diff --git a/docs/static/frigate-api.yaml b/docs/static/frigate-api.yaml
index 2e18cad6f..ee7b719ff 100644
--- a/docs/static/frigate-api.yaml
+++ b/docs/static/frigate-api.yaml
@@ -3133,6 +3133,7 @@ paths:
                 duration: 30
                 include_recording: true
                 draw: {}
+                pre_capture: null
       responses:
         "200":
           description: Successful Response
@@ -4935,6 +4936,12 @@ components:
             - type: "null"
           title: Draw
           default: {}
+        pre_capture:
+          anyOf:
+            - type: integer
+            - type: "null"
+          title: Pre Capture Seconds
+          default: null
       type: object
       title: EventsCreateBody
     EventsDeleteBody:
diff --git a/frigate/api/defs/request/events_body.py b/frigate/api/defs/request/events_body.py
index 6110e34f5..a2df4d85f 100644
--- a/frigate/api/defs/request/events_body.py
+++ b/frigate/api/defs/request/events_body.py
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ class EventsCreateBody(BaseModel):
     duration: Optional[int] = 30
     include_recording: Optional[bool] = True
     draw: Optional[dict] = {}
+    pre_capture: Optional[int] = None
 
 
 class EventsEndBody(BaseModel):
diff --git a/frigate/api/event.py b/frigate/api/event.py
index fc78ac0e5..256488984 100644
--- a/frigate/api/event.py
+++ b/frigate/api/event.py
@@ -1622,6 +1622,7 @@ def create_event(
             body.duration,
             "api",
             body.draw,
+            body.pre_capture,
         ),
         EventMetadataTypeEnum.manual_event_create.value,
     )
diff --git a/frigate/track/object_processing.py b/frigate/track/object_processing.py
index 83b72d661..fd4a626c6 100644
--- a/frigate/track/object_processing.py
+++ b/frigate/track/object_processing.py
@@ -515,6 +515,7 @@ class TrackedObjectProcessor(threading.Thread):
             duration,
             source_type,
             draw,
+            pre_capture,
         ) = payload
 
         # save the snapshot image
@@ -522,6 +523,7 @@ class TrackedObjectProcessor(threading.Thread):
             None, event_id, label, draw
         )
         end_time = frame_time + duration if duration is not None else None
+        start_time = frame_time - self.config.cameras[camera_name].record.event_pre_capture if pre_capture is None else frame_time - pre_capture
 
         # send event to event maintainer
         self.event_sender.publish(
@@ -536,7 +538,7 @@ class TrackedObjectProcessor(threading.Thread):
                     "sub_label": sub_label,
                     "score": score,
                     "camera": camera_name,
-                    "start_time": frame_time,
+                    "start_time": start_time,
                     "end_time": end_time,
                     "has_clip": self.config.cameras[camera_name].record.enabled
                     and include_recording,