diff --git a/rules/group.go b/rules/group.go
index a00801a01c..d31f6da75b 100644
--- a/rules/group.go
+++ b/rules/group.go
@@ -73,9 +73,9 @@ type Group struct {
 	// Rule group evaluation iteration function,
 	// defaults to DefaultEvalIterationFunc.
 	evalIterationFunc GroupEvalIterationFunc
+	alertStore        AlertStore
 
-	appOpts               *storage.AppendOptions
-	alertStore            AlertStore
+	appOpts *storage.AppendOptions
 }
 
 // GroupEvalIterationFunc is used to implement and extend rule group
@@ -146,8 +146,8 @@ func NewGroup(o GroupOptions) *Group {
 		logger:               opts.Logger.With("file", o.File, "group", o.Name),
 		metrics:              metrics,
 		evalIterationFunc:    evalIterationFunc,
-		appOpts:              &storage.AppendOptions{DiscardOutOfOrder: true},
 		alertStore:           o.AlertStore,
+		appOpts:              &storage.AppendOptions{DiscardOutOfOrder: true},
 	}
 }
 
diff --git a/rules/store.go b/rules/store.go
index e18401a48d..631f5e2799 100644
--- a/rules/store.go
+++ b/rules/store.go
@@ -115,12 +115,12 @@ func (s *FileStore) SetAlerts(key uint64, groupKey string, alerts []*Alert) erro
 	s.stateMtx.Lock()
 	defer s.stateMtx.Unlock()
 
-	// Update in memory
-	if alerts != nil {
-		s.alertsByRule[key] = alerts
-	} else {
+	if alerts == nil {
 		return nil
 	}
+	// Update in memory
+	s.alertsByRule[key] = alerts
+
 	// flush in memory state to file storage
 	file, err := os.Create(s.path)
 	if err != nil {