diff --git a/src/alert.cpp b/src/alert.cpp
index 3271ecfbf..d49584920 100644
--- a/src/alert.cpp
+++ b/src/alert.cpp
@@ -233,25 +233,30 @@ bool CAlert::ProcessAlert(bool fThread)
         if(AppliesToMe())
         {
             uiInterface.NotifyAlertChanged(GetHash(), CT_NEW);
-            std::string strCmd = GetArg("-alertnotify", "");
-            if (!strCmd.empty())
-            {
-                // Alert text should be plain ascii coming from a trusted source, but to
-                // be safe we first strip anything not in safeChars, then add single quotes around
-                // the whole string before passing it to the shell:
-                std::string singleQuote("'");
-                std::string safeStatus = SanitizeString(strStatusBar);
-                safeStatus = singleQuote+safeStatus+singleQuote;
-                boost::replace_all(strCmd, "%s", safeStatus);
-
-                if (fThread)
-                    boost::thread t(runCommand, strCmd); // thread runs free
-                else
-                    runCommand(strCmd);
-            }
+            Notify(strStatusBar, fThread);
         }
     }
 
     LogPrint("alert", "accepted alert %d, AppliesToMe()=%d\n", nID, AppliesToMe());
     return true;
 }
+
+void
+CAlert::Notify(const std::string& strMessage, bool fThread)
+{
+    std::string strCmd = GetArg("-alertnotify", "");
+    if (strCmd.empty()) return;
+
+    // Alert text should be plain ascii coming from a trusted source, but to
+    // be safe we first strip anything not in safeChars, then add single quotes around
+    // the whole string before passing it to the shell:
+    std::string singleQuote("'");
+    std::string safeStatus = SanitizeString(strMessage);
+    safeStatus = singleQuote+safeStatus+singleQuote;
+    boost::replace_all(strCmd, "%s", safeStatus);
+
+    if (fThread)
+        boost::thread t(runCommand, strCmd); // thread runs free
+    else
+        runCommand(strCmd);
+}
diff --git a/src/alert.h b/src/alert.h
index 5ecf94cea..ba3235858 100644
--- a/src/alert.h
+++ b/src/alert.h
@@ -101,7 +101,8 @@ public:
     bool AppliesToMe() const;
     bool RelayTo(CNode* pnode) const;
     bool CheckSignature() const;
-    bool ProcessAlert(bool fThread = true);
+    bool ProcessAlert(bool fThread = true); // fThread means run -alertnotify in a free-running thread
+    static void Notify(const std::string& strMessage, bool fThread);
 
     /*
      * Get copy of (active) alert object by hash. Returns a null alert if it is not found.
diff --git a/src/main.cpp b/src/main.cpp
index 5d46c30a9..106c336a8 100644
--- a/src/main.cpp
+++ b/src/main.cpp
@@ -1178,14 +1178,9 @@ void CheckForkWarningConditions()
     {
         if (!fLargeWorkForkFound)
         {
-            std::string strCmd = GetArg("-alertnotify", "");
-            if (!strCmd.empty())
-            {
-                std::string warning = std::string("'Warning: Large-work fork detected, forking after block ") +
-                                      pindexBestForkBase->phashBlock->ToString() + std::string("'");
-                boost::replace_all(strCmd, "%s", warning);
-                boost::thread t(runCommand, strCmd); // thread runs free
-            }
+            std::string warning = std::string("'Warning: Large-work fork detected, forking after block ") +
+                pindexBestForkBase->phashBlock->ToString() + std::string("'");
+            CAlert::Notify(warning, true);
         }
         if (pindexBestForkTip)
         {