diff --git a/application/forms/EventRuleConfigForm.php b/application/forms/EventRuleConfigForm.php
index c711e11cb..1f7f8617a 100644
--- a/application/forms/EventRuleConfigForm.php
+++ b/application/forms/EventRuleConfigForm.php
@@ -139,9 +139,8 @@ protected function assemble(): void
             ]
         );
 
-        $this->addElement('hidden', 'zero-condition-escalation');
-        $ruleId = $this->config['id'];
-
+        $defaultEscalationPrefix = bin2hex('1');
+        $this->addElement('hidden', 'zero-condition-escalation', ['value' => $defaultEscalationPrefix]);
         $configFilter = new EventRuleConfigFilter($this->searchEditorUrl, $this->config['object_filter']);
         $this->registerElement($configFilter);
 
@@ -156,7 +155,7 @@ protected function assemble(): void
         );
 
         $this->registerElement($addEscalationButton);
-        $prefixesElement = $this->createElement('hidden', 'prefixes-map', ['value' => bin2hex('1')]);
+        $prefixesElement = $this->createElement('hidden', 'prefixes-map', ['value' => $defaultEscalationPrefix]);
         $this->addElement($prefixesElement);
         $this->handleAdd();
 
@@ -164,12 +163,6 @@ protected function assemble(): void
         $prefixesMap = explode(',', $prefixesMapString);
         $escalationCount = count($prefixesMap);
         $zeroConditionEscalation = $this->getValue('zero-condition-escalation');
-
-        if ($ruleId === '-1' && $escalationCount === 1 && $zeroConditionEscalation === null) {
-            $zeroConditionEscalation = bin2hex('1');
-            $this->getElement('zero-condition-escalation')->setValue($zeroConditionEscalation);
-        }
-
         $removePosition = null;
         $removeEscalationButtons = [];