From acefab19b270d4ccdbc43c3c40acb50ac57a4b2a Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Nicolas Mowen <nickmowen213@gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 24 May 2025 09:57:58 -0600
Subject: [PATCH] Start Frigate in safe mode when config does not validate

---
 frigate/__main__.py      |  9 ++++++++-
 frigate/config/config.py | 15 ++++++++++++++-
 2 files changed, 22 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/frigate/__main__.py b/frigate/__main__.py
index 4143f7ae6..a16b25111 100644
--- a/frigate/__main__.py
+++ b/frigate/__main__.py
@@ -93,7 +93,14 @@ def main() -> None:
         print("*************************************************************")
         print("***    End Config Validation Errors                       ***")
         print("*************************************************************")
-        sys.exit(1)
+
+        # attempt to start Frigate in recovery mode
+        try:
+            config = FrigateConfig.load(install=True, safe_load=True)
+            print("Starting Frigate in safe mode.")
+        except ValidationError:
+            print("Unable to load minimal Frigate config.")
+            sys.exit(1)
     if args.validate_config:
         print("*************************************************************")
         print("*** Your config file is valid.                            ***")
diff --git a/frigate/config/config.py b/frigate/config/config.py
index 6ec048acd..58427f5d5 100644
--- a/frigate/config/config.py
+++ b/frigate/config/config.py
@@ -334,6 +334,9 @@ def verify_lpr_and_face(
 
 class FrigateConfig(FrigateBaseModel):
     version: Optional[str] = Field(default=None, title="Current config version.")
+    safe_mode: bool = Field(
+        default=False, title="If Frigate should be started in safe mode."
+    )
 
     # Fields that install global state should be defined first, so that their validators run first.
     environment_vars: EnvVars = Field(
@@ -716,6 +719,7 @@ class FrigateConfig(FrigateBaseModel):
 
     @classmethod
     def load(cls, **kwargs):
+        """Loads the Frigate config file, runs migrations, and creates the config object."""
         config_path = find_config_file()
 
         # No configuration file found, create one.
@@ -743,7 +747,7 @@ class FrigateConfig(FrigateBaseModel):
             return FrigateConfig.parse(f, **kwargs)
 
     @classmethod
-    def parse(cls, config, *, is_json=None, **context):
+    def parse(cls, config, *, is_json=None, safe_load=False, **context):
         # If config is a file, read its contents.
         if hasattr(config, "read"):
             fname = getattr(config, "name", None)
@@ -767,6 +771,15 @@ class FrigateConfig(FrigateBaseModel):
         else:
             config = yaml.load(config)
 
+        # load minimal Frigate config after the full config did not validate
+        if safe_load:
+            safe_config = {"safe_mode": True, "cameras": {}, "mqtt": {"enabled": False}}
+
+            # copy over auth and proxy config in case auth needs to be enforced
+            safe_config["auth"] = config.get("auth", {})
+            safe_config["proxy"] = config.get("proxy", {})
+            return cls.parse_object(safe_config, **context)
+
         # Validate and return the config dict.
         return cls.parse_object(config, **context)