diff --git a/docs/docs/configuration/autotracking.md b/docs/docs/configuration/autotracking.md
index 3c44549a5..189899352 100644
--- a/docs/docs/configuration/autotracking.md
+++ b/docs/docs/configuration/autotracking.md
@@ -152,3 +152,7 @@ There are two possible reasons for this: a slow PTZ motor or buggy Hikvision fir
 ### I tried calibrating my camera, but it is stuck at 0%.
 
 This is often caused by the same reason as above - the `MoveStatus` ONVIF parameter is not changing due to a bug in Hikvision firmware.
+
+### I'm seeing this error in the logs: "Autotracker: motion estimator couldn't get transformations". What does this mean?
+
+To maintain object tracking during PTZ moves, Frigate tracks the motion of your camera based on the details of the frame. If you are seeing this message, it could mean that your `zoom_factor` may be set too high or the scene around your detected object does not have enough details (like hard edges or color variatons). Try reducing `zoom_factor` or finding a way to alter the scene around your object.
diff --git a/frigate/ptz/autotrack.py b/frigate/ptz/autotrack.py
index 2f123e3a1..e4b4dc481 100644
--- a/frigate/ptz/autotrack.py
+++ b/frigate/ptz/autotrack.py
@@ -178,6 +178,7 @@ class PtzAutoTracker:
         self.intercept: dict[str, object] = {}
         self.move_coefficients: dict[str, object] = {}
         self.zoom_factor: dict[str, object] = {}
+        self.previous_target_box: dict[str, object] = {}
 
         # if cam is set to autotrack, onvif should be set up
         for camera, camera_config in self.config.cameras.items():
@@ -202,6 +203,7 @@ class PtzAutoTracker:
         self.move_metrics[camera] = []
         self.intercept[camera] = None
         self.move_coefficients[camera] = []
+        self.previous_target_box[camera] = 0.5
 
         self.move_queues[camera] = queue.Queue()
         self.move_queue_locks[camera] = threading.Lock()
@@ -623,6 +625,12 @@ class PtzAutoTracker:
             or distance == -1
         )
 
+        target_box = obj.obj_data["area"] / (camera_width * camera_height)
+
+        # introduce some hysteresis to prevent a yo-yo zooming effect
+        zoom_in_hysteresis = target_box > (self.previous_target_box[camera] * 1.2)
+        zoom_out_hysteresis = target_box < (self.previous_target_box[camera] * 0.9)
+
         at_max_zoom = self.ptz_metrics[camera]["ptz_zoom_level"].value == 1
         at_min_zoom = self.ptz_metrics[camera]["ptz_zoom_level"].value == 0
 
@@ -649,11 +657,13 @@ class PtzAutoTracker:
             logger.debug(
                 f"{camera}: Zoom test: below velocity threshold: {below_velocity_threshold} velocity x: {abs(average_velocity[0])}, x threshold: {velocity_threshold_x}, velocity y: {abs(average_velocity[1])}, y threshold: {velocity_threshold_y}"
             )
+            logger.debug(f"{camera}: Zoom test: at max zoom: {at_max_zoom}")
+            logger.debug(f"{camera}: Zoom test: at min zoom: {at_min_zoom}")
             logger.debug(
-                f"{camera}: Zoom test: at max zoom: {(at_max_zoom)}"
+                f"{camera}: Zoom test: zoom in hysteresis limit: {zoom_in_hysteresis} previous: {self.previous_target_box[camera]} target: {target_box}"
             )
             logger.debug(
-                f"{camera}: Zoom test: at min zoom: {(at_min_zoom)}"
+                f"{camera}: Zoom test: zoom out hysteresis limit: {zoom_out_hysteresis} previous: {self.previous_target_box[camera]} target: {target_box}"
             )
 
         # Zoom in conditions
@@ -662,16 +672,20 @@ class PtzAutoTracker:
             and (below_distance_threshold or below_dimension_threshold)
             and below_velocity_threshold
             and not at_max_zoom
+            and zoom_in_hysteresis
         ):
+            self.previous_target_box[camera] = target_box
             return True
 
         # Zoom out conditions
         if (
-            (not away_from_edge and below_distance_threshold)
+            zoom_out_hysteresis
+            and (not away_from_edge and below_distance_threshold)
             or not below_velocity_threshold
             or (not below_dimension_threshold and not below_distance_threshold)
             and not at_min_zoom
         ):
+            self.previous_target_box[camera] = target_box
             return False
 
         # Don't zoom at all
@@ -742,12 +756,14 @@ class PtzAutoTracker:
         zoom = 0
         result = None
         current_zoom_level = self.ptz_metrics[camera]["ptz_zoom_level"].value
+        target_box = obj.obj_data["area"] / (camera_width * camera_height)
 
         # absolute zooming separately from pan/tilt
         if camera_config.onvif.autotracking.zooming == ZoomingModeEnum.absolute:
             # don't zoom on initial move
             if self.tracked_object_previous[camera] is None:
                 zoom = current_zoom_level
+                self.previous_target_box[camera] = target_box
             else:
                 if (
                     result := self._should_zoom_in(camera, obj, obj.obj_data["box"])
@@ -762,11 +778,8 @@ class PtzAutoTracker:
             # don't zoom on initial move
             if self.tracked_object_previous[camera] is None:
                 zoom = 0
+                self.previous_target_box[camera] = target_box
             else:
-                target_zoom_level = obj.obj_data["area"] / (
-                    camera_width * camera_height
-                )
-
                 if (
                     result := self._should_zoom_in(
                         camera,
@@ -777,7 +790,7 @@ class PtzAutoTracker:
                     )
                 ) is not None:
                     # zoom in value
-                    zoom = target_zoom_level ** self.zoom_factor[camera]
+                    zoom = target_box ** self.zoom_factor[camera]
 
                     if not result:
                         # zoom out
@@ -920,9 +933,10 @@ class PtzAutoTracker:
             )
             and autotracker_config.return_preset
         ):
-            # clear tracked object
+            # clear tracked object and reset zoom level
             self.tracked_object[camera] = None
             self.tracked_object_previous[camera] = None
+            self.previous_target_box[camera] = 0.5
 
             # empty move queue
             while not self.move_queues[camera].empty():