Loop until executes even after condition evaluates true

I have an automation that turns on the lights when frigate detects a person. I am trying to loop until the frigate event that triggered the automation sends an ‘end’ event or the loop times out. I tried many different ways, but the loop keeps executing even after the event end message is received. current code:

event_ended variable is set to false before loop starts
id is captured from original frigate event that triggered the automation



alias: Loop until end event is received or timeout happens.
repeat:
  sequence:
    - alias: Wait for an MQTT message or loop timeout
      wait_for_trigger:
        - alias: MQTT message with matching event ID
          topic: frigate/events
          value_template: >-
            {{ wait.trigger.payload_json['after']['id']|string() == id|string()
            and wait.trigger.payload_json['type']|string() == 'end' }}
          trigger: mqtt
      continue_on_timeout: true
      timeout:
        hours: 0
        minutes: 1
        seconds: 0
        milliseconds: 0
    - variables:
        event_ended: >-
          {% if event_ended != true %}
            {% if wait.trigger is defined and wait.trigger.payload_json is defined %}
              {{ wait.trigger.payload_json['after']['id']|string() == id|string() and wait.trigger.payload_json['type']|string() == 'end' }}
            {% else %}
              false
            {% endif %}
          {% endif %}
  until:
    - alias: Event end is received for triggering event that started automation
      condition: template
      value_template: "{{ event_ended != false }}"

I had logging in the loop and event_ended is correctly set to true when id matches and event type = ‘end’ however loop is not exited.

Another issue is that MQTT triggers on any event id and message type. this should not matter since values are checked when event_ended is set, but ideally this loop would only fire once then exit.

Here’s an example log where iteration 7 evaluated as true, but it kept running iteration 8 & 9

Iteration 7
Executed: March 20, 2025 at 3:19:56 AM
Result:

params:
  domain: logbook
  service: log
  service_data:
    name: Front Lights
    domain: automation
    entity_id: automation.frigate_notification_mqtt_front_door_lights
    message: >-
      person was detected on Front Door camera - repeat loop iteration=7  

      Event ID from automation trigger= 1742455179.136992-xmkwvn  New event ID
      is defined= 
        original event id= 1742455179.136992-xmkwvn
        after event id=>>>1742455179.136992-xmkwvn<<<
        original variable type= update
        payload_json type= ------>end<------ 
        before time=--->1742455180.045057<---
        after  time=--->1742455191.272018<---
        
       event_ended=True
  target: {}
running_script: false

Iteration 8
Executed: March 20, 2025 at 3:19:57 AM
Result:

params:
  domain: logbook
  service: log
  service_data:
    name: Front Lights
    domain: automation
    entity_id: automation.frigate_notification_mqtt_front_door_lights
    message: >-
      person was detected on Front Door camera - repeat loop iteration=8  

      Event ID from automation trigger= 1742455179.136992-xmkwvn  New event ID
      is defined= 
        original event id= 1742455179.136992-xmkwvn
        after event id=>>>1742455180.368356-ty48sp<<<
        original variable type= update
        payload_json type= ------>end<------ 
        before time=--->1742455190.962753<---
        after  time=--->1742455191.965489<---
        
       event_ended=False
  target: {}
running_script: false

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