diff --git a/alerts.c b/alerts.c
index 32e0d496..e08b183d 100644
--- a/alerts.c
+++ b/alerts.c
@@ -132,15 +132,15 @@ alerts_queue(struct window *w, int flags)
 	if (!event_initialized(&w->alerts_timer))
 		evtimer_set(&w->alerts_timer, alerts_timer, w);
 
-	if (w->flags & flags)
-		return;
-	w->flags |= flags;
-	log_debug("@%u alerts flags added %#x", w->id, flags);
+	if (!alerts_fired) {
+		w->flags |= flags;
+		log_debug("@%u alerts flags added %#x", w->id, flags);
 
-	if (!alerts_fired && alerts_enabled(w, flags)) {
-		log_debug("alerts check queued (by @%u)", w->id);
-		event_once(-1, EV_TIMEOUT, alerts_callback, NULL, NULL);
-		alerts_fired = 1;
+		if (alerts_enabled(w, flags)) {
+			log_debug("alerts check queued (by @%u)", w->id);
+			event_once(-1, EV_TIMEOUT, alerts_callback, NULL, NULL);
+			alerts_fired = 1;
+		}
 	}
 }