diff --git a/code/_onclick/hud/alert.dm b/code/_onclick/hud/alert.dm
index 64a30e0e55..26731efd6b 100644
--- a/code/_onclick/hud/alert.dm
+++ b/code/_onclick/hud/alert.dm
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 	if(alerts[category])
 		thealert = alerts[category]
 		if(thealert.override_alerts)
-			return 0
+			return thealert
 		if(new_master && new_master != thealert.master)
 			WARNING("[src] threw alert [category] with new_master [new_master] while already having that alert with master [thealert.master]")
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@
 				clear_alert(category)
 				return .()
 			else //no need to update
-				return 0
+				return thealert
 	else
 		thealert = new type()
 		thealert.override_alerts = override