diff --git a/.env.example b/.env.example
index 3ed0ff6..898e99a 100644
--- a/.env.example
+++ b/.env.example
@@ -15,6 +15,11 @@ PUB_VERTD_URL=https://vertd.vert.sh
 # Note: the ffmpeg worker is still downloaded via a CDN (cdn.jsdelivr.net)
 PUB_DISABLE_ALL_EXTERNAL_REQUESTS=false
 
+# Set to true to disable blocking video conversions of an uploaded file when repeated failures
+# occur within an hour. Useful for local deployments where secure context (HTTPS) may not be
+# available - required for calculating file hashes of videos to block temporarily.
+PUB_DISABLE_FAILURE_BLOCKS=false
+
 # Stripe donation settings
 # Please keep these values the same, they support VERT's development!
 PUB_DONATION_URL=https://donations.vert.sh
diff --git a/src/lib/converters/vertd.svelte.ts b/src/lib/converters/vertd.svelte.ts
index a21d2e5..0c41efe 100644
--- a/src/lib/converters/vertd.svelte.ts
+++ b/src/lib/converters/vertd.svelte.ts
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@ import { Settings } from "$lib/sections/settings/index.svelte";
 import { VertdInstance } from "$lib/sections/settings/vertdSettings.svelte";
 import { VertFile } from "$lib/types";
 import { Converter, FormatInfo } from "./converter.svelte";
+import { PUB_DISABLE_FAILURE_BLOCKS } from "$env/static/public";
 
 interface UploadResponse {
 	id: string;
@@ -321,15 +322,18 @@ export class VertdConverter extends Converter {
 	public async convert(input: VertFile, to: string): Promise<VertFile> {
 		if (to.startsWith(".")) to = to.slice(1);
 
-		const hash = await input.hash();
+		let hash: string;
+		if (PUB_DISABLE_FAILURE_BLOCKS === "false") {
+			hash = await input.hash();
 
-		if (this.blocked(hash)) {
-			this.log(`conversion blocked for file ${input.name}`);
-			throw new Error(
-				m["convert.errors.vertd_ratelimit"]({
-					filename: input.name,
-				}),
-			);
+			if (this.blocked(hash)) {
+				this.log(`conversion blocked for file ${input.name}`);
+				throw new Error(
+					m["convert.errors.vertd_ratelimit"]({
+						filename: input.name,
+					}),
+				);
+			}
 		}
 
 		const uploadRes = await uploadFile(input);
@@ -403,7 +407,7 @@ export class VertdConverter extends Converter {
 					case "error": {
 						this.log(`error: ${msg.data.message}`);
 						this.activeConversions.delete(input.id);
-						this.failure(hash);
+						if (hash) this.failure(hash);
 
 						reject({
 							component: VertdErrorComponent,
diff --git a/src/routes/+layout.svelte b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
index fc10d66..5b6e669 100644
--- a/src/routes/+layout.svelte
+++ b/src/routes/+layout.svelte
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
 	import { VertdInstance } from "$lib/sections/settings/vertdSettings.svelte.js";
 	import { ToastManager } from "$lib/util/toast.svelte.js";
 	import { m } from "$lib/paraglide/messages.js";
+	import { log } from "$lib/util/logger.js";
 
 	let { children, data } = $props();
 	let enablePlausible = $state(false);
@@ -96,6 +97,7 @@
 
 		// detect if insecure context
 		if (!window.isSecureContext) {
+			log(["layout"], "Insecure context (HTTP) detected, some features may not work as expected -- you may want to enable \"PUB_DISABLE_FAILURE_BLOCKS\" on local deployments.");
 			ToastManager.add({
 				type: "warning",
 				message: m["toast.insecure_context"](),