diff --git a/UptimeSharp/Components/Alert.cs b/UptimeSharp/Components/Alert.cs
index 197c5ee..375bc73 100644
--- a/UptimeSharp/Components/Alert.cs
+++ b/UptimeSharp/Components/Alert.cs
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ namespace UptimeSharp
         { "alertcontacts", alertIDs != null ? string.Join("-", alertIDs) : null }
       });
 
-      return response.Items;
+      return response.Items ?? new List<Alert>();
     }
 
 
@@ -59,13 +59,11 @@ namespace UptimeSharp
         throw new UptimeSharpException("AlertType.SMS and AlertType.Twitter are not supported by the UptimeRobot API");
       }
 
-      DefaultResponse response = await Request<DefaultResponse>("newAlertContact", cancellationToken, new Dictionary<string, string>()
+      return (await Request<DefaultResponse>("newAlertContact", cancellationToken, new Dictionary<string, string>()
       {
         { "alertContactType", ((int)type).ToString() },
         { "alertContactValue", value }
-      });
-
-      return response.Success;
+      })).Success;
     }
 
 
@@ -92,17 +90,16 @@ namespace UptimeSharp
     /// <exception cref="UptimeSharpException"></exception>
     public async Task<bool> DeleteAlert(string alertID, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default(CancellationToken))
     {
+      // try to delete main alert
       if (alertID.StartsWith("0"))
       {
         throw new UptimeSharpException("Can't delete main alert");
       }
 
-      DefaultResponse response = await Request<DefaultResponse>("deleteAlertContact", cancellationToken, new Dictionary<string, string>()
+      return (await Request<DefaultResponse>("deleteAlertContact", cancellationToken, new Dictionary<string, string>()
       {
         { "alertContactID", alertID }
-      });
-
-      return response.Success;
+      })).Success;
     }
 
 
diff --git a/UptimeSharp/Components/Monitor.cs b/UptimeSharp/Components/Monitor.cs
index 5c15300..291f56f 100644
--- a/UptimeSharp/Components/Monitor.cs
+++ b/UptimeSharp/Components/Monitor.cs
@@ -80,12 +80,10 @@ namespace UptimeSharp
     /// <exception cref="UptimeSharpException"></exception>
     public async Task<bool> DeleteMonitor(int monitorId, CancellationToken cancellationToken = default(CancellationToken))
     {
-      DefaultResponse response = await Request<DefaultResponse>("getMonitors", cancellationToken, new Dictionary<string, string>()
+      return (await Request<DefaultResponse>("getMonitors", cancellationToken, new Dictionary<string, string>()
       {
         { "monitorID", monitorId.ToString() }
-      });
-
-      return response.Success;
+      })).Success;
     }
 
 
@@ -148,8 +146,7 @@ namespace UptimeSharp
         HTTPUsername = HTTPUsername
       };
 
-      DefaultResponse response = await Request<DefaultResponse>("newMonitor", cancellationToken, parameters.Convert());
-      return response.Success;
+      return (await Request<DefaultResponse>("newMonitor", cancellationToken, parameters.Convert())).Success;
     }
 
 
@@ -194,8 +191,7 @@ namespace UptimeSharp
 
       paramList.Add("monitorID", monitor.ID.ToString());
 
-      DefaultResponse response = await Request<DefaultResponse>("editMonitor", cancellationToken, paramList);
-      return response.Success;
+      return (await Request<DefaultResponse>("editMonitor", cancellationToken, paramList)).Success;
     }
   }
 }
\ No newline at end of file