diff --git a/nagios/defaults/main.yml b/nagios/defaults/main.yml
index 4450cc3b..178ac3cf 100644
--- a/nagios/defaults/main.yml
+++ b/nagios/defaults/main.yml
@@ -41,6 +41,10 @@ nagios_plugins_base_pkgs:
 nagios_plugins_contrib:
   - nagios-plugins-contrib
 
+nagios_load_per_cpu: True
+nagios_load_w: 4,3,3
+nagios_load_c: 6,5,5
+
 nagios_psql_query_time_w: 40
 nagios_psql_query_time_c: 60
 nagios_psql_db_size_w: 150000000
diff --git a/nagios/templates/common-nrpe.cfg.j2 b/nagios/templates/common-nrpe.cfg.j2
index 4be7a47e..48fa5d83 100644
--- a/nagios/templates/common-nrpe.cfg.j2
+++ b/nagios/templates/common-nrpe.cfg.j2
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 #
 command[global_check_disk]={{ nagios_plugins_dir }}/check_disk -w {{ nagios_check_disk_w }}% -c {{ nagios_check_disk_c }}% -X tmpfs -X proc -X sysfs -X devpts -X dev -A -i /mnt/.*
 
-command[global_check_load]={{ nagios_plugins_dir }}/check_load -w 20,15,10 -c 35,30,25
+command[global_check_load]={{ nagios_plugins_dir }}/check_load {% if nagios_load_per_cpu %}-r{% endif %} -w {{ nagios_load_w }} -c {{ nagios_load_c }}
 command[global_check_memory]={{ nagios_plugins_dir }}/check_memory -u G -w 5% -c 1%
 command[global_check_swap]={{ nagios_plugins_dir }}/check_swap -w 20% -c 5%
 command[global_check_zombie_procs]={{ nagios_plugins_dir }}/check_procs -w 5 -c 10 -s Z