diff --git a/README.rst b/README.rst
index c1f02d8..2a445eb 100644
--- a/README.rst
+++ b/README.rst
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ Configure prometheus server
       alert:
         PrometheusTargetDown:
           if: 'up != 1'
+          for: 5m
           labels:
             severity: down
           annotations:
diff --git a/prometheus/files/alerts.yml b/prometheus/files/alerts.yml
index 97d0dde..89792bc 100644
--- a/prometheus/files/alerts.yml
+++ b/prometheus/files/alerts.yml
@@ -31,6 +31,9 @@
   {%- if alert.get('enabled', True) %}
     ALERT {{ alertname }}
       IF {{ alert.if }}
+      {%- if alert.for is defined %}
+      FOR {{ alert.for }}
+      {%- endif %}
       {%- if alert.for is defined %}FOR {{ alert.for }}{%- endif %}
       {%- if alert.labels is defined %}
       LABELS {