diff --git a/config/config.example.yml b/config/config.example.yml
index 5f24538bf..2dfe62f15 100644
--- a/config/config.example.yml
+++ b/config/config.example.yml
@@ -126,7 +126,9 @@ cameras:
     # width: 720
 
     ################
-    ## Optional mask. Must be the same aspect ratio as your video feed.
+    ## Optional mask. Must be the same aspect ratio as your video feed. Value is either the
+    ## name of a file in the config directory or a base64 encoded bmp image prefixed with
+    ## 'base64,' eg. 'base64,asfasdfasdf....'.
     ## 
     ## The mask works by looking at the bottom center of the bounding box for the detected
     ## person in the image. If that pixel in the mask is a black pixel, it ignores it as a
diff --git a/frigate/video.py b/frigate/video.py
index a9e0e0e47..e4ec73510 100755
--- a/frigate/video.py
+++ b/frigate/video.py
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ import numpy as np
 import copy
 import itertools
 import json
+import base64
 from collections import defaultdict
 from frigate.util import draw_box_with_label, area, calculate_region, clipped, intersection_over_union, intersection, EventsPerSecond, listen, PlasmaManager
 from frigate.objects import ObjectTracker
@@ -189,7 +190,12 @@ def track_camera(name, config, global_objects_config, frame_queue, frame_shape,
 
     # load in the mask for object detection
     if 'mask' in config:
-        mask = cv2.imread("/config/{}".format(config['mask']), cv2.IMREAD_GRAYSCALE)
+        if config['mask'].startswith('base64,'):
+            img = base64.b64decode(config['mask'][7:]) 
+            npimg = np.fromstring(img, dtype=np.uint8)
+            mask = cv2.imdecode(npimg, cv2.IMREAD_GRAYSCALE)
+        else:
+            mask = cv2.imread("/config/{}".format(config['mask']), cv2.IMREAD_GRAYSCALE)
     else:
         mask = None