diff --git a/include/common/defaults.h b/include/common/defaults.h
index d1994e8..1c971d9 100644
--- a/include/common/defaults.h
+++ b/include/common/defaults.h
@@ -146,6 +146,7 @@
 
 #define	CHK_CONNTIME    2000
 #define	DEF_CHKINTR     2000
+#define DEF_MAILALERTTIME 10000
 #define DEF_FALLTIME    3
 #define DEF_RISETIME    2
 #define DEF_AGENT_FALLTIME    1
diff --git a/src/checks.c b/src/checks.c
index bc7eaa7..9d6d33e 100644
--- a/src/checks.c
+++ b/src/checks.c
@@ -3108,7 +3108,7 @@
 
 		LIST_INIT(&q->email_alerts);
 
-		check->inter = DEF_CHKINTR; /* XXX: Would like to Skip to the next alert, if any, ASAP.
+		check->inter = DEF_MAILALERTTIME; /* XXX: Would like to Skip to the next alert, if any, ASAP.
 					     * But need enough time so that timeouts don't occur
 					     * during tcp check procssing. For now just us an arbitrary default. */
 		check->rise = DEF_AGENT_RISETIME;