diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/hikvision-alarm.test.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/hikvision-alarm.test.ts
index 342d020..f9f92e1 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/routes/hikvision-alarm.test.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/routes/hikvision-alarm.test.ts
@@ -95,6 +95,21 @@ describe("Hikvision Alarm Server push", () => {
     expect(String(d.rawHead)).toContain("EventNotificationAlert");
   });
 
+  it("accepts the legacy string \"true\" for alarmPushEnabled (setup form quirk)", async () => {
+    // The setup checkbox historically saved a STRING "true" instead of a boolean; the
+    // guard must coerce it, not silently reject a feature the admin enabled.
+    seedHikCamera({ alarmPushEnabled: "true" });
+    const res = await app.inject({
+      method: "POST",
+      url: `/api/devices/hikvision/${CAM_ID}/event`,
+      headers: { "content-type": "application/xml" },
+      payload: VEHICLE_XML,
+      remoteAddress: CAM_IP,
+    });
+    expect(res.statusCode).toBe(200);
+    expect(alarmEvents()).toHaveLength(1);
+  });
+
   it("pulls a plate out of an ANPR-style payload when present", async () => {
     seedHikCamera();
     const anpr = `<EventNotificationAlert><eventType>ANPR</eventType>
diff --git a/apps/server/src/routes/hikvision-alarm.ts b/apps/server/src/routes/hikvision-alarm.ts
index 8b9c407..231d20e 100644
--- a/apps/server/src/routes/hikvision-alarm.ts
+++ b/apps/server/src/routes/hikvision-alarm.ts
@@ -25,11 +25,22 @@ import { verifyDigest } from "../digest-auth.js";
 
 interface HikDeviceConfig {
   host?: string;
-  alarmPushEnabled?: boolean;
+  alarmPushEnabled?: boolean | string | number;
   pushUser?: string;
   pushPassword?: string;
 }
 
+/** Coerce a device-config flag to a boolean. The config is loosely-typed JSON from the
+ *  setup form, which has historically stored a checkbox as the STRING "true" (a form-
+ *  serialization quirk) — so accept true / "true" / 1 / "1" / "yes" / "on", reject the
+ *  rest. Being lenient here means a stray "true" never silently disables a real feature. */
+function isOn(v: unknown): boolean {
+  if (v === true) return true;
+  if (typeof v === "number") return v === 1;
+  if (typeof v === "string") return /^(1|true|yes|on)$/i.test(v.trim());
+  return false;
+}
+
 /** A best-effort summary pulled out of the raw push body (XML or JSON), for the device
  *  event detail + the log line. Absent fields just mean "not found in this firmware's
  *  payload" — the raw body is always stored so nothing is lost. */
@@ -133,9 +144,9 @@ export async function hikvisionAlarmRoutes(app: FastifyInstance, db: Db): Promis
     // On rejection we STILL record it (with the precise reason) so a push that reached us
     // never silently disappears — that's what makes "is it coming?" answerable.
     let reason: string | null = null;
-    if (!row) reason = "unknown device id";
+    if (!row || !cfg) reason = "unknown device id";
     else if (row.driverId !== "hikvision") reason = `device is ${row.driverId}, not hikvision`;
-    else if (!cfg?.alarmPushEnabled) reason = "alarm push not enabled on this device (tick it in Setup)";
+    else if (!isOn(cfg.alarmPushEnabled)) reason = "alarm push not enabled on this device (tick it in Setup)";
     else if (!cfg.host) reason = "device has no host IP configured";
     else if (ip !== cfg.host) reason = `source IP ${ip} != device host ${cfg.host}`;
 
diff --git a/apps/web/src/SetupWizard.tsx b/apps/web/src/SetupWizard.tsx
index a2537ce..6836c4b 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/SetupWizard.tsx
+++ b/apps/web/src/SetupWizard.tsx
@@ -331,11 +331,13 @@ function DeviceForm({
 
   // Pre-fill scalar config fields from the existing assignment when editing.
   // (relays/controllerId/relay are model fields handled by their own state below.)
-  const [config, setConfig] = useState<Record<string, string | number>>(() => {
+  // Booleans are kept as real booleans (a checkbox field) — older saved configs may
+  // have stored a boolean as the string "true"/"false"; normalize those on load.
+  const [config, setConfig] = useState<Record<string, string | number | boolean>>(() => {
     if (!editCfg) return {};
-    const out: Record<string, string | number> = {};
+    const out: Record<string, string | number | boolean> = {};
     for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(editCfg)) {
-      if (typeof v === "string" || typeof v === "number") out[k] = v;
+      if (typeof v === "string" || typeof v === "number" || typeof v === "boolean") out[k] = v;
     }
     return out;
   });
@@ -415,9 +417,16 @@ function DeviceForm({
   }
 
   /** Scalar config the user entered, merged over driver defaults (for test/push-IP). */
-  function mergedScalarConfig(): Record<string, string | number> {
-    const out: Record<string, string | number> = {};
+  function mergedScalarConfig(): Record<string, string | number | boolean> {
+    const out: Record<string, string | number | boolean> = {};
     for (const f of selected?.configFields ?? []) {
+      // Boolean (checkbox) fields persist a REAL boolean — always (so toggling one OFF
+      // on an edit actually writes false), defaulting to the field default or false.
+      if (f.type === "boolean") {
+        const cur = config[f.key];
+        out[f.key] = typeof cur === "boolean" ? cur : Boolean(cur ?? f.default ?? false);
+        continue;
+      }
       const v = config[f.key] ?? (f.default as string | number | undefined);
       if (v !== undefined && v !== "") out[f.key] = v;
     }
@@ -560,7 +569,27 @@ function DeviceForm({
             </div>
           )}
 
-          {selected.configFields.map((f) => (
+          {selected.configFields.map((f) =>
+            f.type === "boolean" ? (
+              // Boolean config field → a real checkbox (stores a true/false boolean, not
+              // the string "true"). The label sits beside the box, with the help below.
+              <label key={f.key} className="my-2 flex max-w-sm items-start gap-2 rounded-term border border-term-border bg-term-bg p-2 text-[12px]">
+                <input
+                  type="checkbox"
+                  className="mt-0.5"
+                  checked={Boolean(config[f.key] ?? f.default ?? false)}
+                  onChange={(e) => {
+                    const v = e.target.checked;
+                    setConfig((c) => ({ ...c, [f.key]: v }));
+                    resetStatus();
+                  }}
+                />
+                <span>
+                  <span className="font-semibold text-term-text">{f.label}</span>
+                  {f.help && <span className="hint mt-0.5 block">{f.help}</span>}
+                </span>
+              </label>
+            ) : (
             <div key={f.key} className="field my-2 max-w-sm">
               <label className="label">
                 {f.label}
@@ -586,7 +615,7 @@ function DeviceForm({
                 <input
                   className="input"
                   type={f.type === "secret" ? "password" : f.type === "number" || f.type === "port" ? "number" : "text"}
-                  value={config[f.key] ?? (f.default as string | number | undefined) ?? ""}
+                  value={(config[f.key] ?? (f.default as string | number | undefined) ?? "") as string | number}
                   placeholder={f.help}
                   onChange={(e) => {
                     const v = e.target.value;
@@ -596,7 +625,8 @@ function DeviceForm({
                 />
               )}
             </div>
-          ))}
+            ),
+          )}
 
           {/* CONTROLLER: the relay map — which relay opens which direction + entry button. */}
           {isController && <RelayEditor relays={relays} onChange={setRelays} />}