diff --git a/pkg/services/alerting/notifiers/base.go b/pkg/services/alerting/notifiers/base.go
index 7a3cc71c4db..51676efdfd5 100644
--- a/pkg/services/alerting/notifiers/base.go
+++ b/pkg/services/alerting/notifiers/base.go
@@ -15,7 +15,11 @@ type NotifierBase struct {
 }
 
 func NewNotifierBase(id int64, isDefault bool, name, notifierType string, model *simplejson.Json) NotifierBase {
-	uploadImage := model.Get("uploadImage").MustBool(false)
+	uploadImage := true
+	value, exist := model.CheckGet("uploadImage")
+	if exist {
+		uploadImage = value.MustBool()
+	}
 
 	return NotifierBase{
 		Id:          id,
diff --git a/pkg/services/alerting/notifiers/base_test.go b/pkg/services/alerting/notifiers/base_test.go
index 4225e203a3d..b7142d144cc 100644
--- a/pkg/services/alerting/notifiers/base_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/alerting/notifiers/base_test.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import (
 	"context"
 	"testing"
 
+	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/components/simplejson"
 	m "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/models"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/alerting"
 	. "github.com/smartystreets/goconvey/convey"
@@ -11,6 +12,29 @@ import (
 
 func TestBaseNotifier(t *testing.T) {
 	Convey("Base notifier tests", t, func() {
+		Convey("default constructor for notifiers", func() {
+			bJson := simplejson.New()
+
+			Convey("can parse false value", func() {
+				bJson.Set("uploadImage", false)
+
+				base := NewNotifierBase(1, false, "name", "email", bJson)
+				So(base.UploadImage, ShouldBeFalse)
+			})
+
+			Convey("can parse true value", func() {
+				bJson.Set("uploadImage", true)
+
+				base := NewNotifierBase(1, false, "name", "email", bJson)
+				So(base.UploadImage, ShouldBeTrue)
+			})
+
+			Convey("default value should be true for backwards compatibility", func() {
+				base := NewNotifierBase(1, false, "name", "email", bJson)
+				So(base.UploadImage, ShouldBeTrue)
+			})
+		})
+
 		Convey("should notify", func() {
 			Convey("pending -> ok", func() {
 				context := alerting.NewEvalContext(context.TODO(), &alerting.Rule{
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/notification_edit_ctrl.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/notification_edit_ctrl.ts
index bca6f6e8137..18b1c4d1d55 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/notification_edit_ctrl.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/notification_edit_ctrl.ts
@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ export class AlertNotificationEditCtrl {
         return this.backendSrv.get(`/api/alert-notifications/${this.$routeParams.id}`).then(result => {
           this.navModel.breadcrumbs.push({ text: result.name });
           this.navModel.node = { text: result.name };
+          result.settings = _.defaults(result.settings, this.defaults.settings);
           return result;
         });
       })
@@ -89,7 +90,7 @@ export class AlertNotificationEditCtrl {
   }
 
   typeChanged() {
-    this.model.settings = {};
+    this.model.settings = _.defaults({}, this.defaults.settings);
     this.notifierTemplateId = this.getNotifierTemplateId(this.model.type);
   }