diff --git a/docs/docs/configuration/index.md b/docs/docs/configuration/index.md
index ac65a1018..496247f37 100644
--- a/docs/docs/configuration/index.md
+++ b/docs/docs/configuration/index.md
@@ -189,6 +189,11 @@ ffmpeg:
     record: preset-record-generic
     # Optional: output args for rtmp streams (default: shown below)
     rtmp: preset-rtmp-generic
+  # Optional: Time in seconds to wait before ffmpeg retries connecting to the camera. (default: shown below)
+  # If set too low, frigate will retry a connection to the camera's stream too frequently, using up the limited streams some cameras can allow at once
+  # If set too high, then if a ffmpeg crash or camera stream timeout occurs, you could potentially lose up to a maximum of retry_interval second(s) of footage
+  # NOTE: this can be a useful setting for Wireless / Battery cameras to reduce how much footage is potentially lost during a connection timeout.
+  retry_interval: 10
 
 # Optional: Detect configuration
 # NOTE: Can be overridden at the camera level
diff --git a/frigate/config.py b/frigate/config.py
index b71ba1907..4bc7e1a01 100644
--- a/frigate/config.py
+++ b/frigate/config.py
@@ -463,6 +463,10 @@ class FfmpegConfig(FrigateBaseModel):
         default_factory=FfmpegOutputArgsConfig,
         title="FFmpeg output arguments per role.",
     )
+    retry_interval: float = Field(
+        default=10.0,
+        title="Time in seconds to wait before FFmpeg retries connecting to the camera.",
+    )
 
 
 class CameraRoleEnum(str, Enum):
diff --git a/frigate/video.py b/frigate/video.py
index 4f315885c..8980fcde0 100755
--- a/frigate/video.py
+++ b/frigate/video.py
@@ -234,6 +234,7 @@ class CameraWatchdog(threading.Thread):
         self.frame_shape = self.config.frame_shape_yuv
         self.frame_size = self.frame_shape[0] * self.frame_shape[1]
         self.stop_event = stop_event
+        self.sleeptime = self.config.ffmpeg.retry_interval
 
     def run(self):
         self.start_ffmpeg_detect()
@@ -253,8 +254,8 @@ class CameraWatchdog(threading.Thread):
                 }
             )
 
-        time.sleep(10)
-        while not self.stop_event.wait(10):
+        time.sleep(self.sleeptime)
+        while not self.stop_event.wait(self.sleeptime):
             now = datetime.datetime.now().timestamp()
 
             if not self.capture_thread.is_alive():