diff --git a/frigate/ptz/onvif.py b/frigate/ptz/onvif.py
index 8aae216f1a..a7a2cd68b5 100644
--- a/frigate/ptz/onvif.py
+++ b/frigate/ptz/onvif.py
@@ -67,21 +67,55 @@ def _init_onvif(self, camera_name: str) -> bool:
 
         # create init services
         media = onvif.create_media_service()
+        logger.debug(f"Onvif media xaddr for {camera_name}: {media.xaddr}")
 
         try:
             # this will fire an exception if camera is not a ptz
             capabilities = onvif.get_definition("ptz")
             logger.debug(f"Onvif capabilities for {camera_name}: {capabilities}")
-            profile = media.GetProfiles()[0]
         except (ONVIFError, Fault, TransportError) as e:
-            logger.error(f"Unable to connect to camera: {camera_name}: {e}")
+            logger.error(
+                f"Unable to get Onvif capabilities for camera: {camera_name}: {e}"
+            )
             return False
 
-        ptz = onvif.create_ptz_service()
+        try:
+            profiles = media.GetProfiles()
+        except (ONVIFError, Fault, TransportError) as e:
+            logger.error(
+                f"Unable to get Onvif media profiles for camera: {camera_name}: {e}"
+            )
+            return False
+
+        profile = None
+        for key, onvif_profile in enumerate(profiles):
+            if (
+                onvif_profile.VideoEncoderConfiguration
+                and onvif_profile.VideoEncoderConfiguration.Encoding == "H264"
+            ):
+                profile = onvif_profile
+                logger.debug(f"Selected Onvif profile for {camera_name}: {profile}")
+                break
+
+        if profile is None:
+            logger.error(
+                f"No appropriate Onvif profiles found for camera: {camera_name}."
+            )
+            return False
+
+        # get the PTZ config for the profile
+        try:
+            configs = profile.PTZConfiguration
+            logger.debug(
+                f"Onvif ptz config for media profile in {camera_name}: {configs}"
+            )
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.error(
+                f"Invalid Onvif PTZ configuration for camera: {camera_name}: {e}"
+            )
+            return False
 
-        # get the PTZ config for the first onvif profile
-        configs = profile.PTZConfiguration
-        logger.debug(f"Onvif ptz config for media profile in {camera_name}: {configs}")
+        ptz = onvif.create_ptz_service()
 
         request = ptz.create_type("GetConfigurationOptions")
         request.ConfigurationToken = profile.PTZConfiguration.token