diff --git a/plugins/calendar/calendar_ui.js b/plugins/calendar/calendar_ui.js
index 10d65217..000cc3cd 100644
--- a/plugins/calendar/calendar_ui.js
+++ b/plugins/calendar/calendar_ui.js
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ function rcube_calendar_ui(settings)
     var client_timezone = new Date().getTimezoneOffset();
     var day_clicked = day_clicked_ts = 0;
     var ignore_click = false;
-    var event_defaults = { free_busy:'busy' };
+    var event_defaults = { free_busy:'busy', alarms:'' };
     var event_attendees = [];
     var attendees_list;
     var freebusy_ui = { workinhoursonly:false, needsupdate:false };
@@ -446,7 +446,7 @@ function rcube_calendar_ui(settings)
       
       // set alarm(s)
       // TODO: support multiple alarm entries
-      if (event.alarms) {
+      if (event.alarms || action != 'new') {
         if (typeof event.alarms == 'string')
           event.alarms = event.alarms.split(';');
         
diff --git a/plugins/tasklist/tasklist.js b/plugins/tasklist/tasklist.js
index 7a104844..7fa17f67 100644
--- a/plugins/tasklist/tasklist.js
+++ b/plugins/tasklist/tasklist.js
@@ -966,7 +966,8 @@ function rcube_tasklist_ui(settings)
         if (rcmail.busy || !list.editable || (action == 'edit' && (!rec || rec.readonly)))
             return false;
 
-        me.selected_task = $.extend({}, rec);  // clone task object
+        me.selected_task = $.extend({ alarms:'' }, rec);  // clone task object
+        rec =  me.selected_task;
 
         // assign temporary id
         if (!me.selected_task.id)
@@ -1006,7 +1007,7 @@ function rcube_tasklist_ui(settings)
         });
 
         // set alarm(s)
-        if (rec.alarms) {
+        if (rec.alarms || action != 'new') {
             if (typeof rec.alarms == 'string')
                 rec.alarms = rec.alarms.split(';');