diff --git a/alerts.c b/alerts.c
index 32469c63..d90d0eb8 100644
--- a/alerts.c
+++ b/alerts.c
@@ -141,6 +141,9 @@ alerts_reset(struct window *w)
 {
 	struct timeval	tv;
 
+	if (!event_initialized(&w->alerts_timer))
+		evtimer_set(&w->alerts_timer, alerts_timer, w);
+
 	w->flags &= ~WINDOW_SILENCE;
 	event_del(&w->alerts_timer);
 
@@ -157,9 +160,6 @@ alerts_queue(struct window *w, int flags)
 {
 	alerts_reset(w);
 
-	if (!event_initialized(&w->alerts_timer))
-		evtimer_set(&w->alerts_timer, alerts_timer, w);
-
 	if ((w->flags & flags) != flags) {
 		w->flags |= flags;
 		log_debug("@%u alerts flags added %#x", w->id, flags);