diff --git a/packages/react-core/src/components/Alert/Alert.tsx b/packages/react-core/src/components/Alert/Alert.tsx
index e390913c4ff..6779d28db7c 100644
--- a/packages/react-core/src/components/Alert/Alert.tsx
+++ b/packages/react-core/src/components/Alert/Alert.tsx
@@ -57,8 +57,10 @@ export interface AlertProps extends Omit<React.HTMLProps<HTMLDivElement>, 'actio
   timeoutAnimation?: number;
   /** Title of the alert.  */
   title: React.ReactNode;
-  /** Sets the heading level to use for the alert title. Default is h4. */
+  /** @deprecated Sets the heading level to use for the alert title. Default is h4. */
   titleHeadingLevel?: 'h1' | 'h2' | 'h3' | 'h4' | 'h5' | 'h6';
+  /** Sets the element to use as the alert title. Default is h4. */
+  component?: keyof JSX.IntrinsicElements;
   /** Adds accessible text to the alert toggle. */
   toggleAriaLabel?: string;
   /** Position of the tooltip which is displayed if text is truncated. */
@@ -99,7 +101,8 @@ export const Alert: React.FunctionComponent<AlertProps> = ({
   actionClose,
   actionLinks,
   title,
-  titleHeadingLevel: TitleHeadingLevel = 'h4',
+  titleHeadingLevel,
+  component = 'h4',
   children = '',
   className = '',
   ouiaId,
@@ -126,6 +129,14 @@ export const Alert: React.FunctionComponent<AlertProps> = ({
   );
 
   const titleRef = React.useRef(null);
+  const TitleComponent = (titleHeadingLevel || component) as any;
+  if (titleHeadingLevel !== undefined) {
+    // eslint-disable-next-line no-console
+    console.warn(
+      'Alert: titleHeadingLevel is deprecated, please use the newer component prop instead to set the alert title element.'
+    );
+  }
+
   const divRef = React.useRef<HTMLDivElement>();
   const [isTooltipVisible, setIsTooltipVisible] = useState(false);
   React.useEffect(() => {
@@ -145,12 +156,12 @@ export const Alert: React.FunctionComponent<AlertProps> = ({
   const [containsFocus, setContainsFocus] = useState<boolean | undefined>();
   const dismissed = timedOut && timedOutAnimation && !isMouseOver && !containsFocus;
   React.useEffect(() => {
-    timeout = timeout === true ? 8000 : Number(timeout);
-    if (timeout > 0) {
-      const timer = setTimeout(() => setTimedOut(true), timeout);
+    const calculatedTimeout = timeout === true ? 8000 : Number(timeout);
+    if (calculatedTimeout > 0) {
+      const timer = setTimeout(() => setTimedOut(true), calculatedTimeout);
       return () => clearTimeout(timer);
     }
-  }, []);
+  }, [timeout]);
   React.useEffect(() => {
     const onDocumentFocus = () => {
       if (divRef.current) {
@@ -172,10 +183,10 @@ export const Alert: React.FunctionComponent<AlertProps> = ({
       const timer = setTimeout(() => setTimedOutAnimation(true), timeoutAnimation);
       return () => clearTimeout(timer);
     }
-  }, [containsFocus, isMouseOver]);
+  }, [containsFocus, isMouseOver, timeoutAnimation]);
   React.useEffect(() => {
     dismissed && onTimeout();
-  }, [dismissed]);
+  }, [dismissed, onTimeout]);
 
   const [isExpanded, setIsExpanded] = useState(false);
   const onToggleExpand = () => {
@@ -197,13 +208,13 @@ export const Alert: React.FunctionComponent<AlertProps> = ({
     return null;
   }
   const Title = (
-    <TitleHeadingLevel
+    <TitleComponent
       {...(isTooltipVisible && { tabIndex: 0 })}
       ref={titleRef}
       className={css(styles.alertTitle, truncateTitle && styles.modifiers.truncate)}
     >
       {getHeadingContent}
-    </TitleHeadingLevel>
+    </TitleComponent>
   );
 
   return (
diff --git a/packages/react-core/src/components/Alert/examples/Alert.md b/packages/react-core/src/components/Alert/examples/Alert.md
index a50f9a861fc..5aaf0bbab29 100644
--- a/packages/react-core/src/components/Alert/examples/Alert.md
+++ b/packages/react-core/src/components/Alert/examples/Alert.md
@@ -50,8 +50,9 @@ PatternFly supports several properties and variations that can be used to add ex
 
 * As demonstrated in the 3rd and 4th variations below, use the `actionClose` property to add an `<AlertActionCloseButton>` component, which can be used to manage and customize alert dismissals. `actionClose` can be used with or without the presence of `actionLinks`.
 
-* As demonstrated in the 5th and 6th variations below, use the `titleHeadingLevel` property to set the heading level of an alert title. Headings should be ordered by their level and heading levels should not be skipped. For example, a heading of an `h2` level should not be followed directly by an `h4`.
-
+* As demonstrated in the 5th and 6th variations below, use the `component` property to set the element for an alert title.  
+  * If the `description` prop is not passed in, then the `component` prop should be set to a non-heading element such as a `span` or `div`.
+  * If the `description` prop is passed in, then the `component` prop should be a heading element. Headings should be ordered by their level and heading levels should not be skipped. For example, a heading of an `h2` level should not be followed directly by an `h4`.
 ```ts
 import React from 'react';
 import { Alert, AlertActionCloseButton, AlertActionLink } from '@patternfly/react-core';
@@ -88,8 +89,10 @@ import { Alert, AlertActionCloseButton, AlertActionLink } from '@patternfly/reac
     }
   />
   <Alert variant="success" title="Success alert title" actionClose={<AlertActionCloseButton onClose={() => alert('Clicked the close button')} />} />
-  <Alert variant="success" title="h1 Success alert title" titleHeadingLevel="h1" />
-  <Alert variant="success" title="h6 Success alert title" titleHeadingLevel="h6" />
+  <Alert variant="success" title="div success alert title" component="div" />
+  <Alert variant="success" title="h6 Success alert title" component="h6" >
+    <p>Short alert description</p>
+  </Alert>
   </React.Fragment>
 ```
 ### Alert timeout