diff --git a/salt/elastalert/map.jinja b/salt/elastalert/map.jinja
index 8d4e656524..b8ceca277b 100644
--- a/salt/elastalert/map.jinja
+++ b/salt/elastalert/map.jinja
@@ -15,20 +15,16 @@
 {% set ELASTALERTMERGED = salt['pillar.get']('elastalert', ELASTALERTDEFAULTS.elastalert, merge=True) %}
 
 {% if 'ntf' in salt['pillar.get']('features', []) %}
-   {% set params = ELASTALERTMERGED.alerter_parameters | load_yaml %}
-   {% if params != None %}
+   {% set params = ELASTALERTMERGED.get('alerter_parameters', '') | load_yaml %}
+   {% if params != None and params | length > 0 %}
       {% do ELASTALERTMERGED.config.update(params) %}
    {% endif %}
 
-   {% if ELASTALERTMERGED.smtp_user | length > 0 %}
+   {% if ELASTALERTMERGED.get('smtp_user', '') | length > 0 %}
       {% do ELASTALERTMERGED.config.update({'smtp_auth_file': '/opt/elastalert/predefined/smtp_auth.yaml'}) %}
    {% endif %}
 
-   {% if ELASTALERTMERGED.smtp_user | length > 0 %}
-      {% do ELASTALERTMERGED.config.update({'smtp_auth_file': '/opt/elastalert/predefined/smtp_auth.yaml'}) %}
-   {% endif %}
-
-   {% if ELASTALERTMERGED.jira_user | length > 0 or ELASTALERTMERGED.jira_key | length > 0 %}
+   {% if ELASTALERTMERGED.get('jira_user', '') | length > 0 or ELASTALERTMERGED.get('jira_key', '') | length > 0 %}
       {% do ELASTALERTMERGED.config.update({'jira_account_file': '/opt/elastalert/predefined/jira_auth.yaml'}) %}
    {% endif %}