diff --git a/include/maxscale/config.h b/include/maxscale/config.h
index c5f685ba3..7a5b02918 100644
--- a/include/maxscale/config.h
+++ b/include/maxscale/config.h
@@ -265,6 +265,19 @@ const char* config_get_string(const CONFIG_PARAMETER *params, const char *key);
  */
 int config_get_enum(const CONFIG_PARAMETER *params, const char *key, const MXS_ENUM_VALUE *values);
 
+/**
+ * @brief Generate default module parameters
+ *
+ * Adds any default parameters to @c ctx that aren't already in it.
+ *
+ * @param ctx    Configuration context where the parameters are added
+ * @param module Module name
+ * @param type   Module type
+ *
+ * TODO: Move this to a header internal to the MaxScale core
+ */
+void config_add_defaults(CONFIG_CONTEXT *ctx, const char *module, const char *type);
+
 char*               config_clean_string_list(const char* str);
 CONFIG_PARAMETER*   config_clone_param(const CONFIG_PARAMETER* param);
 void                config_enable_feedback_task(void);
diff --git a/server/core/config.c b/server/core/config.c
index 1f2fb9a8c..3fcb650c2 100644
--- a/server/core/config.c
+++ b/server/core/config.c
@@ -2384,7 +2384,7 @@ static int validate_ssl_parameters(CONFIG_CONTEXT* obj, char *ssl_cert, char *ss
  * @param ctx Configuration context where the default parameters are added
  * @param module Name of the module
  */
-static void config_add_defaults(CONFIG_CONTEXT *ctx, const char *module, const char *type)
+void config_add_defaults(CONFIG_CONTEXT *ctx, const char *module, const char *type)
 {
     const MXS_MODULE *mod = get_module(module, type);
 
diff --git a/server/core/config_runtime.c b/server/core/config_runtime.c
index 3bd33f156..3a1631c1e 100644
--- a/server/core/config_runtime.c
+++ b/server/core/config_runtime.c
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 #include <maxscale/config_runtime.h>
 #include <maxscale/gwdirs.h>
 #include <maxscale/spinlock.h>
+#include <maxscale/modules.h>
 
 #include "maxscale/service.h"
 
@@ -336,6 +337,21 @@ static long get_positive_int(const char *value)
     return 0;
 }
 
+/**
+ * @brief Add default parameters to a monitor
+ *
+ * @param monitor Monitor to modify
+ */
+static void add_monitor_defaults(MONITOR *monitor)
+{
+    /** Inject the default module parameters in case we only deleted
+     * a parameter */
+    CONFIG_CONTEXT ctx = {.object = ""};
+    config_add_defaults(&ctx, monitor->module_name, MODULE_MONITOR);
+    monitorAddParameters(monitor, ctx.parameters);
+    config_parameter_free(ctx.parameters);
+}
+
 bool runtime_alter_monitor(MONITOR *monitor, char *key, char *value)
 {
     spinlock_acquire(&crt_lock);
@@ -402,6 +418,8 @@ bool runtime_alter_monitor(MONITOR *monitor, char *key, char *value)
                 CONFIG_PARAMETER p = {.name = key, .value = value};
                 monitorAddParameters(monitor, &p);
             }
+
+            add_monitor_defaults(monitor);
         }
 
         monitorStart(monitor, monitor->parameters);
@@ -560,6 +578,7 @@ bool runtime_create_monitor(const char *name, const char *module)
         {
             /** Mark that this monitor was created after MaxScale was started */
             monitor->created_online = true;
+            add_monitor_defaults(monitor);
 
             if (monitor_serialize(monitor))
             {