diff --git a/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/java/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/AlertDialog.java b/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/java/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/AlertDialog.java
index fd1f17768..eb8778517 100644
--- a/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/java/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/AlertDialog.java
+++ b/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/java/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/AlertDialog.java
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@
 import org.eclipse.swt.events.SelectionListener;
 import org.eclipse.swt.graphics.Color;
 import org.eclipse.swt.graphics.Image;
+import org.eclipse.swt.graphics.Point;
 import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridData;
 import org.eclipse.swt.layout.GridLayout;
 import org.eclipse.swt.widgets.Button;
@@ -68,6 +69,9 @@
 import org.openjdk.jmc.ui.misc.TypedLabelProvider;
 
 public class AlertDialog extends TitleAreaDialog {
+	// Minimum alert dialog height (in dialog units)
+	public static final int MIN_ALERT_DIALOG_HEIGHT = 200;
+
 	private Button m_clearButton;
 	private Text m_text;
 	private TableViewer m_viewer;
@@ -194,6 +198,12 @@ protected Control createContents(Composite parent) {
 		return contents;
 	}
 
+	@Override
+	protected Point getInitialSize() {
+		Point shellSize = super.getInitialSize();
+		return new Point(shellSize.x, Math.max(convertVerticalDLUsToPixels(MIN_ALERT_DIALOG_HEIGHT), shellSize.y));
+	}
+
 	@Override
 	protected Control createDialogArea(Composite parent) {
 		Control dialogArea = super.createDialogArea(parent);
@@ -203,7 +213,7 @@ protected Control createDialogArea(Composite parent) {
 		viewer.getTable().setLayoutData(new GridData(SWT.FILL, SWT.FILL, true, true));
 		m_text = createMessage(sash);
 		m_text.setLayoutData(new GridData(SWT.FILL, SWT.FILL, true, false));
-		sash.setWeights(new int[] {75, 25});
+		sash.setWeights(new int[] {60, 40});
 		sash.setLayout(new GridLayout());
 		return dialogArea;
 	}
diff --git a/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/java/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/AlertPlugin.java b/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/java/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/AlertPlugin.java
index 1c975e246..73b0bd672 100644
--- a/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/java/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/AlertPlugin.java
+++ b/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/java/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/AlertPlugin.java
@@ -148,12 +148,12 @@ private String createExceptionMessage(Date d, Throwable exception, TriggerRule r
 					new Object[] {df1.format(d), df2.format(d)}));
 		}
 		builder.append(NLS.bind(Messages.AlertPlugin_MESSAGE_EXCEPTION_INVOKING_ACTION, rule.getName()));
-		if (triggerMessage != null) {
-			builder.append("\n" + triggerMessage + "\n");
-		}
 		builder.append(NLS.bind(Messages.AlertPlugin_MESSAGE_EXCEPTION_INVOKING_ACTION_MESSAGE_CAPTION,
 				exception.getLocalizedMessage()));
 		builder.append(Messages.AlertPlugin_MESSAGE_EXCEPTION_INVOKING_ACTION_MESSAGE_MORE_INFORMATION);
+		if (triggerMessage != null) {
+			builder.append("\n" + triggerMessage);
+		}
 		return builder.toString();
 	}
 
diff --git a/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/resources/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/messages.properties b/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/resources/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/messages.properties
index e65de161f..b1e5a10e4 100644
--- a/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/resources/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/messages.properties
+++ b/application/org.openjdk.jmc.alert/src/main/resources/org/openjdk/jmc/alert/messages.properties
@@ -38,8 +38,8 @@ AlertDialog_CLEAR_ALERTS_TEXT0=Clear
 AlertDialog_COLUMN_HEADER_SOURCE=Source
 AlertDialog_POP_UP_ON_ALERTS_TEXT=Show dialog on alerts
 AlertPlugin_MESSAGE_EXCEPTION_INVOKING_ACTION=An exception occurred when invoking the action for the rule {0}!\n
-AlertPlugin_MESSAGE_EXCEPTION_INVOKING_ACTION_MESSAGE_CAPTION=The message was: {0}\n\n
-AlertPlugin_MESSAGE_EXCEPTION_INVOKING_ACTION_MESSAGE_MORE_INFORMATION=For more information, please see the log!
+AlertPlugin_MESSAGE_EXCEPTION_INVOKING_ACTION_MESSAGE_CAPTION=The message was: {0}\n
+AlertPlugin_MESSAGE_EXCEPTION_INVOKING_ACTION_MESSAGE_MORE_INFORMATION=For more information, please see the log!\n
 AlertPlugin_RULE_X_Y_TEXT=Rule: {0}\\{1}\n
 AlertPlugin_SOURCE_X_TEXT=Source: {0}\n
 AlertPlugin_TIME_X_Y_TEXT=Time: {0} {1}\n