diff --git a/hc/api/models.py b/hc/api/models.py
index 73dfda84..07e75529 100644
--- a/hc/api/models.py
+++ b/hc/api/models.py
@@ -136,20 +136,30 @@ class Check(models.Model):
             it = croniter(self.schedule, last_local)
             result = it.next(datetime)
 
-        if self.last_start:
+        if self.last_start and self.status != "down":
             result = min(result, self.last_start)
 
         if result != NEVER:
             return result
 
+    def get_alert_after(self):
+        """ Return the datetime when check potentially goes down. """
+
+        grace_start = self.get_grace_start()
+        if grace_start is not None:
+            return grace_start + self.grace
+
     def is_down(self):
         """ Return True if the check is currently in alert state. """
 
+        if self.status == "down":
+            return True
+
         alert_after = self.get_alert_after()
         if alert_after is None:
             return False
 
-        return timezone.now() >= self.get_alert_after()
+        return timezone.now() >= alert_after
 
     def get_status(self, now=None):
         """ Return current status for display. """
@@ -176,13 +186,6 @@ class Check(models.Model):
 
         return "up"
 
-    def get_alert_after(self):
-        """ Return the datetime when check potentially goes down. """
-
-        grace_start = self.get_grace_start()
-        if grace_start is not None:
-            return grace_start + self.grace
-
     def assign_all_channels(self):
         if self.user:
             channels = Channel.objects.filter(user=self.user)
diff --git a/hc/api/tests/test_check_alert_after.py b/hc/api/tests/test_check_alert_after.py
index a04e11fb..c7d1dc3f 100644
--- a/hc/api/tests/test_check_alert_after.py
+++ b/hc/api/tests/test_check_alert_after.py
@@ -10,17 +10,20 @@ class CheckModelTestCase(TestCase):
     def test_it_handles_new_check(self):
         check = Check()
         self.assertEqual(check.get_alert_after(), None)
+        self.assertFalse(check.is_down())
 
     def test_it_handles_paused_check(self):
         check = Check()
         check.last_ping = timezone.now() - td(days=2)
         self.assertEqual(check.get_alert_after(), None)
+        self.assertFalse(check.is_down())
 
     def test_it_handles_up(self):
         check = Check(status="up")
         check.last_ping = timezone.now() - td(hours=1)
         expected_aa = check.last_ping + td(days=1, hours=1)
         self.assertEqual(check.get_alert_after(), expected_aa)
+        self.assertFalse(check.is_down())
 
     def test_it_handles_paused_then_started_check(self):
         check = Check(status="paused")
@@ -28,3 +31,17 @@ class CheckModelTestCase(TestCase):
 
         expected_aa = check.last_start + td(hours=1)
         self.assertEqual(check.get_alert_after(), expected_aa)
+        self.assertTrue(check.is_down())
+
+    def test_it_handles_down(self):
+        check = Check(status="down")
+        check.last_ping = timezone.now() - td(hours=1)
+        self.assertEqual(check.get_alert_after(), None)
+        self.assertTrue(check.is_down())
+
+    def test_it_handles_down_then_started_check(self):
+        check = Check(status="down")
+        check.last_start = timezone.now() - td(minutes=10)
+
+        self.assertEqual(check.get_alert_after(), None)
+        self.assertTrue(check.is_down())
diff --git a/hc/front/tests/test_update_timeout.py b/hc/front/tests/test_update_timeout.py
index d90ba1de..1cafac49 100644
--- a/hc/front/tests/test_update_timeout.py
+++ b/hc/front/tests/test_update_timeout.py
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ class UpdateTimeoutTestCase(BaseTestCase):
         # alert_after should be updated too
         self.assertEqual(self.check.alert_after, self.check.get_alert_after())
 
-    def test_it_updates_status(self):
+    def test_it_does_not_update_status(self):
         self.check.last_ping = timezone.now() - td(days=2)
         self.check.status = "down"
         self.check.save()
@@ -39,16 +39,10 @@ class UpdateTimeoutTestCase(BaseTestCase):
         payload = {"kind": "simple", "timeout": 3600 * 24 * 7, "grace": 60}
 
         self.client.login(username="alice@example.org", password="password")
-        r = self.client.post(self.url, data=payload)
-        self.assertRedirects(r, "/checks/")
+        self.client.post(self.url, data=payload)
 
         self.check.refresh_from_db()
-        self.assertEqual(self.check.status, "up")
-
-        flip = Flip.objects.get()
-        self.assertEqual(flip.owner_id, self.check.id)
-        self.assertEqual(flip.old_status, "down")
-        self.assertEqual(flip.new_status, "up")
+        self.assertEqual(self.check.status, "down")
 
     def test_it_saves_cron_expression(self):
         payload = {
diff --git a/hc/front/views.py b/hc/front/views.py
index 1358197e..0b639e3e 100644
--- a/hc/front/views.py
+++ b/hc/front/views.py
@@ -297,19 +297,7 @@ def update_timeout(request, code):
         check.tz = form.cleaned_data["tz"]
         check.grace = td(minutes=form.cleaned_data["grace"])
 
-    if check.last_ping:
-        check.alert_after = check.get_alert_after()
-
-        # Changing timeout can change check's status:
-        if not check.is_down() and check.status == "down":
-            flip = Flip(owner=check)
-            flip.created = timezone.now()
-            flip.old_status = "down"
-            flip.new_status = "up"
-            flip.save()
-
-            check.status = "up"
-
+    check.alert_after = check.get_alert_after()
     check.save()
 
     if "/details/" in request.META.get("HTTP_REFERER", ""):