diff --git a/R/api.R b/R/api.R
index b8a6c06..c13db9c 100644
--- a/R/api.R
+++ b/R/api.R
@@ -494,9 +494,13 @@ adjustIncidence <- function(obj, datas = NULL, method = "none",
 }
 
 #' Legacy alert-rule constructor
-#' @param rule,values,delays Legacy arguments.
+#' @param rule,values Legacy arguments.
+#' @param delays Legacy list with turn-on and turn-off delays for yellow, orange,
+#'   and red criteria.
 #' @export
-setCriteria <- function(rule = NULL, values = NULL, delays = 3) {
+setCriteria <- function(rule = NULL, values = NULL,
+                        delays = list(delayy = c(0, 0), delayo = c(0, 0),
+                                      delayr = c(0, 0))) {
   .deprecate_api("setCriteria()", "define_alert_rules()")
   .define_alert_rules_impl(rule, values, delays)
 }
diff --git a/man/setCriteria.Rd b/man/setCriteria.Rd
index f253a5f..fb86749 100644
--- a/man/setCriteria.Rd
+++ b/man/setCriteria.Rd
@@ -4,10 +4,17 @@
 \alias{setCriteria}
 \title{Legacy alert-rule constructor}
 \usage{
-setCriteria(rule = NULL, values = NULL, delays = 3)
+setCriteria(
+  rule = NULL,
+  values = NULL,
+  delays = list(delayy = c(0, 0), delayo = c(0, 0), delayr = c(0, 0))
+)
 }
 \arguments{
-\item{rule, values, delays}{Legacy arguments.}
+\item{rule, values}{Legacy arguments.}
+
+\item{delays}{Legacy list with turn-on and turn-off delays for yellow, orange,
+and red criteria.}
 }
 \description{
 Legacy alert-rule constructor
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-alert-rules.R b/tests/testthat/test-alert-rules.R
index 7b379fe..8fa70cd 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-alert-rules.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-alert-rules.R
@@ -15,6 +15,17 @@ test_that("setCriteria validates inputs and returns the legacy structure", {
   expect_equal(lengths(criteria), c(crity = 3L, crito = 3L, critr = 3L))
 })
 
+test_that("setCriteria keeps its legacy delay-list default", {
+  expected_delays <- list(
+    delayy = c(0, 0),
+    delayo = c(0, 0),
+    delayr = c(0, 0)
+  )
+
+  expect_identical(eval(formals(setCriteria)$delays), expected_delays)
+  expect_identical(formals(define_alert_rules)$delays, 3)
+})
+
 test_that("alert rules preserve output structure and delayed levels", {
   withr::local_options(list(lifecycle_verbosity = "quiet"))
   cases <- read_fixture("cases.csv")