diff --git a/person_detection/base_camera.py b/person_detection/base_camera.py
index 88a1e0e..90a2474 100644
--- a/person_detection/base_camera.py
+++ b/person_detection/base_camera.py
@@ -56,10 +56,12 @@
     frame = {} # current frame is stored here by background thread
     last_access = {}  # time of last client access to the camera
     event = {}
+    idle = False  # if True, stops thread if no client connected
 
-    def __init__(self, device=None):
+    def __init__(self, device=None, idle=False):
         """Start the background camera thread if it isn't running yet."""
         self.device = device
+        self.idle = idle
         BaseCamera.event[self.device] = CameraEvent()
         if self.device not in BaseCamera.thread:
             BaseCamera.thread[self.device] = None
@@ -96,10 +98,12 @@
             BaseCamera.event[device].set()  # send signal to clients
             time.sleep(0)
 
-            # if there hasn't been any clients asking for frames in
-            # the last 10 seconds then stop the thread
-            if time.time() - BaseCamera.last_access[device] > 10:
-                frames_iterator.close()
-                print('Stopping camera thread due to inactivity.')
-                break
+            if self.idle:
+                # if there hasn't been any clients asking for frames in
+                # the last 10 seconds then stop the thread
+                if time.time() - BaseCamera.last_access[device] > 10:
+                    frames_iterator.close()
+                    print('Stopping camera thread due to inactivity.')
+                    break
+
         BaseCamera.thread[device] = None