diff --git a/awx/main/notifications/grafana_backend.py b/awx/main/notifications/grafana_backend.py
index 8fbedf58d3af..23816c8d0634 100644
--- a/awx/main/notifications/grafana_backend.py
+++ b/awx/main/notifications/grafana_backend.py
@@ -89,7 +89,8 @@ def send_messages(self, messages):
             grafana_data['isRegion'] = self.isRegion
             grafana_data['dashboardId'] = self.dashboardId
             grafana_data['panelId'] = self.panelId
-            grafana_data['tags'] = self.annotation_tags
+            if self.annotation_tags:
+                grafana_data['tags'] = self.annotation_tags
             grafana_data['text'] = m.subject
             grafana_headers['Authorization'] = "Bearer {}".format(self.grafana_key)
             grafana_headers['Content-Type'] = "application/json"
diff --git a/awx/main/tests/unit/notifications/test_grafana.py b/awx/main/tests/unit/notifications/test_grafana.py
index f78d2b5c65c3..e243238b8445 100644
--- a/awx/main/tests/unit/notifications/test_grafana.py
+++ b/awx/main/tests/unit/notifications/test_grafana.py
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ def test_send_messages():
         requests_mock.post.assert_called_once_with(
             'https://example.com/api/annotations',
             headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'Authorization': 'Bearer testapikey'},
-            json={'tags': [], 'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': None, 'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': None},
+            json={'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': None, 'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': None},
             verify=True)
         assert sent_messages == 1
 
@@ -36,7 +36,7 @@ def test_send_messages_with_no_verify_ssl():
         requests_mock.post.assert_called_once_with(
             'https://example.com/api/annotations',
             headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'Authorization': 'Bearer testapikey'},
-            json={'tags': [], 'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': None,'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': None},
+            json={'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': None,'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': None},
             verify=False)
         assert sent_messages == 1
 
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ def test_send_messages_with_dashboardid():
         requests_mock.post.assert_called_once_with(
             'https://example.com/api/annotations',
             headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'Authorization': 'Bearer testapikey'},
-            json={'tags': [], 'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': None, 'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': 42},
+            json={'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': None, 'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': 42},
             verify=True)
         assert sent_messages == 1
 
@@ -72,7 +72,7 @@ def test_send_messages_with_panelid():
         requests_mock.post.assert_called_once_with(
             'https://example.com/api/annotations',
             headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'Authorization': 'Bearer testapikey'},
-            json={'tags': [], 'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': 42, 'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': None},
+            json={'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': 42, 'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': None},
             verify=True)
         assert sent_messages == 1
 
@@ -90,7 +90,7 @@ def test_send_messages_with_bothids():
         requests_mock.post.assert_called_once_with(
             'https://example.com/api/annotations',
             headers={'Content-Type': 'application/json', 'Authorization': 'Bearer testapikey'},
-            json={'tags': [], 'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': 42, 'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': 42},
+            json={'text': 'test subject', 'isRegion': True, 'timeEnd': 120000, 'panelId': 42, 'time': 60000, 'dashboardId': 42},
             verify=True)
         assert sent_messages == 1