diff --git a/src/imports/slack.js b/src/imports/slack.js
index adaed0ee..ee7296d1 100644
--- a/src/imports/slack.js
+++ b/src/imports/slack.js
@@ -3,10 +3,13 @@ import Config from '../server/server.config'
 import logger from '../imports/logger'
 
 const log = logger.child({ from: 'slack' })
+
 export const sendSlackAlert = async json => {
-  if (Config.slackAlertsWebhook == null) return
+  if (!Config.slackAlertsWebhook) return
+
   const { env, version, network } = Config
   const text = JSON.stringify({ text: JSON.stringify({ ...json, env, version, network }) })
+
   try {
     const res = await fetch(Config.slackAlertsWebhook, {
       method: 'POST',
@@ -16,6 +19,7 @@ export const sendSlackAlert = async json => {
       },
       body: text
     })
+
     log.info('slack alert sent:', { res: await res.text(), json })
   } catch (error) {
     log.error('failed sending slack alert:', error.message, error, { json })
diff --git a/src/server/server.config.js b/src/server/server.config.js
index de4f2f96..856df142 100644
--- a/src/server/server.config.js
+++ b/src/server/server.config.js
@@ -494,8 +494,8 @@ const conf = convict({
   },
   slackAlertsWebhook: {
     doc: 'secret url for sending alerts to some channel',
-    format: 'url',
-    default: null,
+    format: String,
+    default: '',
     env: 'SLACK_ALERTS_WEBHOOK'
   }
 })