README | 1 +
 run.sh | 2 +-

diff --git a/README b/README
index 965731349efcfe61892c6d40508dec01bc87252d..d59c6a90a6f3ae0829b0df18dbe290dc89125e86 100644
--- a/README
+++ b/README
@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@
     $ cat > rc <<EOF
     NOTIFY_EMAIL=user+sgmon@example.com
     PERIOD_DEFAULT=60
+    ATTEMPTS_DEFAULT=1
     EOF
 
 You can run probe individually for testing:
diff --git a/run.sh b/run.sh
index 3bc7a880afae6d37409f4c72ed488228dc100d20..27d72020f79e793186d788930fa2eaefcd87fd77 100755
--- a/run.sh
+++ b/run.sh
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ ln -s $SGMONTMP state
 trap "rm -fr state $SGMONTMP" HUP PIPE INT QUIT TERM EXIT
 
 while : ; do
-    [ -s max-attempts ] && read max_attempts < max-attempts || max_attempts=1
+    [ -s max-attempts ] && read max_attempts < max-attempts || max_attempts=$ATTEMPTS_DEFAULT
     [ -s state/attempts ] && read attempts < state/attempts || attempts=0
     [ -x run ] && cmd=./run || cmd="sh -e run"
     if $cmd >state/stdout 2>state/stderr ; then