diff --git a/frigate/api/app.py b/frigate/api/app.py
index 5f01cba0d..2acf696d0 100644
--- a/frigate/api/app.py
+++ b/frigate/api/app.py
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ from markupsafe import escape
 from peewee import operator
 from playhouse.sqliteq import SqliteQueueDatabase
 
-from frigate.api.auth import AuthBp
+from frigate.api.auth import AuthBp, get_jwt_secret
 from frigate.api.event import EventBp
 from frigate.api.export import ExportBp
 from frigate.api.media import MediaBp
@@ -85,6 +85,7 @@ def create_app(
     app.plus_api = plus_api
     app.camera_error_image = None
     app.stats_emitter = stats_emitter
+    app.jwt_token = get_jwt_secret() if frigate_config.auth.enabled else None
 
     app.register_blueprint(bp)
 
diff --git a/frigate/api/auth.py b/frigate/api/auth.py
index f8643fa69..3115a85f5 100644
--- a/frigate/api/auth.py
+++ b/frigate/api/auth.py
@@ -2,21 +2,78 @@
 
 import base64
 import hashlib
+import json
 import logging
+import os
 import secrets
 import time
 from datetime import datetime
+from pathlib import Path
 
 from flask import Blueprint, current_app, make_response, request
 from joserfc import jwt
 
+from frigate.const import CONFIG_DIR, JWT_SECRET_ENV_VAR, PASSWORD_HASH_ALGORITHM
+
 logger = logging.getLogger(__name__)
 
 AuthBp = Blueprint("auth", __name__)
 
 
-ALGORITHM = "pbkdf2_sha256"
-JWT_SECRET = "secret"
+def get_jwt_secret() -> str:
+    jwt_secret = None
+    # check env var
+    if JWT_SECRET_ENV_VAR in os.environ:
+        logger.debug(
+            f"Using jwt secret from {JWT_SECRET_ENV_VAR} environment variable."
+        )
+        jwt_secret = os.environ.get(JWT_SECRET_ENV_VAR)
+    # check docker secrets
+    elif (
+        os.path.isdir("/run/secrets")
+        and os.access("/run/secrets", os.R_OK)
+        and JWT_SECRET_ENV_VAR in os.listdir("/run/secrets")
+    ):
+        logger.debug(f"Using jwt secret from {JWT_SECRET_ENV_VAR} docker secret file.")
+        jwt_secret = Path(os.path.join("/run/secrets", JWT_SECRET_ENV_VAR)).read_text()
+    # check for the addon options file
+    elif os.path.isfile("/data/options.json"):
+        with open("/data/options.json") as f:
+            raw_options = f.read()
+        logger.debug("Using jwt secret from Home Assistant addon options file.")
+        options = json.loads(raw_options)
+        jwt_secret = options.get("jwt_secret")
+
+    if jwt_secret is None:
+        jwt_secret_file = os.path.join(CONFIG_DIR, ".jwt_secret")
+        # check .jwt_secrets file
+        if not os.path.isfile(jwt_secret_file):
+            logger.debug(
+                "No jwt secret found. Generating one and storing in .jwt_secret file in config directory."
+            )
+            jwt_secret = secrets.token_hex(64)
+            try:
+                with open(jwt_secret_file, "w") as f:
+                    f.write(str(jwt_secret))
+            except Exception:
+                logger.warn(
+                    "Unable to write jwt token file to config directory. A new jwt token will be created at each startup."
+                )
+        else:
+            logger.debug("Using jwt secret from .jwt_secret file in config directory.")
+            with open(jwt_secret_file) as f:
+                try:
+                    jwt_secret = f.readline()
+                except Exception:
+                    logger.warn(
+                        "Unable to read jwt token from .jwt_secret file in config directory. A new jwt token will be created at each startup."
+                    )
+                    jwt_secret = secrets.token_hex(64)
+
+    if len(jwt_secret) < 64:
+        logger.warn("JWT Secret is recommended to be 64 characters or more")
+
+    return jwt_secret
 
 
 def hash_password(password, salt=None, iterations=260000):
@@ -28,7 +85,7 @@ def hash_password(password, salt=None, iterations=260000):
         "sha256", password.encode("utf-8"), salt.encode("utf-8"), iterations
     )
     b64_hash = base64.b64encode(pw_hash).decode("ascii").strip()
-    return "{}${}${}${}".format(ALGORITHM, iterations, salt, b64_hash)
+    return "{}${}${}${}".format(PASSWORD_HASH_ALGORITHM, iterations, salt, b64_hash)
 
 
 def verify_password(password, password_hash):
@@ -36,7 +93,7 @@ def verify_password(password, password_hash):
         return False
     algorithm, iterations, salt, b64_hash = password_hash.split("$", 3)
     iterations = int(iterations)
-    assert algorithm == ALGORITHM
+    assert algorithm == PASSWORD_HASH_ALGORITHM
     compare_hash = hash_password(password, salt, iterations)
     return secrets.compare_digest(password_hash, compare_hash)
 
@@ -50,13 +107,11 @@ def set_jwt_cookie(response, cookie_name, encoded_jwt, expiration):
     response.set_cookie(cookie_name, encoded_jwt, httponly=True, expires=expiration)
 
 
-# TODO:
-# - on startup, generate a signing secret for jwt if it doesn't exist and save as ".auth-token" in the config folder
-# -
-
-
 @AuthBp.route("/auth")
 def auth():
+    if not current_app.frigate_config.auth.enabled:
+        return make_response({}, 202)
+
     JWT_COOKIE_NAME = current_app.frigate_config.auth.cookie_name
     JWT_REFRESH = current_app.frigate_config.auth.refresh_time
     JWT_SESSION_LENGTH = current_app.frigate_config.auth.session_length
@@ -81,7 +136,7 @@ def auth():
     try:
         response = make_response({}, 202)
 
-        token = jwt.decode(encoded_token, JWT_SECRET)
+        token = jwt.decode(encoded_token, current_app.jwt_token)
         if "sub" not in token.claims:
             logger.debug("user not set in jwt token")
             return make_response({}, 401)
@@ -111,7 +166,9 @@ def auth():
         elif jwt_source == "cookie" and expiration - JWT_REFRESH <= current_time:
             logger.debug("jwt token expiring soon, refreshing cookie")
             new_expiration = current_time + JWT_SESSION_LENGTH
-            new_encoded_jwt = create_encoded_jwt(user, new_expiration, JWT_SECRET)
+            new_encoded_jwt = create_encoded_jwt(
+                user, new_expiration, current_app.jwt_token
+            )
             set_jwt_cookie(response, JWT_COOKIE_NAME, new_encoded_jwt, new_expiration)
 
         response.headers["remote-user"] = user
@@ -120,8 +177,6 @@ def auth():
         logger.error(f"Error parsing jwt: {e}")
         return make_response({}, 401)
 
-    # grab the jwt token from the authorization header or a cookie
-
 
 @AuthBp.route("/login", methods=["POST"])
 def login():
@@ -143,7 +198,7 @@ def login():
         make_response({"message": "Login failed"}, 400)
     if verify_password(password, password_hash):
         expiration = int(time.time()) + JWT_SESSION_LENGTH
-        encoded_jwt = create_encoded_jwt(user, expiration, JWT_SECRET)
+        encoded_jwt = create_encoded_jwt(user, expiration, current_app.jwt_token)
         response = make_response({}, 200)
         set_jwt_cookie(response, JWT_COOKIE_NAME, encoded_jwt, expiration)
         return response
diff --git a/frigate/const.py b/frigate/const.py
index 030d507ed..0ba8d6f64 100644
--- a/frigate/const.py
+++ b/frigate/const.py
@@ -91,3 +91,8 @@ AUTOTRACKING_MAX_MOVE_METRICS = 500
 AUTOTRACKING_ZOOM_OUT_HYSTERESIS = 1.1
 AUTOTRACKING_ZOOM_IN_HYSTERESIS = 0.95
 AUTOTRACKING_ZOOM_EDGE_THRESHOLD = 0.05
+
+# Auth
+
+JWT_SECRET_ENV_VAR = "FRIGATE_JWT_SECRET"
+PASSWORD_HASH_ALGORITHM = "pbkdf2_sha256"