diff --git a/kapacitor/vars.go b/kapacitor/vars.go
index 0c1cfd147b..081f349fb7 100644
--- a/kapacitor/vars.go
+++ b/kapacitor/vars.go
@@ -40,10 +40,7 @@ func Vars(rule chronograf.AlertRule) (string, error) {
 		%s
         var crit = %s
  `
-			// If critical value is a string, we'll
-			// need to single-quote it.
-			crit := critVar(rule.TriggerValues.Value)
-			return fmt.Sprintf(vars, common, crit), nil
+			return fmt.Sprintf(vars, common, formatValue(rule.TriggerValues.Value)), nil
 		} else {
 			vars := `
 			%s
@@ -181,10 +178,9 @@ func whereFilter(q chronograf.QueryConfig) string {
 	return "lambda: TRUE"
 }
 
-// critVar return the same string if a numeric type
-// or if it is a string will return it as a kapacitor
-// formatted single-quoted string
-func critVar(value string) string {
+// formatValue return the same string if a numeric type or if it is a string
+// will return it as a kapacitor formatted single-quoted string
+func formatValue(value string) string {
 	// Test if numeric if it can be converted to a float
 	if _, err := strconv.ParseFloat(value, 64); err == nil {
 		return value