diff --git a/frigate/detectors/detection_runners.py b/frigate/detectors/detection_runners.py
index c18a4a937..86ff410f4 100644
--- a/frigate/detectors/detection_runners.py
+++ b/frigate/detectors/detection_runners.py
@@ -379,7 +379,7 @@ def get_optimized_runner(
             return RKNNModelRunner(rknn_path)
 
     if device != "CPU" and is_openvino_gpu_npu_available():
-        return OpenVINOModelRunner(model_path, device, **kwargs)
+        return OpenVINOModelRunner(model_path, device or "AUTO", **kwargs)
 
     providers, options = get_ort_providers(device == "CPU", device, **kwargs)
     ortSession = ort.InferenceSession(