diff --git a/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_backtest.py b/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_backtest.py
index 2d3da6d20..4e43a63b1 100644
--- a/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_backtest.py
+++ b/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_backtest.py
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@ async def api_start_backtest(bt_settings: BacktestRequest, background_tasks: Bac
 
     btconfig = deepcopy(config)
     settings = dict(bt_settings)
+    if 'freqai' in settings:
+        settings['freqai'] = dict(settings['freqai'])
     # Pydantic models will contain all keys, but non-provided ones are None
 
     btconfig = deep_merge_dicts(settings, btconfig, allow_null_overrides=False)
diff --git a/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_schemas.py b/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_schemas.py
index 6c423c959..17dff222d 100644
--- a/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_schemas.py
+++ b/freqtrade/rpc/api_server/api_schemas.py
@@ -414,6 +414,10 @@ class PairHistory(BaseModel):
         }
 
 
+class BacktestFreqAIInputs(BaseModel):
+    identifier: str
+
+
 class BacktestRequest(BaseModel):
     strategy: str
     timeframe: Optional[str]
@@ -425,6 +429,7 @@ class BacktestRequest(BaseModel):
     dry_run_wallet: Optional[float]
     backtest_cache: Optional[str]
     freqaimodel: Optional[str]
+    freqai: Optional[BacktestFreqAIInputs]
 
 
 class BacktestResponse(BaseModel):