diff --git a/pkg/services/ngalert/schedule/schedule.go b/pkg/services/ngalert/schedule/schedule.go
index 6a0bdd4a4d9..f36ba8158c2 100644
--- a/pkg/services/ngalert/schedule/schedule.go
+++ b/pkg/services/ngalert/schedule/schedule.go
@@ -114,6 +114,12 @@ type SchedulerCfg struct {
 
 // NewScheduler returns a new schedule.
 func NewScheduler(cfg SchedulerCfg, stateManager *state.Manager) *schedule {
+	const minMaxAttempts = int64(1)
+	if cfg.MaxAttempts < minMaxAttempts {
+		cfg.Log.Warn("Invalid scheduler maxAttempts, using a safe minimum", "configured", cfg.MaxAttempts, "actual", minMaxAttempts)
+		cfg.MaxAttempts = minMaxAttempts
+	}
+
 	sch := schedule{
 		registry:              alertRuleInfoRegistry{alertRuleInfo: make(map[ngmodels.AlertRuleKey]*alertRuleInfo)},
 		maxAttempts:           cfg.MaxAttempts,
@@ -136,7 +142,7 @@ func NewScheduler(cfg SchedulerCfg, stateManager *state.Manager) *schedule {
 }
 
 func (sch *schedule) Run(ctx context.Context) error {
-	sch.log.Info("Starting scheduler", "tickInterval", sch.baseInterval)
+	sch.log.Info("Starting scheduler", "tickInterval", sch.baseInterval, "maxAttempts", sch.maxAttempts)
 	t := ticker.New(sch.clock, sch.baseInterval, sch.metrics.Ticker)
 	defer t.Stop()
 
@@ -383,6 +389,9 @@ func (sch *schedule) ruleRoutine(grafanaCtx context.Context, key ngmodels.AlertR
 		start := sch.clock.Now()
 
 		evalCtx := eval.NewContextWithPreviousResults(ctx, SchedulerUserFor(e.rule.OrgID), sch.newLoadedMetricsReader(e.rule))
+		if sch.evaluatorFactory == nil {
+			panic("evalfactory nil")
+		}
 		ruleEval, err := sch.evaluatorFactory.Create(evalCtx, e.rule.GetEvalCondition())
 		var results eval.Results
 		var dur time.Duration
@@ -551,7 +560,7 @@ func (sch *schedule) ruleRoutine(grafanaCtx context.Context, key ngmodels.AlertR
 						return
 					}
 
-					logger.Error("Failed to evaluate rule", "version", ctx.rule.Version, "fingerprint", f, "attempt", attempt, "now", ctx.scheduledAt)
+					logger.Error("Failed to evaluate rule", "version", ctx.rule.Version, "fingerprint", f, "attempt", attempt, "now", ctx.scheduledAt, "error", err)
 					select {
 					case <-tracingCtx.Done():
 						logger.Error("Context has been cancelled while backing off", "version", ctx.rule.Version, "fingerprint", f, "attempt", attempt, "now", ctx.scheduledAt)
diff --git a/pkg/services/ngalert/schedule/schedule_unit_test.go b/pkg/services/ngalert/schedule/schedule_unit_test.go
index f0613be1b18..6d1d03f6d02 100644
--- a/pkg/services/ngalert/schedule/schedule_unit_test.go
+++ b/pkg/services/ngalert/schedule/schedule_unit_test.go
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import (
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/expr"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/infra/log"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/infra/tracing"
+	datasources "github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/datasources/fakes"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/featuremgmt"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/ngalert/api/tooling/definitions"
 	"github.com/grafana/grafana/pkg/services/ngalert/eval"
@@ -66,15 +67,19 @@ func TestProcessTicks(t *testing.T) {
 		Host:   "localhost",
 	}
 
+	cacheServ := &datasources.FakeCacheService{}
+	evaluator := eval.NewEvaluatorFactory(setting.UnifiedAlertingSettings{}, cacheServ, expr.ProvideService(&setting.Cfg{ExpressionsEnabled: true}, nil, nil, &featuremgmt.FeatureManager{}, nil, tracing.InitializeTracerForTest()), &pluginstore.FakePluginStore{})
+
 	schedCfg := SchedulerCfg{
-		BaseInterval: cfg.BaseInterval,
-		C:            mockedClock,
-		AppURL:       appUrl,
-		RuleStore:    ruleStore,
-		Metrics:      testMetrics.GetSchedulerMetrics(),
-		AlertSender:  notifier,
-		Tracer:       testTracer,
-		Log:          log.New("ngalert.scheduler"),
+		BaseInterval:     cfg.BaseInterval,
+		C:                mockedClock,
+		AppURL:           appUrl,
+		EvaluatorFactory: evaluator,
+		RuleStore:        ruleStore,
+		Metrics:          testMetrics.GetSchedulerMetrics(),
+		AlertSender:      notifier,
+		Tracer:           testTracer,
+		Log:              log.New("ngalert.scheduler"),
 	}
 	managerCfg := state.ManagerCfg{
 		Metrics:                 testMetrics.GetStateMetrics(),