diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/all b/inventory/group_vars/all
index e654f674ba..1f8a5beb70 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/all
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/all
@@ -54,6 +54,10 @@ dbs_to_backup: []
 nrpe_procs_warn: 250
 nrpe_procs_crit: 300
 
+# by default, the number of emails in queue before we whine
+nrpe_check_postfix_queue_warn: 2
+nrpe_check_postfix_queue_crit: 5
+
 # env is staging or production, we default it to production here. 
 env: production
 
diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/mailman b/inventory/group_vars/mailman
index c3872709dc..29a68c21f8 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/mailman
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/mailman
@@ -24,3 +24,7 @@ postfix_group: mailman
 
 # Used by the mailman role
 mailman_db_server: db01.phx2.fedoraproject.org
+
+# by default, the number of emails in queue before we whine
+nrpe_check_postfix_queue_warn: 20
+nrpe_check_postfix_queue_crit: 50
diff --git a/inventory/group_vars/mailman-stg b/inventory/group_vars/mailman-stg
index 6bdf6d17a0..3b761d159e 100644
--- a/inventory/group_vars/mailman-stg
+++ b/inventory/group_vars/mailman-stg
@@ -33,3 +33,7 @@ postfix_group: mailman-stg
 
 # Used by the mailman role
 mailman_db_server: db02.stg.phx2.fedoraproject.org
+
+# by default, the number of emails in queue before we whine
+nrpe_check_postfix_queue_warn: 20
+nrpe_check_postfix_queue_crit: 50