diff --git a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/monitoring/datadog_monitor.py b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/monitoring/datadog_monitor.py
index 71a17e18223..8dbbe646638 100644
--- a/lib/ansible/modules/extras/monitoring/datadog_monitor.py
+++ b/lib/ansible/modules/extras/monitoring/datadog_monitor.py
@@ -95,7 +95,7 @@ options:
         required: false
         default: False
     thresholds:
-        description: ["A dictionary of thresholds by status. Because service checks can have multiple thresholds, we don't define them directly in the query."]
+        description: ["A dictionary of thresholds by status. This option is only available for service checks and metric alerts. Because each of them can have multiple thresholds, we don't define them directly in the query."]
         required: false
         default: {'ok': 1, 'critical': 1, 'warning': 1}
 '''
@@ -152,7 +152,7 @@ def main():
             renotify_interval=dict(required=False, default=None),
             escalation_message=dict(required=False, default=None),
             notify_audit=dict(required=False, default=False, type='bool'),
-            thresholds=dict(required=False, type='dict', default={'ok': 1, 'critical': 1, 'warning': 1}),
+            thresholds=dict(required=False, type='dict', default=None),
         )
     )
 
@@ -228,6 +228,8 @@ def install_monitor(module):
     }
 
     if module.params['type'] == "service check":
+        options["thresholds"] = module.params['thresholds'] or {'ok': 1, 'critical': 1, 'warning': 1}
+    if module.params['type'] == "metric alert" and module.params['thresholds'] is not None:
         options["thresholds"] = module.params['thresholds']
 
     monitor = _get_monitor(module)