diff --git a/apps/web/src/dashboard/query-builder.js b/apps/web/src/dashboard/query-builder.js
index 6972555..44354d0 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/dashboard/query-builder.js
+++ b/apps/web/src/dashboard/query-builder.js
@@ -22,6 +22,9 @@ class QueryBuilder {
     this.consider = 'up'; // 'up' | 'down'
     this.rules = this._defaultRules();
     this.render();
+    // Notify the form that the default query is already populated, so submitting
+    // without edits sends the default explicitly instead of leaving it null.
+    if (this.onChange) this.onChange(this.getQuery());
   }
 
   _emptyRule() {
diff --git a/apps/web/src/views/partials/monitor-form.ejs b/apps/web/src/views/partials/monitor-form.ejs
index 6429937..d924d8e 100644
--- a/apps/web/src/views/partials/monitor-form.ejs
+++ b/apps/web/src/views/partials/monitor-form.ejs
@@ -174,7 +174,7 @@
 
   <div>
     <label class="block text-sm text-gray-400 mb-1.5"><%= isEdit ? 'Conditions' : 'Query Conditions' %> <span class="text-gray-600">(optional)</span></label>
-    <p class="text-xs text-gray-600 mb-3">Define <% if (isEdit) { %>up/down conditions<% } else { %>when this monitor should be considered "up"<% } %>. Defaults to a 2xx status (shown below — edit to customise).</p>
+    <p class="text-xs text-gray-600 mb-3">Define <% if (isEdit) { %>up/down conditions<% } else { %>when this monitor should be considered "up"<% } %>.</p>
     <div id="<%= prefix %>query-builder"></div>
   </div>