diff --git a/frigate/config/env.py b/frigate/config/env.py
index 209dda67bf..79d85cfab0 100644
--- a/frigate/config/env.py
+++ b/frigate/config/env.py
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import logging
 import os
 import re
 from pathlib import Path
@@ -5,6 +6,8 @@ from typing import Annotated
 
 from pydantic import AfterValidator, ValidationInfo
 
+logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
+
 FRIGATE_ENV_VARS = {k: v for k, v in os.environ.items() if k.startswith("FRIGATE_")}
 secrets_dir = os.environ.get("CREDENTIALS_DIRECTORY", "/run/secrets")
 # read secret files as env vars too
@@ -16,6 +19,10 @@ if os.path.isdir(secrets_dir) and os.access(secrets_dir, os.R_OK):
             )
 
 
+# Security overrides that must come from the container environment, which is
+# controlled by the operator, rather than from the config, which admins can edit
+_PROTECTED_ENV_VARS = frozenset({"GO2RTC_ALLOW_ARBITRARY_EXEC"})
+
 # Matches a FRIGATE_* identifier following an opening brace.
 _FRIGATE_IDENT_RE = re.compile(r"FRIGATE_[A-Za-z0-9_]+")
 
@@ -95,6 +102,13 @@ EnvString = Annotated[str, AfterValidator(validate_env_string)]
 def validate_env_vars(v: dict[str, str], info: ValidationInfo) -> dict[str, str]:
     if isinstance(info.context, dict) and info.context.get("install", False):
         for k, val in v.items():
+            if k.upper() in _PROTECTED_ENV_VARS:
+                logger.warning(
+                    "Ignoring %s in environment_vars, it must be set in the container environment",
+                    k,
+                )
+                continue
+
             os.environ[k] = val
             if k.startswith("FRIGATE_"):
                 FRIGATE_ENV_VARS[k] = val
diff --git a/frigate/test/test_env.py b/frigate/test/test_env.py
index be7f51df43..d91e18c0ca 100644
--- a/frigate/test/test_env.py
+++ b/frigate/test/test_env.py
@@ -228,6 +228,26 @@ class TestEnvVars(unittest.TestCase):
         result = validate_env_string("{FRIGATE_BROKER}")
         self.assertEqual(result, "mqtt.local")
 
+    def test_install_ignores_go2rtc_exec_override(self):
+        """The go2rtc exec override cannot be enabled from the config."""
+        from frigate.util.services import is_go2rtc_arbitrary_exec_allowed
+
+        os.environ.pop("GO2RTC_ALLOW_ARBITRARY_EXEC", None)
+        ctx = self._make_context(install=True)
+        with patch("frigate.util.services.os.path.isfile", return_value=False):
+            for key in ("GO2RTC_ALLOW_ARBITRARY_EXEC", "go2rtc_allow_arbitrary_exec"):
+                validate_env_vars({key: "true", "OTHER_VAR": "value"}, ctx)
+                self.assertNotIn(key, os.environ)
+                self.assertFalse(is_go2rtc_arbitrary_exec_allowed())
+        self.assertEqual(os.environ.get("OTHER_VAR"), "value")
+
+    def test_install_keeps_container_go2rtc_exec_override(self):
+        """An override set in the container environment is left untouched."""
+        os.environ["GO2RTC_ALLOW_ARBITRARY_EXEC"] = "true"
+        ctx = self._make_context(install=True)
+        validate_env_vars({"GO2RTC_ALLOW_ARBITRARY_EXEC": "false"}, ctx)
+        self.assertEqual(os.environ.get("GO2RTC_ALLOW_ARBITRARY_EXEC"), "true")
+
 
 if __name__ == "__main__":
     unittest.main()