diff --git a/docs/static/frigate-api.yaml b/docs/static/frigate-api.yaml
index 0bfadd8331..6a63bc98bf 100644
--- a/docs/static/frigate-api.yaml
+++ b/docs/static/frigate-api.yaml
@@ -7197,13 +7197,17 @@ paths:
           in: query
           required: false
           schema:
-            type: number
+            anyOf:
+              - type: number
+              - type: 'null'
             title: After
         - name: before
           in: query
           required: false
           schema:
-            type: number
+            anyOf:
+              - type: number
+              - type: 'null'
             title: Before
       responses:
         '200':
diff --git a/frigate/api/record.py b/frigate/api/record.py
index 9a59e0ccb0..8862e1cd6d 100644
--- a/frigate/api/record.py
+++ b/frigate/api/record.py
@@ -358,10 +358,13 @@ async def recordings_coverage(
 @router.get("/{camera_name}/recordings", dependencies=[Depends(require_camera_access)])
 async def recordings(
     camera_name: str,
-    after: float = (datetime.now() - timedelta(hours=1)).timestamp(),
-    before: float = datetime.now().timestamp(),
+    after: float | None = None,
+    before: float | None = None,
 ):
     """Return specific camera recordings between the given 'after'/'end' times. If not provided the last hour will be used"""
+    now = datetime.now()
+    after = after if after is not None else (now - timedelta(hours=1)).timestamp()
+    before = before if before is not None else now.timestamp()
     recordings = (
         Recordings.select(
             Recordings.id,
diff --git a/frigate/test/http_api/test_http_media.py b/frigate/test/http_api/test_http_media.py
index 0d385978a2..fd5b6b53a0 100644
--- a/frigate/test/http_api/test_http_media.py
+++ b/frigate/test/http_api/test_http_media.py
@@ -1,7 +1,8 @@
 """Unit tests for recordings/media API endpoints."""
 
 from dataclasses import dataclass
-from datetime import UTC, datetime
+from datetime import UTC, datetime, timedelta
+from unittest.mock import patch
 
 import pytz
 from fastapi import Request
@@ -1838,6 +1839,27 @@ class TestHttpMedia(BaseTestHttp):
                         recording["id"] for recording in response.json()
                     ] == expected_ids
 
+    def test_recordings_default_range_follows_the_request_clock(self):
+        """Omitted bounds resolve at request time, not at module import time."""
+        uptime = timedelta(hours=2)
+        recorded_at = (datetime.now() + uptime).timestamp()
+
+        class UptimeDatetime(datetime):
+            """Stands in for a process that booted `uptime` ago."""
+
+            @classmethod
+            def now(cls, tz=None):
+                return datetime.now(tz) + uptime
+
+        with AuthTestClient(self.app) as client:
+            self._insert_recording("after_boot", recorded_at - 20, recorded_at - 10)
+
+            with patch("frigate.api.record.datetime", UptimeDatetime):
+                response = client.get("/front_door/recordings")
+
+            assert response.status_code == 200
+            assert [recording["id"] for recording in response.json()] == ["after_boot"]
+
     def test_vod_handles_all_range_relations(self):
         """VOD clips every interval relation with positive playback duration."""
         with AuthTestClient(self.app) as client:
diff --git a/generate_api_auth_spec.py b/generate_api_auth_spec.py
index 43b4ababae..c1d82ab155 100644
--- a/generate_api_auth_spec.py
+++ b/generate_api_auth_spec.py
@@ -410,11 +410,10 @@ def enrich(spec: dict, access_map: dict) -> tuple[dict, list, list]:
 
 
 # Numeric defaults at or above this magnitude are treated as live Unix
-# timestamps baked into the schema at import time (e.g. the /{camera_name}
-# /recordings after/before params default to datetime.now()). They make the
-# export non-deterministic and document a meaningless frozen epoch, so they are
-# stripped. The proper fix is to default those route params to None and resolve
-# "now" inside the handler.
+# timestamps baked into the schema at import time. They make the export
+# non-deterministic and document a meaningless frozen epoch, so they are
+# stripped. No route defaults this way today, and route params that need "now"
+# resolve it inside the handler. Kept as a guard against the pattern returning.
 VOLATILE_DEFAULT_THRESHOLD = 1_000_000_000