diff --git a/server/src/cores/system-config.core.ts b/server/src/cores/system-config.core.ts
index adf89363ea976..e5fda4d376de3 100644
--- a/server/src/cores/system-config.core.ts
+++ b/server/src/cores/system-config.core.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { BadRequestException, ForbiddenException, Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
 import AsyncLock from 'async-lock';
 import { plainToInstance } from 'class-transformer';
 import { validate } from 'class-validator';
@@ -14,23 +14,6 @@ import { ISystemConfigRepository } from 'src/interfaces/system-config.interface'
 
 export type SystemConfigValidator = (config: SystemConfig, newConfig: SystemConfig) => void | Promise<void>;
 
-export enum FeatureFlag {
-  SMART_SEARCH = 'smartSearch',
-  FACIAL_RECOGNITION = 'facialRecognition',
-  MAP = 'map',
-  REVERSE_GEOCODING = 'reverseGeocoding',
-  SIDECAR = 'sidecar',
-  SEARCH = 'search',
-  OAUTH = 'oauth',
-  OAUTH_AUTO_LAUNCH = 'oauthAutoLaunch',
-  PASSWORD_LOGIN = 'passwordLogin',
-  CONFIG_FILE = 'configFile',
-  TRASH = 'trash',
-  EMAIL = 'email',
-}
-
-export type FeatureFlags = Record<FeatureFlag, boolean>;
-
 let instance: SystemConfigCore | null;
 
 @Injectable()
@@ -57,63 +40,6 @@ export class SystemConfigCore {
     instance = null;
   }
 
-  async requireFeature(feature: FeatureFlag) {
-    const hasFeature = await this.hasFeature(feature);
-    if (!hasFeature) {
-      switch (feature) {
-        case FeatureFlag.SMART_SEARCH: {
-          throw new BadRequestException('Smart search is not enabled');
-        }
-        case FeatureFlag.FACIAL_RECOGNITION: {
-          throw new BadRequestException('Facial recognition is not enabled');
-        }
-        case FeatureFlag.SIDECAR: {
-          throw new BadRequestException('Sidecar is not enabled');
-        }
-        case FeatureFlag.SEARCH: {
-          throw new BadRequestException('Search is not enabled');
-        }
-        case FeatureFlag.OAUTH: {
-          throw new BadRequestException('OAuth is not enabled');
-        }
-        case FeatureFlag.PASSWORD_LOGIN: {
-          throw new BadRequestException('Password login is not enabled');
-        }
-        case FeatureFlag.CONFIG_FILE: {
-          throw new BadRequestException('Config file is not set');
-        }
-        default: {
-          throw new ForbiddenException(`Missing required feature: ${feature}`);
-        }
-      }
-    }
-  }
-
-  async hasFeature(feature: FeatureFlag) {
-    const features = await this.getFeatures();
-    return features[feature] ?? false;
-  }
-
-  async getFeatures(): Promise<FeatureFlags> {
-    const config = await this.getConfig();
-    const mlEnabled = config.machineLearning.enabled;
-
-    return {
-      [FeatureFlag.SMART_SEARCH]: mlEnabled && config.machineLearning.clip.enabled,
-      [FeatureFlag.FACIAL_RECOGNITION]: mlEnabled && config.machineLearning.facialRecognition.enabled,
-      [FeatureFlag.MAP]: config.map.enabled,
-      [FeatureFlag.REVERSE_GEOCODING]: config.reverseGeocoding.enabled,
-      [FeatureFlag.SIDECAR]: true,
-      [FeatureFlag.SEARCH]: true,
-      [FeatureFlag.TRASH]: config.trash.enabled,
-      [FeatureFlag.OAUTH]: config.oauth.enabled,
-      [FeatureFlag.OAUTH_AUTO_LAUNCH]: config.oauth.autoLaunch,
-      [FeatureFlag.PASSWORD_LOGIN]: config.passwordLogin.enabled,
-      [FeatureFlag.CONFIG_FILE]: !!process.env.IMMICH_CONFIG_FILE,
-      [FeatureFlag.EMAIL]: config.notifications.smtp.enabled,
-    };
-  }
-
   async getConfig(force = false): Promise<SystemConfig> {
     if (force || !this.config) {
       const lastUpdated = this.lastUpdated;
@@ -129,10 +55,6 @@ export class SystemConfigCore {
   }
 
   async updateConfig(newConfig: SystemConfig): Promise<SystemConfig> {
-    if (await this.hasFeature(FeatureFlag.CONFIG_FILE)) {
-      throw new BadRequestException('Cannot update configuration while IMMICH_CONFIG_FILE is in use');
-    }
-
     const updates: SystemConfigEntity[] = [];
     const deletes: SystemConfigEntity[] = [];
 
@@ -176,10 +98,14 @@ export class SystemConfigCore {
     this.config$.next(newConfig);
   }
 
+  isUsingConfigFile() {
+    return !!process.env.IMMICH_CONFIG_FILE;
+  }
+
   private async buildConfig() {
     const config = _.cloneDeep(defaults);
-    const overrides = process.env.IMMICH_CONFIG_FILE
-      ? await this.loadFromFile(process.env.IMMICH_CONFIG_FILE)
+    const overrides = this.isUsingConfigFile()
+      ? await this.loadFromFile(process.env.IMMICH_CONFIG_FILE as string)
       : await this.repository.load();
 
     for (const { key, value } of overrides) {
@@ -189,7 +115,7 @@ export class SystemConfigCore {
 
     const errors = await validate(plainToInstance(SystemConfigDto, config));
     if (errors.length > 0) {
-      if (process.env.IMMICH_CONFIG_FILE) {
+      if (this.isUsingConfigFile()) {
         throw new Error(`Invalid value(s) in file: ${errors}`);
       } else {
         this.logger.error('Validation error', errors);
diff --git a/server/src/dtos/server-info.dto.ts b/server/src/dtos/server-info.dto.ts
index fae016b718eeb..513329d063a62 100644
--- a/server/src/dtos/server-info.dto.ts
+++ b/server/src/dtos/server-info.dto.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,5 @@
 import { ApiProperty, ApiResponseProperty } from '@nestjs/swagger';
 import type { DateTime } from 'luxon';
-import { FeatureFlags } from 'src/cores/system-config.core';
 import { SystemConfigThemeDto } from 'src/dtos/system-config.dto';
 import { IVersion, VersionType } from 'src/utils/version';
 
@@ -96,7 +95,7 @@ export class ServerConfigDto {
   externalDomain!: string;
 }
 
-export class ServerFeaturesDto implements FeatureFlags {
+export class ServerFeaturesDto {
   smartSearch!: boolean;
   configFile!: boolean;
   facialRecognition!: boolean;
diff --git a/server/src/services/job.service.spec.ts b/server/src/services/job.service.spec.ts
index 4801a6814cbfe..22ccf6766ffa7 100644
--- a/server/src/services/job.service.spec.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/job.service.spec.ts
@@ -1,7 +1,6 @@
 import { BadRequestException } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { SystemConfig } from 'src/config';
-import { FeatureFlag, SystemConfigCore } from 'src/cores/system-config.core';
-import { SystemConfigKey, SystemConfigKeyPaths } from 'src/entities/system-config.entity';
+import { SystemConfigCore } from 'src/cores/system-config.core';
 import { IAssetRepository } from 'src/interfaces/asset.interface';
 import { IEventRepository } from 'src/interfaces/event.interface';
 import {
@@ -368,32 +367,5 @@ describe(JobService.name, () => {
         expect(jobMock.queueAll).not.toHaveBeenCalled();
       });
     }
-
-    const featureTests: Array<{ queue: QueueName; feature: FeatureFlag; configKey: SystemConfigKeyPaths }> = [
-      {
-        queue: QueueName.SMART_SEARCH,
-        feature: FeatureFlag.SMART_SEARCH,
-        configKey: SystemConfigKey.MACHINE_LEARNING_CLIP_ENABLED,
-      },
-      {
-        queue: QueueName.FACE_DETECTION,
-        feature: FeatureFlag.FACIAL_RECOGNITION,
-        configKey: SystemConfigKey.MACHINE_LEARNING_FACIAL_RECOGNITION_ENABLED,
-      },
-      {
-        queue: QueueName.FACIAL_RECOGNITION,
-        feature: FeatureFlag.FACIAL_RECOGNITION,
-        configKey: SystemConfigKey.MACHINE_LEARNING_FACIAL_RECOGNITION_ENABLED,
-      },
-    ];
-
-    for (const { queue, feature, configKey } of featureTests) {
-      it(`should throw an error if attempting to queue ${queue} when ${feature} is disabled`, async () => {
-        configMock.load.mockResolvedValue([{ key: configKey, value: false }]);
-        jobMock.getQueueStatus.mockResolvedValue({ isActive: false, isPaused: false });
-
-        await expect(sut.handleCommand(queue, { command: JobCommand.START, force: false })).rejects.toThrow();
-      });
-    }
   });
 });
diff --git a/server/src/services/job.service.ts b/server/src/services/job.service.ts
index 7a56cd61dd9b1..aa625da1dea40 100644
--- a/server/src/services/job.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/job.service.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import { BadRequestException, Inject, Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
 import { snakeCase } from 'lodash';
-import { FeatureFlag, SystemConfigCore } from 'src/cores/system-config.core';
+import { SystemConfigCore } from 'src/cores/system-config.core';
 import { mapAsset } from 'src/dtos/asset-response.dto';
 import { AllJobStatusResponseDto, JobCommandDto, JobStatusDto } from 'src/dtos/job.dto';
 import { AssetType } from 'src/entities/asset.entity';
@@ -112,7 +112,6 @@ export class JobService {
       }
 
       case QueueName.SMART_SEARCH: {
-        await this.configCore.requireFeature(FeatureFlag.SMART_SEARCH);
         return this.jobRepository.queue({ name: JobName.QUEUE_SMART_SEARCH, data: { force } });
       }
 
@@ -121,7 +120,6 @@ export class JobService {
       }
 
       case QueueName.SIDECAR: {
-        await this.configCore.requireFeature(FeatureFlag.SIDECAR);
         return this.jobRepository.queue({ name: JobName.QUEUE_SIDECAR, data: { force } });
       }
 
@@ -130,12 +128,10 @@ export class JobService {
       }
 
       case QueueName.FACE_DETECTION: {
-        await this.configCore.requireFeature(FeatureFlag.FACIAL_RECOGNITION);
         return this.jobRepository.queue({ name: JobName.QUEUE_FACE_DETECTION, data: { force } });
       }
 
       case QueueName.FACIAL_RECOGNITION: {
-        await this.configCore.requireFeature(FeatureFlag.FACIAL_RECOGNITION);
         return this.jobRepository.queue({ name: JobName.QUEUE_FACIAL_RECOGNITION, data: { force } });
       }
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/metadata.service.ts b/server/src/services/metadata.service.ts
index ae7df3655939e..2d9333d1e46b1 100644
--- a/server/src/services/metadata.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/metadata.service.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ import { constants } from 'node:fs/promises';
 import path from 'node:path';
 import { Subscription } from 'rxjs';
 import { StorageCore } from 'src/cores/storage.core';
-import { FeatureFlag, SystemConfigCore } from 'src/cores/system-config.core';
+import { SystemConfigCore } from 'src/cores/system-config.core';
 import { AssetEntity, AssetType } from 'src/entities/asset.entity';
 import { ExifEntity } from 'src/entities/exif.entity';
 import { IAlbumRepository } from 'src/interfaces/album.interface';
@@ -331,7 +331,8 @@ export class MetadataService {
 
   private async applyReverseGeocoding(asset: AssetEntity, exifData: ExifEntityWithoutGeocodeAndTypeOrm) {
     const { latitude, longitude } = exifData;
-    if (!(await this.configCore.hasFeature(FeatureFlag.REVERSE_GEOCODING)) || !longitude || !latitude) {
+    const { reverseGeocoding } = await this.configCore.getConfig();
+    if (!reverseGeocoding.enabled || !longitude || !latitude) {
       return;
     }
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/person.service.ts b/server/src/services/person.service.ts
index 0c0ece9fdef39..3e9f3a4bb6d5e 100644
--- a/server/src/services/person.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/person.service.ts
@@ -49,6 +49,7 @@ import { ISystemConfigRepository } from 'src/interfaces/system-config.interface'
 import { Orientation } from 'src/services/metadata.service';
 import { CacheControl, ImmichFileResponse } from 'src/utils/file';
 import { mimeTypes } from 'src/utils/mime-types';
+import { isFacialRecognitionEnabled } from 'src/utils/misc';
 import { usePagination } from 'src/utils/pagination';
 import { IsNull } from 'typeorm';
 
@@ -282,7 +283,7 @@ export class PersonService {
 
   async handleQueueDetectFaces({ force }: IBaseJob): Promise<JobStatus> {
     const { machineLearning } = await this.configCore.getConfig();
-    if (!machineLearning.enabled || !machineLearning.facialRecognition.enabled) {
+    if (!isFacialRecognitionEnabled(machineLearning)) {
       return JobStatus.SKIPPED;
     }
 
@@ -313,7 +314,7 @@ export class PersonService {
 
   async handleDetectFaces({ id }: IEntityJob): Promise<JobStatus> {
     const { machineLearning } = await this.configCore.getConfig();
-    if (!machineLearning.enabled || !machineLearning.facialRecognition.enabled) {
+    if (!isFacialRecognitionEnabled(machineLearning)) {
       return JobStatus.SKIPPED;
     }
 
@@ -369,7 +370,7 @@ export class PersonService {
 
   async handleQueueRecognizeFaces({ force }: IBaseJob): Promise<JobStatus> {
     const { machineLearning } = await this.configCore.getConfig();
-    if (!machineLearning.enabled || !machineLearning.facialRecognition.enabled) {
+    if (!isFacialRecognitionEnabled(machineLearning)) {
       return JobStatus.SKIPPED;
     }
 
@@ -400,7 +401,7 @@ export class PersonService {
 
   async handleRecognizeFaces({ id, deferred }: IDeferrableJob): Promise<JobStatus> {
     const { machineLearning } = await this.configCore.getConfig();
-    if (!machineLearning.enabled || !machineLearning.facialRecognition.enabled) {
+    if (!isFacialRecognitionEnabled(machineLearning)) {
       return JobStatus.SKIPPED;
     }
 
@@ -484,7 +485,7 @@ export class PersonService {
 
   async handleGeneratePersonThumbnail(data: IEntityJob): Promise<JobStatus> {
     const { machineLearning, image } = await this.configCore.getConfig();
-    if (!machineLearning.enabled || !machineLearning.facialRecognition.enabled) {
+    if (!isFacialRecognitionEnabled(machineLearning)) {
       return JobStatus.SKIPPED;
     }
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/search.service.ts b/server/src/services/search.service.ts
index d2636b91cf227..e528142e62888 100644
--- a/server/src/services/search.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/search.service.ts
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
-import { Inject, Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
-import { FeatureFlag, SystemConfigCore } from 'src/cores/system-config.core';
+import { BadRequestException, Inject, Injectable } from '@nestjs/common';
+import { SystemConfigCore } from 'src/cores/system-config.core';
 import { AssetResponseDto, mapAsset } from 'src/dtos/asset-response.dto';
 import { AuthDto } from 'src/dtos/auth.dto';
 import { PersonResponseDto } from 'src/dtos/person.dto';
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { IPartnerRepository } from 'src/interfaces/partner.interface';
 import { IPersonRepository } from 'src/interfaces/person.interface';
 import { ISearchRepository, SearchExploreItem } from 'src/interfaces/search.interface';
 import { ISystemConfigRepository } from 'src/interfaces/system-config.interface';
+import { isSmartSearchEnabled } from 'src/utils/misc';
 
 @Injectable()
 export class SearchService {
@@ -53,7 +54,6 @@ export class SearchService {
   }
 
   async getExploreData(auth: AuthDto): Promise<SearchExploreItem<AssetResponseDto>[]> {
-    await this.configCore.requireFeature(FeatureFlag.SEARCH);
     const options = { maxFields: 12, minAssetsPerField: 5 };
     const results = await Promise.all([
       this.assetRepository.getAssetIdByCity(auth.user.id, options),
@@ -98,8 +98,11 @@ export class SearchService {
   }
 
   async searchSmart(auth: AuthDto, dto: SmartSearchDto): Promise<SearchResponseDto> {
-    await this.configCore.requireFeature(FeatureFlag.SMART_SEARCH);
     const { machineLearning } = await this.configCore.getConfig();
+    if (!isSmartSearchEnabled(machineLearning)) {
+      throw new BadRequestException('Smart search is not enabled');
+    }
+
     const userIds = await this.getUserIdsToSearch(auth);
 
     const embedding = await this.machineLearning.encodeText(
diff --git a/server/src/services/server-info.service.ts b/server/src/services/server-info.service.ts
index 37fdbe0fb8413..198e71dea6690 100644
--- a/server/src/services/server-info.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/server-info.service.ts
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ import { ISystemMetadataRepository } from 'src/interfaces/system-metadata.interf
 import { IUserRepository, UserStatsQueryResponse } from 'src/interfaces/user.interface';
 import { asHumanReadable } from 'src/utils/bytes';
 import { mimeTypes } from 'src/utils/mime-types';
+import { isFacialRecognitionEnabled, isSmartSearchEnabled } from 'src/utils/misc';
 import { Version } from 'src/utils/version';
 
 @Injectable()
@@ -83,7 +84,23 @@ export class ServerInfoService {
   }
 
   async getFeatures(): Promise<ServerFeaturesDto> {
-    return this.configCore.getFeatures();
+    const { reverseGeocoding, map, machineLearning, trash, oauth, passwordLogin, notifications } =
+      await this.configCore.getConfig();
+
+    return {
+      smartSearch: isSmartSearchEnabled(machineLearning),
+      facialRecognition: isFacialRecognitionEnabled(machineLearning),
+      map: map.enabled,
+      reverseGeocoding: reverseGeocoding.enabled,
+      sidecar: true,
+      search: true,
+      trash: trash.enabled,
+      oauth: oauth.enabled,
+      oauthAutoLaunch: oauth.autoLaunch,
+      passwordLogin: passwordLogin.enabled,
+      configFile: this.configCore.isUsingConfigFile(),
+      email: notifications.smtp.enabled,
+    };
   }
 
   async getTheme() {
diff --git a/server/src/services/smart-info.service.ts b/server/src/services/smart-info.service.ts
index 929d15beca6a8..ef2c379770764 100644
--- a/server/src/services/smart-info.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/smart-info.service.ts
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ import { ILoggerRepository } from 'src/interfaces/logger.interface';
 import { IMachineLearningRepository } from 'src/interfaces/machine-learning.interface';
 import { ISearchRepository } from 'src/interfaces/search.interface';
 import { ISystemConfigRepository } from 'src/interfaces/system-config.interface';
+import { isSmartSearchEnabled } from 'src/utils/misc';
 import { usePagination } from 'src/utils/pagination';
 
 @Injectable()
@@ -50,7 +51,7 @@ export class SmartInfoService {
 
   async handleQueueEncodeClip({ force }: IBaseJob): Promise<JobStatus> {
     const { machineLearning } = await this.configCore.getConfig();
-    if (!machineLearning.enabled || !machineLearning.clip.enabled) {
+    if (!isSmartSearchEnabled(machineLearning)) {
       return JobStatus.SKIPPED;
     }
 
@@ -75,7 +76,7 @@ export class SmartInfoService {
 
   async handleEncodeClip({ id }: IEntityJob): Promise<JobStatus> {
     const { machineLearning } = await this.configCore.getConfig();
-    if (!machineLearning.enabled || !machineLearning.clip.enabled) {
+    if (!isSmartSearchEnabled(machineLearning)) {
       return JobStatus.SKIPPED;
     }
 
diff --git a/server/src/services/system-config.service.ts b/server/src/services/system-config.service.ts
index eb83e8733d0b1..2e4ae8cb5f4d6 100644
--- a/server/src/services/system-config.service.ts
+++ b/server/src/services/system-config.service.ts
@@ -67,6 +67,10 @@ export class SystemConfigService {
   }
 
   async updateConfig(dto: SystemConfigDto): Promise<SystemConfigDto> {
+    if (this.core.isUsingConfigFile()) {
+      throw new BadRequestException('Cannot update configuration while IMMICH_CONFIG_FILE is in use');
+    }
+
     const oldConfig = await this.core.getConfig();
 
     try {
diff --git a/server/src/utils/misc.ts b/server/src/utils/misc.ts
index 95eefe703962a..7a98fea139ec9 100644
--- a/server/src/utils/misc.ts
+++ b/server/src/utils/misc.ts
@@ -10,11 +10,18 @@ import { SchemaObject } from '@nestjs/swagger/dist/interfaces/open-api-spec.inte
 import _ from 'lodash';
 import { writeFileSync } from 'node:fs';
 import path from 'node:path';
+import { SystemConfig } from 'src/config';
 import { CLIP_MODEL_INFO, serverVersion } from 'src/constants';
 import { ImmichCookie, ImmichHeader } from 'src/dtos/auth.dto';
 import { ILoggerRepository } from 'src/interfaces/logger.interface';
 import { Metadata } from 'src/middleware/auth.guard';
 
+const isMachineLearningEnabled = (machineLearning: SystemConfig['machineLearning']) => machineLearning.enabled;
+export const isSmartSearchEnabled = (machineLearning: SystemConfig['machineLearning']) =>
+  isMachineLearningEnabled(machineLearning) && machineLearning.clip.enabled;
+export const isFacialRecognitionEnabled = (machineLearning: SystemConfig['machineLearning']) =>
+  isMachineLearningEnabled(machineLearning) && machineLearning.facialRecognition.enabled;
+
 export const isConnectionAborted = (error: Error | any) => error.code === 'ECONNABORTED';
 
 export const handlePromiseError = <T>(promise: Promise<T>, logger: ILoggerRepository): void => {