diff --git a/MediaBrowser.Model/Configuration/EncodingOptions.cs b/MediaBrowser.Model/Configuration/EncodingOptions.cs
index 951d523f3e..bcab10bcb6 100644
--- a/MediaBrowser.Model/Configuration/EncodingOptions.cs
+++ b/MediaBrowser.Model/Configuration/EncodingOptions.cs
@@ -1,7 +1,10 @@
 #pragma warning disable CA1819 // XML serialization handles collections improperly, so we need to use arrays
 
 #nullable disable
+using System;
 using System.ComponentModel;
+using System.Text.Json.Serialization;
+using System.Xml.Serialization;
 using MediaBrowser.Model.Entities;
 
 namespace MediaBrowser.Model.Configuration;
@@ -234,8 +237,27 @@ public class EncodingOptions
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets or sets the encoder preset.
     /// </summary>
+    [XmlIgnore]
     public EncoderPreset EncoderPreset { get; set; }
 
+    /// <summary>
+    /// Gets or sets the encoder preset as it is stored in the configuration file. Files written before the preset
+    /// list was validated can carry an empty element, which has to read back as the default rather than throw and
+    /// take the rest of the configuration down with it.
+    /// </summary>
+    [JsonIgnore]
+    [XmlElement(nameof(EncoderPreset))]
+    public string EncoderPresetXml
+    {
+        get => EncoderPreset.ToString();
+
+        // TryParse also accepts a number, which would yield a preset value nothing maps to, so the result has to be
+        // a declared one.
+        set => EncoderPreset = Enum.TryParse<EncoderPreset>(value, true, out var encoderPreset) && Enum.IsDefined(encoderPreset)
+            ? encoderPreset
+            : EncoderPreset.auto;
+    }
+
     /// <summary>
     /// Gets or sets a value indicating whether the framerate is doubled when deinterlacing.
     /// </summary>
diff --git a/tests/Jellyfin.Model.Tests/Configuration/EncodingOptionsTests.cs b/tests/Jellyfin.Model.Tests/Configuration/EncodingOptionsTests.cs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..afd7a18be3
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/Jellyfin.Model.Tests/Configuration/EncodingOptionsTests.cs
@@ -0,0 +1,52 @@
+using System.IO;
+using System.Xml.Serialization;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.Configuration;
+using MediaBrowser.Model.Entities;
+using Xunit;
+
+namespace Jellyfin.Model.Tests.Configuration;
+
+public class EncodingOptionsTests
+{
+    [Theory]
+    [InlineData("<EncoderPreset></EncoderPreset>")]
+    [InlineData("<EncoderPreset />")]
+    [InlineData("<EncoderPreset>  </EncoderPreset>")]
+    [InlineData("<EncoderPreset>notapreset</EncoderPreset>")]
+    [InlineData("<EncoderPreset>42</EncoderPreset>")]
+    [InlineData("<EncoderPreset>-1</EncoderPreset>")]
+    public void Deserialize_UnreadableEncoderPreset_FallsBackToDefault(string encoderPresetElement)
+    {
+        var options = Deserialize($"<EncodingOptions>{encoderPresetElement}<H264Crf>21</H264Crf></EncodingOptions>");
+
+        Assert.Equal(EncoderPreset.auto, options.EncoderPreset);
+
+        // The rest of the file has to survive: a throwing preset used to discard every other encoding setting.
+        Assert.Equal(21, options.H264Crf);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Deserialize_KnownEncoderPreset_IsKept()
+    {
+        var options = Deserialize("<EncodingOptions><EncoderPreset>veryfast</EncoderPreset></EncodingOptions>");
+
+        Assert.Equal(EncoderPreset.veryfast, options.EncoderPreset);
+    }
+
+    [Fact]
+    public void Serialize_WritesTheEncoderPresetElement()
+    {
+        var serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(EncodingOptions));
+        using var writer = new StringWriter();
+        serializer.Serialize(writer, new EncodingOptions { EncoderPreset = EncoderPreset.slow });
+
+        Assert.Contains("<EncoderPreset>slow</EncoderPreset>", writer.ToString(), System.StringComparison.Ordinal);
+    }
+
+    private static EncodingOptions Deserialize(string xml)
+    {
+        var serializer = new XmlSerializer(typeof(EncodingOptions));
+        using var reader = new StringReader(xml);
+        return (EncodingOptions)serializer.Deserialize(reader)!;
+    }
+}