diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index d5fb047aa0..6c193a25e3 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1565,6 +1565,26 @@ bool fLargeWorkForkFound = false;
 bool fLargeWorkInvalidChainFound = false;
 CBlockIndex *pindexBestForkTip = NULL, *pindexBestForkBase = NULL;
 
+static void AlertNotify(const std::string& strMessage, bool fThread)
+{
+    uiInterface.NotifyAlertChanged();
+    std::string strCmd = GetArg("-alertnotify", "");
+    if (strCmd.empty()) return;
+
+    // Alert text should be plain ascii coming from a trusted source, but to
+    // be safe we first strip anything not in safeChars, then add single quotes around
+    // the whole string before passing it to the shell:
+    std::string singleQuote("'");
+    std::string safeStatus = SanitizeString(strMessage);
+    safeStatus = singleQuote+safeStatus+singleQuote;
+    boost::replace_all(strCmd, "%s", safeStatus);
+
+    if (fThread)
+        boost::thread t(runCommand, strCmd); // thread runs free
+    else
+        runCommand(strCmd);
+}
+
 void CheckForkWarningConditions()
 {
     AssertLockHeld(cs_main);
@@ -1584,7 +1604,7 @@ void CheckForkWarningConditions()
         {
             std::string warning = std::string("'Warning: Large-work fork detected, forking after block ") +
                 pindexBestForkBase->phashBlock->ToString() + std::string("'");
-            CAlert::Notify(warning, true);
+            AlertNotify(warning, true);
         }
         if (pindexBestForkTip && pindexBestForkBase)
         {
@@ -2115,7 +2135,7 @@ void PartitionCheck(bool (*initialDownloadCheck)(), CCriticalSection& cs, const
     if (!strWarning.empty())
     {
         strMiscWarning = strWarning;
-        CAlert::Notify(strWarning, true);
+        AlertNotify(strWarning, true);
         lastAlertTime = now;
     }
 }
@@ -2545,7 +2565,7 @@ void static UpdateTip(CBlockIndex *pindexNew) {
                 if (state == THRESHOLD_ACTIVE) {
                     strMiscWarning = strprintf(_("Warning: unknown new rules activated (versionbit %i)"), bit);
                     if (!fWarned) {
-                        CAlert::Notify(strMiscWarning, true);
+                        AlertNotify(strMiscWarning, true);
                         fWarned = true;
                     }
                 } else {
@@ -2567,7 +2587,7 @@ void static UpdateTip(CBlockIndex *pindexNew) {
             // strMiscWarning is read by GetWarnings(), called by Qt and the JSON-RPC code to warn the user:
             strMiscWarning = _("Warning: Unknown block versions being mined! It's possible unknown rules are in effect");
             if (!fWarned) {
-                CAlert::Notify(strMiscWarning, true);
+                AlertNotify(strMiscWarning, true);
                 fWarned = true;
             }
         }
diff --git a/src/qt/clientmodel.cpp b/src/qt/clientmodel.cpp
index 71a12c27fd..d3edfedff2 100644
--- a/src/qt/clientmodel.cpp
+++ b/src/qt/clientmodel.cpp
@@ -121,20 +121,8 @@ void ClientModel::updateNumConnections(int numConnections)
     Q_EMIT numConnectionsChanged(numConnections);
 }
 
-void ClientModel::updateAlert(const QString &hash, int status)
+void ClientModel::updateAlert()
 {
-    // Show error message notification for new alert
-    if(status == CT_NEW)
-    {
-        uint256 hash_256;
-        hash_256.SetHex(hash.toStdString());
-        CAlert alert = CAlert::getAlertByHash(hash_256);
-        if(!alert.IsNull())
-        {
-            Q_EMIT message(tr("Network Alert"), QString::fromStdString(alert.strStatusBar), CClientUIInterface::ICON_ERROR);
-        }
-    }
-
     Q_EMIT alertsChanged(getStatusBarWarnings());
 }
 
@@ -226,12 +214,10 @@ static void NotifyNumConnectionsChanged(ClientModel *clientmodel, int newNumConn
                               Q_ARG(int, newNumConnections));
 }
 
-static void NotifyAlertChanged(ClientModel *clientmodel, const uint256 &hash, ChangeType status)
+static void NotifyAlertChanged(ClientModel *clientmodel)
 {
-    qDebug() << "NotifyAlertChanged: " + QString::fromStdString(hash.GetHex()) + " status=" + QString::number(status);
-    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(clientmodel, "updateAlert", Qt::QueuedConnection,
-                              Q_ARG(QString, QString::fromStdString(hash.GetHex())),
-                              Q_ARG(int, status));
+    qDebug() << "NotifyAlertChanged";
+    QMetaObject::invokeMethod(clientmodel, "updateAlert", Qt::QueuedConnection);
 }
 
 static void BannedListChanged(ClientModel *clientmodel)
@@ -265,7 +251,7 @@ void ClientModel::subscribeToCoreSignals()
     // Connect signals to client
     uiInterface.ShowProgress.connect(boost::bind(ShowProgress, this, _1, _2));
     uiInterface.NotifyNumConnectionsChanged.connect(boost::bind(NotifyNumConnectionsChanged, this, _1));
-    uiInterface.NotifyAlertChanged.connect(boost::bind(NotifyAlertChanged, this, _1, _2));
+    uiInterface.NotifyAlertChanged.connect(boost::bind(NotifyAlertChanged, this));
     uiInterface.BannedListChanged.connect(boost::bind(BannedListChanged, this));
     uiInterface.NotifyBlockTip.connect(boost::bind(BlockTipChanged, this, _1, _2));
 }
@@ -275,7 +261,7 @@ void ClientModel::unsubscribeFromCoreSignals()
     // Disconnect signals from client
     uiInterface.ShowProgress.disconnect(boost::bind(ShowProgress, this, _1, _2));
     uiInterface.NotifyNumConnectionsChanged.disconnect(boost::bind(NotifyNumConnectionsChanged, this, _1));
-    uiInterface.NotifyAlertChanged.disconnect(boost::bind(NotifyAlertChanged, this, _1, _2));
+    uiInterface.NotifyAlertChanged.disconnect(boost::bind(NotifyAlertChanged, this));
     uiInterface.BannedListChanged.disconnect(boost::bind(BannedListChanged, this));
     uiInterface.NotifyBlockTip.disconnect(boost::bind(BlockTipChanged, this, _1, _2));
 }
diff --git a/src/qt/clientmodel.h b/src/qt/clientmodel.h
index 62c9f71ac7..2fef6131c3 100644
--- a/src/qt/clientmodel.h
+++ b/src/qt/clientmodel.h
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ Q_SIGNALS:
 public Q_SLOTS:
     void updateTimer();
     void updateNumConnections(int numConnections);
-    void updateAlert(const QString &hash, int status);
+    void updateAlert();
     void updateBanlist();
 };
 
diff --git a/src/ui_interface.h b/src/ui_interface.h
index 967d243270..0b51d52e65 100644
--- a/src/ui_interface.h
+++ b/src/ui_interface.h
@@ -83,10 +83,9 @@ public:
     boost::signals2::signal<void (int newNumConnections)> NotifyNumConnectionsChanged;
 
     /**
-     * New, updated or cancelled alert.
-     * @note called with lock cs_mapAlerts held.
+     * Status bar alerts changed.
      */
-    boost::signals2::signal<void (const uint256 &hash, ChangeType status)> NotifyAlertChanged;
+    boost::signals2::signal<void ()> NotifyAlertChanged;
 
     /** A wallet has been loaded. */
     boost::signals2::signal<void (CWallet* wallet)> LoadWallet;