diff --git a/freqtrade/configuration/config_validation.py b/freqtrade/configuration/config_validation.py
index bf0657994..606f081ef 100644
--- a/freqtrade/configuration/config_validation.py
+++ b/freqtrade/configuration/config_validation.py
@@ -355,6 +355,13 @@ def _validate_freqai_include_timeframes(conf: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
                 f"Main timeframe of {main_tf} must be smaller or equal to FreqAI "
                 f"`include_timeframes`.Offending include-timeframes: {', '.join(offending_lines)}")
 
+        # Ensure that the base timeframe is included in the include_timeframes list
+        if main_tf not in freqai_include_timeframes:
+            feature_parameters = conf.get('freqai', {}).get('feature_parameters', {})
+            include_timeframes = [main_tf] + freqai_include_timeframes
+            conf.get('freqai', {}).get('feature_parameters', {}) \
+                .update({**feature_parameters, 'include_timeframes': include_timeframes})
+
 
 def _validate_freqai_backtest(conf: Dict[str, Any]) -> None:
     if conf.get('runmode', RunMode.OTHER) == RunMode.BACKTEST:
diff --git a/tests/test_configuration.py b/tests/test_configuration.py
index 1bcff20db..cdf9f2f2e 100644
--- a/tests/test_configuration.py
+++ b/tests/test_configuration.py
@@ -1046,8 +1046,13 @@ def test__validate_freqai_include_timeframes(default_conf, caplog) -> None:
     # Validation pass
     conf.update({'timeframe': '1m'})
     validate_config_consistency(conf)
-    conf.update({'analyze_per_epoch': True})
 
+    # Ensure base timeframe is in include_timeframes
+    conf['freqai']['feature_parameters']['include_timeframes'] = ["5m", "15m"]
+    validate_config_consistency(conf)
+    assert conf['freqai']['feature_parameters']['include_timeframes'] == ["1m", "5m", "15m"]
+
+    conf.update({'analyze_per_epoch': True})
     with pytest.raises(OperationalException,
                        match=r"Using analyze-per-epoch .* not supported with a FreqAI strategy."):
         validate_config_consistency(conf)