diff --git a/org-alert.el b/org-alert.el
index 33eac39..840eb00 100644
--- a/org-alert.el
+++ b/org-alert.el
@@ -67,16 +67,8 @@ If nil, never stop sending notifications."
   :group 'org-alert
   :type 'string)
 
-(defcustom org-alert-match-string
-  "SCHEDULED>=\"<today>\"+SCHEDULED<\"<tomorrow>\"|DEADLINE>=\"<today>\"+DEADLINE<\"<tomorrow>\""
-  "property/todo/tags match string to be passed to `org-map-entries'."
-  :group 'org-alert
-  :type '(choice (regexp :tag "Match Regexp")
-				 (const :tag "Match All" nil)
-				 (const :tag "Use org-ql to match active time" org-ql)))
-
 (defcustom org-alert-time-match-string
-  "\\(?:SCHEDULED\\|DEADLINE\\):.*<.*\\([0-9]\\{2\\}:[0-9]\\{2\\}\\).*>"
+  "<.*?\\([0-9]\\{2\\}:[0-9]\\{2\\}\\).*>"
   "regex to find times in an org subtree. The first capture group
 is used to extract the time"
   :group 'org-alert
@@ -185,28 +177,29 @@ heading, the scheduled/deadline time, and the cutoff to apply"
           (alert head :title org-alert-notification-title
                  :category org-alert-notification-category))))))
 
-(defun org-alert--check-using-org-ql ()
+(defun org-alert--get-after-event-cutoff-time ()
+  "Get the time to how early we want to get the events."
+  (when org-alert-notify-after-event-cutoff
+	(ts-format "%F %T"
+			   (ts-adjust 'minute (- org-alert-notify-after-event-cutoff)
+						  (ts-now)))))
+
+(defun org-alert-check ()
   "Check for active, due deadlines and initiate notifications using `org-ql'.
 This will match org heading with active timestamp, from now, until the
 next `org-alert-notify-cutoff' minutes."
   (interactive)
   (org-ql-select (org-agenda-files)
-	`(ts-active :with-time t
-				:from ,(ts-format "%F %T")
-				:to ,(ts-format "%F %T" (ts-adjust 'minute org-alert-notify-cutoff (ts-now))))
+	`(or (ts-active :with-time t
+					:from ,(org-alert--get-after-event-cutoff-time)
+					:to ,(ts-format "%F %T" (ts-adjust 'minute org-alert-notify-cutoff (ts-now))))
+		 (and (property ,org-alert-cutoff-prop)
+			  (ts-active :with-time t
+						 :from ,(org-alert--get-after-event-cutoff-time))))
 	:action #'org-alert--dispatch)
   t)
 
-(defun org-alert-check ()
-  "Check for active, due deadlines and initiate notifications."
-  (interactive)
-  (if (eq org-alert-match-string 'org-ql)
-	  (org-alert--check-using-org-ql)
-	(org-map-entries 'org-alert--dispatch org-alert-match-string 'agenda
-			 '(org-agenda-skip-entry-if 'todo
-							org-done-keywords-for-agenda)))
-  t)
-
+;;;###autoload
 (defun org-alert-enable ()
   "Enable the notification timer.  Cancels existing timer if running."
   (interactive)