diff --git a/doc/03-monitoring-basics.md b/doc/03-monitoring-basics.md
index 293aabdd6..eb8b6c197 100644
--- a/doc/03-monitoring-basics.md
+++ b/doc/03-monitoring-basics.md
@@ -1690,7 +1690,6 @@ information.
 
   Name                           | Description
   -------------------------------|---------------------------------------
-  `notification_address`         | **Required.** The host's IPv4 address. Defaults to `$address$`.
   `notification_date`            | **Required.** Date and time. Defaults to `$icinga.long_date_time$`.
   `notification_hostname`        | **Required.** The host's `FQDN`. Defaults to `$host.name$`.
   `notification_hostdisplayname` | **Required.** The host's display name. Defaults to `$host.display_name$`.
@@ -1698,6 +1697,7 @@ information.
   `notification_useremail`       | **Required.** The notification's recipient(s). Defaults to `$user.email$`.
   `notification_hoststate`       | **Required.** Current state of host. Defaults to `$host.state$`.
   `notification_type`            | **Required.** Type of notification. Defaults to `$notification.type$`.
+  `notification_address`         | **Optional.** The host's IPv4 address. Defaults to `$address$`.
   `notification_address6`        | **Optional.** The host's IPv6 address. Defaults to `$address6$`.
   `notification_author`          | **Optional.** Comment author. Defaults to `$notification.author$`.
   `notification_comment`         | **Optional.** Comment text. Defaults to `$notification.comment$`.
@@ -1716,7 +1716,6 @@ information.
 
   Name                              | Description
   ----------------------------------|---------------------------------------
-  `notification_address`            | **Required.** The host's IPv4 address. Defaults to `$address$`.
   `notification_date`               | **Required.** Date and time. Defaults to `$icinga.long_date_time$`.
   `notification_hostname`           | **Required.** The host's `FQDN`. Defaults to `$host.name$`.
   `notification_servicename`        | **Required.** The service name. Defaults to `$service.name$`.
@@ -1726,6 +1725,7 @@ information.
   `notification_useremail`          | **Required.** The notification's recipient(s). Defaults to `$user.email$`.
   `notification_servicestate`       | **Required.** Current state of host. Defaults to `$service.state$`.
   `notification_type`               | **Required.** Type of notification. Defaults to `$notification.type$`.
+  `notification_address`            | **Optional.** The host's IPv4 address. Defaults to `$address$`.
   `notification_address6`           | **Optional.** The host's IPv6 address. Defaults to `$address6$`.
   `notification_author`             | **Optional.** Comment author. Defaults to `$notification.author$`.
   `notification_comment`            | **Optional.** Comment text. Defaults to `$notification.comment$`.
diff --git a/etc/icinga2/conf.d/commands.conf b/etc/icinga2/conf.d/commands.conf
index 2aaf44f86..9c5153811 100644
--- a/etc/icinga2/conf.d/commands.conf
+++ b/etc/icinga2/conf.d/commands.conf
@@ -10,10 +10,7 @@ object NotificationCommand "mail-host-notification" {
   command = [ SysconfDir + "/icinga2/scripts/mail-host-notification.sh" ]
 
   arguments += {
-    "-4" = {
-      required = true
-      value = "$notification_address$"
-    }
+    "-4" = "$notification_address$"
     "-6" = "$notification_address6$"
     "-b" = "$notification_author$"
     "-c" = "$notification_comment$"
@@ -72,10 +69,7 @@ object NotificationCommand "mail-service-notification" {
   command = [ SysconfDir + "/icinga2/scripts/mail-service-notification.sh" ]
 
   arguments += {
-    "-4" = {
-      required = true
-      value = "$notification_address$"
-        }
+    "-4" = "$notification_address$"
     "-6" = "$notification_address6$"
     "-b" = "$notification_author$"
     "-c" = "$notification_comment$"
@@ -139,3 +133,55 @@ object NotificationCommand "mail-service-notification" {
     notification_servicedisplayname = "$service.display_name$"
   }
 }
+
+/*
+ * If you prefer to use the notification scripts with environment
+ * variables instead of command line parameters, you can use
+ * the following commands. They have been updated from < 2.7
+ * to support the new notification scripts and should help
+ * with an upgrade.
+ * Remove the comment blocks and comment the notification commands above.
+ */
+
+/*
+
+object NotificationCommand "mail-host-notification" {
+  command = [ SysconfDir + "/icinga2/scripts/mail-host-notification.sh" ]
+
+  env = {
+    NOTIFICATIONTYPE = "$notification.type$"
+    HOSTDISPLAYNAME = "$host.display_name$"
+    HOSTNAME = "$host.name$"
+    HOSTADDRESS = "$address$"
+    HOSTSTATE = "$host.state$"
+    LONGDATETIME = "$icinga.long_date_time$"
+    HOSTOUTPUT = "$host.output$"
+    NOTIFICATIONAUTHORNAME = "$notification.author$"
+    NOTIFICATIONCOMMENT = "$notification.comment$"
+    HOSTDISPLAYNAME = "$host.display_name$"
+    USEREMAIL = "$user.email$"
+  }
+}
+
+object NotificationCommand "mail-service-notification" {
+  command = [ SysconfDir + "/icinga2/scripts/mail-service-notification.sh" ]
+
+  env = {
+    NOTIFICATIONTYPE = "$notification.type$"
+    SERVICENAME = "$service.name$"
+    HOSTNAME = "$host.name$"
+    HOSTDISPLAYNAME = "$host.display_name$"
+    HOSTADDRESS = "$address$"
+    SERVICESTATE = "$service.state$"
+    LONGDATETIME = "$icinga.long_date_time$"
+    SERVICEOUTPUT = "$service.output$"
+    NOTIFICATIONAUTHORNAME = "$notification.author$"
+    NOTIFICATIONCOMMENT = "$notification.comment$"
+    HOSTDISPLAYNAME = "$host.display_name$"
+    SERVICEDISPLAYNAME = "$service.display_name$"
+    USEREMAIL = "$user.email$"
+  }
+}
+
+*/
+
diff --git a/etc/icinga2/scripts/mail-host-notification.sh b/etc/icinga2/scripts/mail-host-notification.sh
index d9ab70754..1f5db94db 100755
--- a/etc/icinga2/scripts/mail-host-notification.sh
+++ b/etc/icinga2/scripts/mail-host-notification.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ Usage() {
 cat << EOF
 
 Required parameters:
-  -4 HOSTADDRESS (\$address\$)
   -d LONGDATETIME (\$icinga.long_date_time\$)
   -l HOSTNAME (\$host.name\$)
   -n HOSTDISPLAYNAME (\$host.display_name\$)
@@ -26,6 +25,7 @@ Required parameters:
   -t NOTIFICATIONTYPE (\$notification.type\$)
 
 Optional parameters:
+  -4 HOSTADDRESS (\$address\$)
   -6 HOSTADDRESS6 (\$address6\$)
   -b NOTIFICATIONAUTHORNAME (\$notification.author\$)
   -c NOTIFICATIONCOMMENT (\$notification.comment\$)
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ Error() {
 while getopts 4:6::b:c:d:f:hi:l:n:o:r:s:t:v: opt
 do
   case "$opt" in
-    4) HOSTADDRESS=$OPTARG ;; # required
+    4) HOSTADDRESS=$OPTARG ;;
     6) HOSTADDRESS6=$OPTARG ;;
     b) NOTIFICATIONAUTHORNAME=$OPTARG ;;
     c) NOTIFICATIONCOMMENT=$OPTARG ;;
@@ -81,7 +81,7 @@ shift $((OPTIND - 1))
 
 ## Check required parameters (TODO: better error message)
 ## Keep formatting in sync with mail-service-notification.sh
-if [ ! "$HOSTADDRESS" ] || [ ! "$LONGDATETIME" ] \
+if [ ! "$LONGDATETIME" ] \
 || [ ! "$HOSTNAME" ] || [ ! "$HOSTDISPLAYNAME" ] \
 || [ ! "$HOSTOUTPUT" ] || [ ! "$HOSTSTATE" ] \
 || [ ! "$USEREMAIL" ] || [ ! "$NOTIFICATIONTYPE" ]; then
@@ -101,10 +101,15 @@ Info:    $HOSTOUTPUT
 
 When:    $LONGDATETIME
 Host:    $HOSTNAME (Display Name: "$HOSTDISPLAYNAME")
-IPv4:    $HOSTADDRESS
 EOF
 `
 
+## Check whether IPv4 was specified.
+if [ -n "$HOSTADDRESS" ] ; then
+  NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE="$NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE
+IPv4:	 $HOSTADDRESS"
+fi
+
 ## Check whether IPv6 was specified.
 if [ -n "$HOSTADDRESS6" ] ; then
   NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE="$NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE
diff --git a/etc/icinga2/scripts/mail-service-notification.sh b/etc/icinga2/scripts/mail-service-notification.sh
index dca23dc63..f99e3ed18 100755
--- a/etc/icinga2/scripts/mail-service-notification.sh
+++ b/etc/icinga2/scripts/mail-service-notification.sh
@@ -16,7 +16,6 @@ Usage() {
 cat << EOF
 
 Required parameters:
-  -4 HOSTADDRESS (\$address\$)
   -d LONGDATETIME (\$icinga.long_date_time\$)
   -e SERVICENAME (\$service.name\$)
   -l HOSTNAME (\$host.name\$)
@@ -28,6 +27,7 @@ Required parameters:
   -u SERVICEDISPLAYNAME (\$service.display_name\$)
 
 Optional parameters:
+  -4 HOSTADDRESS (\$address\$)
   -6 HOSTADDRESS6 (\$address6\$)
   -b NOTIFICATIONAUTHORNAME (\$notification.author\$)
   -c NOTIFICATIONCOMMENT (\$notification.comment\$)
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ Error() {
 while getopts 4:6:b:c:d:e:f:hi:l:n:o:r:s:t:u:v: opt
 do
   case "$opt" in
-    4) HOSTADDRESS=$OPTARG ;; # required
+    4) HOSTADDRESS=$OPTARG ;;
     6) HOSTADDRESS6=$OPTARG ;;
     b) NOTIFICATIONAUTHORNAME=$OPTARG ;;
     c) NOTIFICATIONCOMMENT=$OPTARG ;;
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ shift $((OPTIND - 1))
 
 ## Check required parameters (TODO: better error message)
 ## Keep formatting in sync with mail-host-notification.sh
-if [ ! "$HOSTADDRESS" ] || [ ! "$LONGDATETIME" ] \
+if [ ! "$LONGDATETIME" ] \
 || [ ! "$HOSTNAME" ] || [ ! "$HOSTDISPLAYNAME" ] \
 || [ ! "$SERVICENAME" ] || [ ! "$SERVICEDISPLAYNAME" ] \
 || [ ! "$SERVICEOUTPUT" ] || [ ! "$SERVICESTATE" ] \
@@ -107,10 +107,15 @@ Info:    $SERVICEOUTPUT
 When:    $LONGDATETIME
 Service: $SERVICENAME (Display Name: "$SERVICEDISPLAYNAME")
 Host:    $HOSTNAME (Display Name: "$HOSTDISPLAYNAME")
-IPv4:    $HOSTADDRESS
 EOF
 `
 
+## Check whether IPv4 was specified.
+if [ -n "$HOSTADDRESS" ] ; then
+  NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE="$NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE
+IPv4:    $HOSTADDRESS"
+fi
+
 ## Check whether IPv6 was specified.
 if [ -n "$HOSTADDRESS6" ] ; then
   NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE="$NOTIFICATION_MESSAGE