUpdateEnum.autotracking, camera),
+            autotracking_config,
+        )
 
     def _reset_tracked_object_metrics(self, camera: str) -> None:
         zoom_factor = self.config.cameras[camera].onvif.autotracking.zoom_factor
@@ -1307,7 +1290,6 @@ class PtzAutoTracker(threading.Thread):
                 logger.debug(
                     f"{camera}: New object: {obj.obj_data['id']} {obj.obj_data['box']} {obj.obj_data['frame_time']}"
                 )
-                self.ptz_metrics[camera].tracking_active.set()
                 self.dispatcher.publish(
                     f"{camera}/ptz_autotracker/active", "ON", retain=False
                 )
@@ -1441,7 +1423,6 @@ class PtzAutoTracker(threading.Thread):
             # update stored zoom level from preset
             await self._wait_until_stopped(camera)
 
-            self.ptz_metrics[camera].tracking_active.clear()
             self.dispatcher.publish(
                 f"{camera}/ptz_autotracker/active", "OFF", retain=False
             )
diff --git a/frigate/ptz/onvif.py b/frigate/ptz/onvif.py
index f828aa5f93..67403b02ab 100644
--- a/frigate/ptz/onvif.py
+++ b/frigate/ptz/onvif.py
@@ -566,8 +566,9 @@ class OnvifController:
             return
 
         metrics = self.ptz_metrics.get(camera_name)
+        camera_config = self.config.cameras.get(camera_name)
 
-        if metrics is None:
+        if metrics is None or camera_config is None:
             return
 
         logger.debug(
@@ -583,7 +584,7 @@ class OnvifController:
         cam["active"] = True
 
         # only track start_time for autotracking
-        if metrics.autotracker_enabled.value:
+        if camera_config.onvif.autotracking.enabled:
             metrics.motor_stopped.clear()
             logger.debug(f"{camera_name}: PTZ start time: {metrics.frame_time.value}")
             metrics.start_time.value = metrics.frame_time.value
diff --git a/frigate/test/test_motion_detector.py b/frigate/test/test_motion_detector.py
index 6fb7a68efc..b5fe126a6c 100644
--- a/frigate/test/test_motion_detector.py
+++ b/frigate/test/test_motion_detector.py
@@ -29,7 +29,6 @@ class TestImprovedMotionDetector(unittest.TestCase):
 
         class DummyPTZ:
             def __init__(self):
-                self.autotracker_enabled = _Stub(False)
                 self.motor_stopped = _Stub(False)
                 self.stop_time = _Stub(0)
 
diff --git a/frigate/test/test_ptz_autotrack.py b/frigate/test/test_ptz_autotrack.py
index 97e3a935c0..78b0aa0c78 100644
--- a/frigate/test/test_ptz_autotrack.py
+++ b/frigate/test/test_ptz_autotrack.py
@@ -7,9 +7,8 @@ KeyError on the autotracker thread or silently keep the wrong state:
 
 - autotracker_init only got an entry for cameras enabled when PtzAutoTracker was
   constructed, so runtime-enabled cameras raised KeyError on lookup.
-- ptz_metrics autotracker_enabled is what the camera processes read, but nothing
-  updated it when autotracking was enabled through a config save, so it stayed
-  False and the tracker never built a motion estimator.
+- _disable only changed the main process config, so the camera process kept
+  running its motion estimator for a camera that could not autotrack.
 """
 
 import unittest
@@ -17,6 +16,7 @@ from unittest.mock import MagicMock
 
 from frigate.camera import PTZMetrics
 from frigate.config import FrigateConfig
+from frigate.config.camera.updater import CameraConfigUpdateEnum
 from frigate.ptz.autotrack import PtzAutoTracker
 
 CAMERA = "ptz_cam"
@@ -53,8 +53,9 @@ def _make_tracker(autotracking_enabled: bool = True) -> PtzAutoTracker:
     onvif over the network. Only the config/metrics state is relevant here."""
     tracker = PtzAutoTracker.__new__(PtzAutoTracker)
     tracker.config = _config(autotracking_enabled)
-    tracker.ptz_metrics = {CAMERA: PTZMetrics(autotracker_enabled=False)}
+    tracker.ptz_metrics = {CAMERA: PTZMetrics()}
     tracker.onvif = MagicMock()
+    tracker.dispatcher = MagicMock()
     tracker.config_subscriber = MagicMock()
     tracker.autotracker_init = {}
     tracker.calibrating = {}
@@ -105,47 +106,21 @@ class TestAutotrackerEnqueueMove(unittest.TestCase):
         self._enqueue(0, 0, 0).assert_not_called()
 
 
-class TestAutotrackerMetricSync(unittest.TestCase):
-    def test_metric_follows_config_when_enabled_by_update(self) -> None:
-        # autotracking enabled via a config save: the metric was seeded False when
-        # the camera was added and nothing else updates it
+class TestAutotrackerDisable(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_disable_publishes_to_camera_process(self) -> None:
         tracker = _make_tracker(autotracking_enabled=True)
-        metrics = tracker.ptz_metrics[CAMERA]
-        self.assertFalse(metrics.autotracker_enabled.value)
 
-        tracker.config_subscriber.check_for_updates.return_value = {"onvif": [CAMERA]}
-        tracker.check_for_updates()
+        tracker._disable(CAMERA, "onvif connection failed")
 
-        self.assertTrue(metrics.autotracker_enabled.value)
+        autotracking = tracker.config.cameras[CAMERA].onvif.autotracking
+        self.assertFalse(autotracking.enabled)
 
-    def test_metric_follows_config_when_disabled_by_update(self) -> None:
-        tracker = _make_tracker(autotracking_enabled=False)
-        metrics = tracker.ptz_metrics[CAMERA]
-        metrics.autotracker_enabled.value = True
-
-        tracker.config_subscriber.check_for_updates.return_value = {
-            "autotracking": [CAMERA]
-        }
-        tracker.check_for_updates()
-
-        self.assertFalse(metrics.autotracker_enabled.value)
-
-    def test_metric_sync_skips_camera_without_metrics(self) -> None:
-        # `add` reaches the maintainer and the autotracker on separate threads with
-        # no ordering guarantee, so the metrics may not exist yet
-        tracker = _make_tracker()
-        tracker.ptz_metrics = {}
-        tracker.config_subscriber.check_for_updates.return_value = {"add": [CAMERA]}
-
-        tracker.check_for_updates()
-
-    def test_metric_sync_skips_unknown_camera(self) -> None:
-        tracker = _make_tracker()
-        tracker.config_subscriber.check_for_updates.return_value = {
-            "add": ["not_in_config"]
-        }
-
-        tracker.check_for_updates()
+        publish = tracker.dispatcher.config_updater.publish_update
+        publish.assert_called_once()
+        topic, payload = publish.call_args.args
+        self.assertEqual(topic.update_type, CameraConfigUpdateEnum.autotracking)
+        self.assertEqual(topic.camera, CAMERA)
+        self.assertIs(payload, autotracking)
 
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
diff --git a/frigate/test/test_ptz_onvif.py b/frigate/test/test_ptz_onvif.py
index daaf44ecc7..5b6971d63d 100644
--- a/frigate/test/test_ptz_onvif.py
+++ b/frigate/test/test_ptz_onvif.py
@@ -121,9 +121,7 @@ def _make_move_controller(autotracking_enabled: bool) -> OnvifController:
             },
         }
     }
-    controller.ptz_metrics = {
-        CAMERA: PTZMetrics(autotracker_enabled=autotracking_enabled)
-    }
+    controller.ptz_metrics = {CAMERA: PTZMetrics()}
     return controller
 
 
diff --git a/frigate/track/norfair_tracker.py b/frigate/track/norfair_tracker.py
index b2e8221f27..e69e1305a3 100644
--- a/frigate/track/norfair_tracker.py
+++ b/frigate/track/norfair_tracker.py
@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ class NorfairTracker(ObjectTracker):
             ),
         }
 
-        if self.ptz_metrics.autotracker_enabled.value:
+        if self.camera_config.onvif.autotracking.enabled:
             self.ptz_motion_estimator = PtzMotionEstimator(
                 self.camera_config, self.ptz_metrics
             )
@@ -515,7 +515,7 @@ class NorfairTracker(ObjectTracker):
         yuv_frame: np.ndarray | None = None
 
         if (
-            self.ptz_metrics.autotracker_enabled.value
+            self.camera_config.onvif.autotracking.enabled
             or self.detect_config.stationary.classifier
         ):
             yuv_frame = self.frame_manager.get(
@@ -534,7 +534,7 @@ class NorfairTracker(ObjectTracker):
             points = np.array([[obj[2][0], obj[2][1]], [obj[2][2], obj[2][3]]])
 
             embedding = None
-            if self.ptz_metrics.autotracker_enabled.value:
+            if self.camera_config.onvif.autotracking.enabled:
                 embedding = get_histogram(
                     yuv_frame, obj[2][0], obj[2][1], obj[2][2], obj[2][3]
                 )
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ class NorfairTracker(ObjectTracker):
 
         coord_transformations = None
 
-        if self.ptz_metrics.autotracker_enabled.value:
+        if self.camera_config.onvif.autotracking.enabled:
             # we must have been enabled by mqtt, so set up the estimator
             if not self.ptz_motion_estimator:
                 self.ptz_motion_estimator = PtzMotionEstimator(
diff --git a/frigate/video/detect.py b/frigate/video/detect.py
index 2fca30debb..4bdcfde227 100644
--- a/frigate/video/detect.py
+++ b/frigate/video/detect.py
@@ -94,6 +94,7 @@ class CameraTracker(FrigateProcess):
             self.config.detect.fps,
             name=self.config.name,
             ptz_metrics=self.ptz_metrics,
+            autotracking_enabled=self.config.onvif.autotracking.enabled,
         )
         object_detector = RemoteObjectDetector(
             self.config.name,
@@ -195,10 +196,12 @@ def process_frames(
         None,
         {camera_config.name: camera_config},
         [
+            CameraConfigUpdateEnum.autotracking,
             CameraConfigUpdateEnum.detect,
             CameraConfigUpdateEnum.enabled,
             CameraConfigUpdateEnum.motion,
             CameraConfigUpdateEnum.objects,
+            CameraConfigUpdateEnum.onvif,
         ],
     )
 
@@ -235,6 +238,11 @@ def process_frames(
             motion_detector.config = camera_config.motion
             motion_detector.update_mask()
 
+        if "autotracking" in updated_configs or "onvif" in updated_configs:
+            motion_detector.autotracking_enabled = (
+                camera_config.onvif.autotracking.enabled
+            )
+
         if (
             not camera_enabled
             and prev_enabled != camera_enabled
@@ -349,8 +357,8 @@ def process_frames(
 
             # only add in the motion boxes when not calibrating and a ptz is not moving via autotracking
             # the ptz timestamps are only maintained while autotracking is on, so gate
-            # on the metric rather than trusting them to be reset otherwise
-            ptz_moving = ptz_metrics.autotracker_enabled.value and (
+            # on the config rather than trusting them to be reset otherwise
+            ptz_moving = camera_config.onvif.autotracking.enabled and (
                 ptz_moving_at_frame_time(
                     frame_time,
                     ptz_metrics.start_time.value,