From c89e77b3329b5a13c94cd139913b1f615ebb13aa Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Josh Hawkins <32435876+hawkeye217@users.noreply.github.com>
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 2026 06:45:57 -0500
Subject: [PATCH] stage main+sub exports on disk instead of /tmp/cache

A main+sub export stages a full copy of itself before the final file is written. That copy went to /tmp/cache, so a long export outgrew the tmpfs and failed with no space left on device. Staged runs are now written to the exports directory, and startup removes any left behind by a killed export.
---
 frigate/jobs/export.py                    |  6 +++++-
 frigate/record/export.py                  |  2 +-
 frigate/test/http_api/test_http_export.py | 15 +++++++++++++++
 3 files changed, 21 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)

diff --git a/frigate/jobs/export.py b/frigate/jobs/export.py
index e1cf09060e..abc2e5837f 100644
--- a/frigate/jobs/export.py
+++ b/frigate/jobs/export.py
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ from peewee import DoesNotExist
 from frigate.comms.inter_process import InterProcessRequestor
 from frigate.config import FrigateConfig
 from frigate.config.camera.record import ChaptersEnum
-from frigate.const import UPDATE_JOB_STATE
+from frigate.const import EXPORT_DIR, UPDATE_JOB_STATE
 from frigate.jobs.job import Job
 from frigate.models import Export
 from frigate.record.export import (
@@ -415,6 +415,10 @@ def reap_stale_exports() -> None:
     this in a try/except. A failure on a single row will not stop the rest
     of the sweep, and a failure in the top-level query will log and return.
     """
+    # staged stream runs live on disk, so a killed export leaves them behind
+    for staged in Path(EXPORT_DIR).glob("export_stage_*"):
+        staged.unlink(missing_ok=True)
+
     try:
         stale_exports = list(Export.select().where(Export.in_progress == True))  # noqa: E712
     except Exception:
diff --git a/frigate/record/export.py b/frigate/record/export.py
index 7455d56b05..4446dbf5f3 100644
--- a/frigate/record/export.py
+++ b/frigate/record/export.py
@@ -559,7 +559,7 @@ class RecordingExporter(threading.Thread):
         )
 
     def _staged_run_path(self, index: int) -> str:
-        return os.path.join(CACHE_DIR, f"export_stage_{self.export_id}_{index}.mp4")
+        return os.path.join(EXPORT_DIR, f"export_stage_{self.export_id}_{index}.mp4")
 
     def _probe_stream_resolution(self, run: StreamRun) -> tuple[int, int] | None:
         """Probe one recording from a run for its resolution.
diff --git a/frigate/test/http_api/test_http_export.py b/frigate/test/http_api/test_http_export.py
index 51f10c7abb..58c48f4056 100644
--- a/frigate/test/http_api/test_http_export.py
+++ b/frigate/test/http_api/test_http_export.py
@@ -453,6 +453,21 @@ class TestHttpExport(BaseTestHttp):
             assert unchanged.name == "front door export"
             assert unchanged.video_path == video
 
+    def test_reap_stale_exports_removes_staged_runs(self):
+        with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
+            staged = os.path.join(tmpdir, "export_stage_front_door_abc_0.mp4")
+            finished = os.path.join(tmpdir, "front_door_export.mp4")
+
+            for path in (staged, finished):
+                with open(path, "w") as handle:
+                    handle.write("video")
+
+            with patch("frigate.jobs.export.EXPORT_DIR", tmpdir):
+                reap_stale_exports()
+
+            assert not os.path.exists(staged)
+            assert os.path.exists(finished)
+
     def test_reap_stale_exports_deletes_rows_with_no_file(self):
         with tempfile.TemporaryDirectory() as tmpdir:
             stale_video = os.path.join(tmpdir, "stale.mp4")