diff --git a/Pipfile.lock b/Pipfile.lock
index 18034ce3..d4b2dc6d 100644
--- a/Pipfile.lock
+++ b/Pipfile.lock
@@ -253,11 +253,11 @@
         },
         "certifi": {
             "hashes": [
-                "sha256:3cd43f1c6fa7dedc5899d69d3ad0398fd018ad1a17fba83ddaf78aa46c747516",
-                "sha256:ddc6c8ce995e6987e7faf5e3f1b02b302836a0e5d98ece18392cb1a36c72ad56"
+                "sha256:5a1e7645bc0ec61a09e26c36f6106dd4cf40c6db3a1fb6352b0244e7fb057c7b",
+                "sha256:c198e21b1289c2ab85ee4e67bb4b4ef3ead0892059901a8d5b622f24a1101e90"
             ],
             "markers": "python_version >= '3.6'",
-            "version": "==2024.6.2"
+            "version": "==2024.7.4"
         },
         "charset-normalizer": {
             "hashes": [
diff --git a/app/DownloadQueue.py b/app/DownloadQueue.py
index 91632f07..c2a30443 100644
--- a/app/DownloadQueue.py
+++ b/app/DownloadQueue.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 import asyncio
 from email.utils import formatdate
+import json
 import logging
 import os
 import time
@@ -211,6 +212,12 @@ class DownloadQueue:
         ytdlp_config = ytdlp_config if ytdlp_config else {}
 
         LOG.info(f'Adding {url=} {quality=} {format=} {folder=} {output_template=} {ytdlp_cookies=} {ytdlp_config=}')
+        if isinstance(ytdlp_config, str):
+            try:
+                ytdlp_config = json.loads(ytdlp_config)
+            except Exception as e:
+                LOG.error(f"Unable to load '{ytdlp_config=}'. {str(e)}")
+                return {'status': 'error', 'msg': f"Failed to parse json yt-dlp config. {str(e)}"}
 
         already = set() if already is None else already