diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/NotificationPolicies.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/NotificationPolicies.tsx
index 2d29c11cdb3..5309c537cfc 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/NotificationPolicies.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/NotificationPolicies.tsx
@@ -54,8 +54,8 @@ const AmRoutes = () => {
   const [contactPointFilter, setContactPointFilter] = useState<string | undefined>();
   const [labelMatchersFilter, setLabelMatchersFilter] = useState<ObjectMatcher[]>([]);
 
+  const { selectedAlertmanager, hasConfigurationAPI, isGrafanaAlertmanager } = useAlertmanager();
   const { getRouteGroupsMap } = useRouteGroupsMatcher();
-  const { selectedAlertmanager, hasConfigurationAPI } = useAlertmanager();
 
   const contactPointsState = useGetContactPointsState(selectedAlertmanager ?? '');
 
@@ -93,9 +93,9 @@ const AmRoutes = () => {
 
   useEffect(() => {
     if (rootRoute && alertGroups) {
-      triggerGetRouteGroupsMap(rootRoute, alertGroups);
+      triggerGetRouteGroupsMap(rootRoute, alertGroups, { unquoteMatchers: !isGrafanaAlertmanager });
     }
-  }, [rootRoute, alertGroups, triggerGetRouteGroupsMap]);
+  }, [rootRoute, alertGroups, triggerGetRouteGroupsMap, isGrafanaAlertmanager]);
 
   // these are computed from the contactPoint and labels matchers filter
   const routesMatchingFilters = useMemo(() => {
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/EditNotificationPolicyForm.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/EditNotificationPolicyForm.tsx
index f7eabb4896d..0d2ca067d4e 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/EditNotificationPolicyForm.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/EditNotificationPolicyForm.tsx
@@ -134,7 +134,7 @@ export const AmRoutesExpandedForm = ({
                               error={errors.object_matchers?.[index]?.value?.message}
                             >
                               <Input
-                                {...register(`object_matchers.${index}.value`, { required: 'Field is required' })}
+                                {...register(`object_matchers.${index}.value`)}
                                 defaultValue={field.value}
                                 placeholder="value"
                               />
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Matchers.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Matchers.tsx
index f379658d2c7..458dc4a0258 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Matchers.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Matchers.tsx
@@ -6,12 +6,13 @@ import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
 import { getTagColorsFromName, useStyles2, Stack } from '@grafana/ui';
 import { ObjectMatcher } from 'app/plugins/datasource/alertmanager/types';
 
+import { MatcherFormatter, matcherFormatter } from '../../utils/matchers';
 import { HoverCard } from '../HoverCard';
 
-type MatchersProps = { matchers: ObjectMatcher[] };
+type MatchersProps = { matchers: ObjectMatcher[]; formatter?: MatcherFormatter };
 
 // renders the first N number of matchers
-const Matchers: FC<MatchersProps> = ({ matchers }) => {
+const Matchers: FC<MatchersProps> = ({ matchers, formatter = 'default' }) => {
   const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
 
   const NUM_MATCHERS = 5;
@@ -24,7 +25,7 @@ const Matchers: FC<MatchersProps> = ({ matchers }) => {
     <span data-testid="label-matchers">
       <Stack direction="row" gap={1} alignItems="center" wrap={'wrap'}>
         {firstFew.map((matcher) => (
-          <MatcherBadge key={uniqueId()} matcher={matcher} />
+          <MatcherBadge key={uniqueId()} matcher={matcher} formatter={formatter} />
         ))}
         {/* TODO hover state to show all matchers we're not showing */}
         {hasMoreMatchers && (
@@ -51,15 +52,16 @@ const Matchers: FC<MatchersProps> = ({ matchers }) => {
 
 interface MatcherBadgeProps {
   matcher: ObjectMatcher;
+  formatter?: MatcherFormatter;
 }
 
-const MatcherBadge: FC<MatcherBadgeProps> = ({ matcher: [label, operator, value] }) => {
+const MatcherBadge: FC<MatcherBadgeProps> = ({ matcher, formatter = 'default' }) => {
   const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
 
   return (
-    <div className={styles.matcher(label).wrapper}>
+    <div className={styles.matcher(matcher[0]).wrapper}>
       <Stack direction="row" gap={0} alignItems="baseline">
-        {label} {operator} {value}
+        {matcherFormatter[formatter](matcher)}
       </Stack>
     </div>
   );
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Modals.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Modals.tsx
index 099642f87d3..9985b7261f3 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Modals.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Modals.tsx
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@ import {
 } from 'app/plugins/datasource/alertmanager/types';
 
 import { FormAmRoute } from '../../types/amroutes';
+import { MatcherFormatter } from '../../utils/matchers';
 import { AlertGroup } from '../alert-groups/AlertGroup';
 import { useGetAmRouteReceiverWithGrafanaAppTypes } from '../receivers/grafanaAppReceivers/grafanaApp';
 
@@ -210,6 +211,7 @@ const useAlertGroupsModal = (): [
   const [showModal, setShowModal] = useState(false);
   const [alertGroups, setAlertGroups] = useState<AlertmanagerGroup[]>([]);
   const [matchers, setMatchers] = useState<ObjectMatcher[]>([]);
+  const [formatter, setFormatter] = useState<MatcherFormatter>('default');
 
   const handleDismiss = useCallback(() => {
     setShowModal(false);
@@ -217,13 +219,19 @@ const useAlertGroupsModal = (): [
     setMatchers([]);
   }, []);
 
-  const handleShow = useCallback((alertGroups: AlertmanagerGroup[], matchers?: ObjectMatcher[]) => {
-    setAlertGroups(alertGroups);
-    if (matchers) {
-      setMatchers(matchers);
-    }
-    setShowModal(true);
-  }, []);
+  const handleShow = useCallback(
+    (alertGroups: AlertmanagerGroup[], matchers?: ObjectMatcher[], formatter?: MatcherFormatter) => {
+      setAlertGroups(alertGroups);
+      if (matchers) {
+        setMatchers(matchers);
+      }
+      if (formatter) {
+        setFormatter(formatter);
+      }
+      setShowModal(true);
+    },
+    []
+  );
 
   const instancesByState = useMemo(() => {
     const instances = alertGroups.flatMap((group) => group.alerts);
@@ -242,7 +250,7 @@ const useAlertGroupsModal = (): [
             <Stack direction="row" alignItems="center" gap={0.5}>
               <Icon name="x" /> Matchers
             </Stack>
-            <Matchers matchers={matchers} />
+            <Matchers matchers={matchers} formatter={formatter} />
           </Stack>
         }
       >
@@ -265,7 +273,7 @@ const useAlertGroupsModal = (): [
         </Modal.ButtonRow>
       </Modal>
     ),
-    [alertGroups, handleDismiss, instancesByState, matchers, showModal]
+    [alertGroups, handleDismiss, instancesByState, matchers, formatter, showModal]
   );
 
   return [modalElement, handleShow, handleDismiss];
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Policy.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Policy.tsx
index b6ba61d28c5..c2069f80cf7 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Policy.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/notification-policies/Policy.tsx
@@ -32,7 +32,8 @@ import { ReceiversState } from 'app/types';
 
 import { AlertmanagerAction, useAlertmanagerAbilities, useAlertmanagerAbility } from '../../hooks/useAbilities';
 import { INTEGRATION_ICONS } from '../../types/contact-points';
-import { normalizeMatchers } from '../../utils/matchers';
+import { getAmMatcherFormatter } from '../../utils/alertmanager';
+import { MatcherFormatter, normalizeMatchers } from '../../utils/matchers';
 import { createContactPointLink, createMuteTimingLink } from '../../utils/misc';
 import { InheritableProperties, getInheritedProperties } from '../../utils/notification-policies';
 import { Authorize } from '../Authorize';
@@ -55,7 +56,6 @@ interface PolicyComponentProps {
   provisioned?: boolean;
   inheritedProperties?: Partial<InheritableProperties>;
   routesMatchingFilters?: RouteWithID[];
-  // routeAlertGroupsMap?: Map<string, AlertmanagerGroup[]>;
 
   matchingInstancesPreview?: { groupsMap?: Map<string, AlertmanagerGroup[]>; enabled: boolean };
 
@@ -65,7 +65,11 @@ interface PolicyComponentProps {
   onEditPolicy: (route: RouteWithID, isDefault?: boolean, isAutogenerated?: boolean) => void;
   onAddPolicy: (route: RouteWithID) => void;
   onDeletePolicy: (route: RouteWithID) => void;
-  onShowAlertInstances: (alertGroups: AlertmanagerGroup[], matchers?: ObjectMatcher[]) => void;
+  onShowAlertInstances: (
+    alertGroups: AlertmanagerGroup[],
+    matchers?: ObjectMatcher[],
+    formatter?: MatcherFormatter
+  ) => void;
   isAutoGenerated?: boolean;
 }
 
@@ -194,7 +198,7 @@ const Policy = (props: PolicyComponentProps) => {
                       <DefaultPolicyIndicator />
                     )
                   ) : hasMatchers ? (
-                    <Matchers matchers={matchers ?? []} />
+                    <Matchers matchers={matchers ?? []} formatter={getAmMatcherFormatter(alertManagerSourceName)} />
                   ) : (
                     <span className={styles.metadata}>No matchers</span>
                   )}
@@ -325,7 +329,11 @@ interface MetadataRowProps {
   matchingAlertGroups?: AlertmanagerGroup[];
   matchers?: ObjectMatcher[];
   isDefaultPolicy: boolean;
-  onShowAlertInstances: (alertGroups: AlertmanagerGroup[], matchers?: ObjectMatcher[]) => void;
+  onShowAlertInstances: (
+    alertGroups: AlertmanagerGroup[],
+    matchers?: ObjectMatcher[],
+    formatter?: MatcherFormatter
+  ) => void;
 }
 
 function MetadataRow({
@@ -361,7 +369,8 @@ function MetadataRow({
           <MetaText
             icon="layers-alt"
             onClick={() => {
-              matchingAlertGroups && onShowAlertInstances(matchingAlertGroups, matchers);
+              matchingAlertGroups &&
+                onShowAlertInstances(matchingAlertGroups, matchers, getAmMatcherFormatter(alertManagerSourceName));
             }}
             data-testid="matching-instances"
           >
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationPolicyMatchers.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationPolicyMatchers.tsx
index ad459deedb0..cb7c4492d1c 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationPolicyMatchers.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationPolicyMatchers.tsx
@@ -4,18 +4,24 @@ import React from 'react';
 import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
 import { useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
 
+import { MatcherFormatter } from '../../../utils/matchers';
 import { Matchers } from '../../notification-policies/Matchers';
 
 import { hasEmptyMatchers, isDefaultPolicy, RouteWithPath } from './route';
 
-export function NotificationPolicyMatchers({ route }: { route: RouteWithPath }) {
+interface Props {
+  route: RouteWithPath;
+  matcherFormatter: MatcherFormatter;
+}
+
+export function NotificationPolicyMatchers({ route, matcherFormatter }: Props) {
   const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
   if (isDefaultPolicy(route)) {
     return <div className={styles.defaultPolicy}>Default policy</div>;
   } else if (hasEmptyMatchers(route)) {
     return <div className={styles.textMuted}>No matchers</div>;
   } else {
-    return <Matchers matchers={route.object_matchers ?? []} />;
+    return <Matchers matchers={route.object_matchers ?? []} formatter={matcherFormatter} />;
   }
 }
 
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationRoute.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationRoute.tsx
index 1a7f9a13944..a95e1bbb8a6 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationRoute.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationRoute.tsx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import { Button, getTagColorIndexFromName, TagList, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/
 
 import { Receiver } from '../../../../../../plugins/datasource/alertmanager/types';
 import { Stack } from '../../../../../../plugins/datasource/parca/QueryEditor/Stack';
+import { getAmMatcherFormatter } from '../../../utils/alertmanager';
 import { AlertInstanceMatch } from '../../../utils/notification-policies';
 import { CollapseToggle } from '../../CollapseToggle';
 import { MetaText } from '../../MetaText';
@@ -58,7 +59,10 @@ function NotificationRouteHeader({
         <div onClick={() => onExpandRouteClick(!expandRoute)} className={styles.expandable}>
           <Stack gap={1} direction="row" alignItems="center">
             Notification policy
-            <NotificationPolicyMatchers route={route} />
+            <NotificationPolicyMatchers
+              route={route}
+              matcherFormatter={getAmMatcherFormatter(alertManagerSourceName)}
+            />
           </Stack>
         </div>
         <Spacer />
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationRouteDetailsModal.tsx b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationRouteDetailsModal.tsx
index f66e525f8a1..8de20bc227d 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationRouteDetailsModal.tsx
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/NotificationRouteDetailsModal.tsx
@@ -3,20 +3,26 @@ import { compact } from 'lodash';
 import React from 'react';
 
 import { GrafanaTheme2 } from '@grafana/data';
-import { Button, Icon, Modal, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
+import { Button, Icon, Modal, Stack, useStyles2 } from '@grafana/ui';
 
 import { Receiver } from '../../../../../../plugins/datasource/alertmanager/types';
-import { Stack } from '../../../../../../plugins/datasource/parca/QueryEditor/Stack';
 import { AlertmanagerAction } from '../../../hooks/useAbilities';
 import { AlertmanagerProvider } from '../../../state/AlertmanagerContext';
-import { GRAFANA_DATASOURCE_NAME } from '../../../utils/datasource';
+import { getAmMatcherFormatter } from '../../../utils/alertmanager';
+import { MatcherFormatter } from '../../../utils/matchers';
 import { makeAMLink } from '../../../utils/misc';
 import { Authorize } from '../../Authorize';
 import { Matchers } from '../../notification-policies/Matchers';
 
 import { hasEmptyMatchers, isDefaultPolicy, RouteWithPath } from './route';
 
-function PolicyPath({ route, routesByIdMap }: { routesByIdMap: Map<string, RouteWithPath>; route: RouteWithPath }) {
+interface Props {
+  routesByIdMap: Map<string, RouteWithPath>;
+  route: RouteWithPath;
+  matcherFormatter: MatcherFormatter;
+}
+
+function PolicyPath({ route, routesByIdMap, matcherFormatter }: Props) {
   const styles = useStyles2(getStyles);
   const routePathIds = route.path?.slice(1) ?? [];
   const routePathObjects = [...compact(routePathIds.map((id) => routesByIdMap.get(id))), route];
@@ -31,7 +37,7 @@ function PolicyPath({ route, routesByIdMap }: { routesByIdMap: Map<string, Route
               {hasEmptyMatchers(pathRoute) ? (
                 <div className={styles.textMuted}>No matchers</div>
               ) : (
-                <Matchers matchers={pathRoute.object_matchers ?? []} />
+                <Matchers matchers={pathRoute.object_matchers ?? []} formatter={matcherFormatter} />
               )}
             </div>
           </div>
@@ -60,7 +66,7 @@ export function NotificationRouteDetailsModal({
   const isDefault = isDefaultPolicy(route);
 
   return (
-    <AlertmanagerProvider accessType="notification" alertmanagerSourceName={GRAFANA_DATASOURCE_NAME}>
+    <AlertmanagerProvider accessType="notification" alertmanagerSourceName={alertManagerSourceName}>
       <Modal
         className={styles.detailsModal}
         isOpen={true}
@@ -77,7 +83,11 @@ export function NotificationRouteDetailsModal({
           <div className={styles.separator(1)} />
           {!isDefault && (
             <>
-              <PolicyPath route={route} routesByIdMap={routesByIdMap} />
+              <PolicyPath
+                route={route}
+                routesByIdMap={routesByIdMap}
+                matcherFormatter={getAmMatcherFormatter(alertManagerSourceName)}
+              />
             </>
           )}
           <div className={styles.separator(4)} />
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/useAlertmanagerNotificationRoutingPreview.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/useAlertmanagerNotificationRoutingPreview.ts
index 0762ae77aa2..a8df723da12 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/useAlertmanagerNotificationRoutingPreview.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/components/rule-editor/notificaton-preview/useAlertmanagerNotificationRoutingPreview.ts
@@ -6,6 +6,7 @@ import { Labels } from '../../../../../../types/unified-alerting-dto';
 import { useAlertmanagerConfig } from '../../../hooks/useAlertmanagerConfig';
 import { useRouteGroupsMatcher } from '../../../useRouteGroupsMatcher';
 import { addUniqueIdentifierToRoute } from '../../../utils/amroutes';
+import { GRAFANA_RULES_SOURCE_NAME } from '../../../utils/datasource';
 import { AlertInstanceMatch, computeInheritedTree, normalizeRoute } from '../../../utils/notification-policies';
 
 import { getRoutesByIdMap, RouteWithPath } from './route';
@@ -55,7 +56,9 @@ export const useAlertmanagerNotificationRoutingPreview = (
     if (!rootRoute) {
       return;
     }
-    return await matchInstancesToRoute(rootRoute, potentialInstances);
+    return await matchInstancesToRoute(rootRoute, potentialInstances, {
+      unquoteMatchers: alertManagerSourceName !== GRAFANA_RULES_SOURCE_NAME,
+    });
   }, [rootRoute, potentialInstances]);
 
   return {
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/routeGroupsMatcher.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/routeGroupsMatcher.ts
index 80b951ffc14..bce330c7f78 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/routeGroupsMatcher.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/routeGroupsMatcher.ts
@@ -6,11 +6,20 @@ import {
   findMatchingAlertGroups,
   findMatchingRoutes,
   normalizeRoute,
+  unquoteRouteMatchers,
 } from './utils/notification-policies';
 
+export interface MatchOptions {
+  unquoteMatchers?: boolean;
+}
+
 export const routeGroupsMatcher = {
-  getRouteGroupsMap(rootRoute: RouteWithID, groups: AlertmanagerGroup[]): Map<string, AlertmanagerGroup[]> {
-    const normalizedRootRoute = normalizeRoute(rootRoute);
+  getRouteGroupsMap(
+    rootRoute: RouteWithID,
+    groups: AlertmanagerGroup[],
+    options?: MatchOptions
+  ): Map<string, AlertmanagerGroup[]> {
+    const normalizedRootRoute = getNormalizedRoute(rootRoute, options);
 
     function addRouteGroups(route: RouteWithID, acc: Map<string, AlertmanagerGroup[]>) {
       const routeGroups = findMatchingAlertGroups(normalizedRootRoute, route, groups);
@@ -25,10 +34,14 @@ export const routeGroupsMatcher = {
     return routeGroupsMap;
   },
 
-  matchInstancesToRoute(routeTree: RouteWithID, instancesToMatch: Labels[]): Map<string, AlertInstanceMatch[]> {
+  matchInstancesToRoute(
+    routeTree: RouteWithID,
+    instancesToMatch: Labels[],
+    options?: MatchOptions
+  ): Map<string, AlertInstanceMatch[]> {
     const result = new Map<string, AlertInstanceMatch[]>();
 
-    const normalizedRootRoute = normalizeRoute(routeTree);
+    const normalizedRootRoute = getNormalizedRoute(routeTree, options);
 
     instancesToMatch.forEach((instance) => {
       const matchingRoutes = findMatchingRoutes(normalizedRootRoute, Object.entries(instance));
@@ -47,4 +60,8 @@ export const routeGroupsMatcher = {
   },
 };
 
+function getNormalizedRoute(route: RouteWithID, options?: MatchOptions): RouteWithID {
+  return options?.unquoteMatchers ? unquoteRouteMatchers(normalizeRoute(route)) : normalizeRoute(route);
+}
+
 export type RouteGroupsMatcher = typeof routeGroupsMatcher;
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/useRouteGroupsMatcher.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/useRouteGroupsMatcher.ts
index 2b57e4e0d34..a48d3e4c611 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/useRouteGroupsMatcher.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/useRouteGroupsMatcher.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ import { Labels } from '../../../types/unified-alerting-dto';
 
 import { logError, logInfo } from './Analytics';
 import { createWorker } from './createRouteGroupsMatcherWorker';
-import type { RouteGroupsMatcher } from './routeGroupsMatcher';
+import type { MatchOptions, RouteGroupsMatcher } from './routeGroupsMatcher';
 
 let routeMatcher: comlink.Remote<RouteGroupsMatcher> | undefined;
 
@@ -55,43 +55,49 @@ export function useRouteGroupsMatcher() {
     return () => null;
   }, []);
 
-  const getRouteGroupsMap = useCallback(async (rootRoute: RouteWithID, alertGroups: AlertmanagerGroup[]) => {
-    validateWorker(routeMatcher);
+  const getRouteGroupsMap = useCallback(
+    async (rootRoute: RouteWithID, alertGroups: AlertmanagerGroup[], options?: MatchOptions) => {
+      validateWorker(routeMatcher);
 
-    const startTime = performance.now();
+      const startTime = performance.now();
 
-    const result = await routeMatcher.getRouteGroupsMap(rootRoute, alertGroups);
+      const result = await routeMatcher.getRouteGroupsMap(rootRoute, alertGroups, options);
 
-    const timeSpent = performance.now() - startTime;
+      const timeSpent = performance.now() - startTime;
 
-    logInfo(`Route Groups Matched in  ${timeSpent} ms`, {
-      matchingTime: timeSpent.toString(),
-      alertGroupsCount: alertGroups.length.toString(),
-      // Counting all nested routes might be too time-consuming, so we only count the first level
-      topLevelRoutesCount: rootRoute.routes?.length.toString() ?? '0',
-    });
+      logInfo(`Route Groups Matched in  ${timeSpent} ms`, {
+        matchingTime: timeSpent.toString(),
+        alertGroupsCount: alertGroups.length.toString(),
+        // Counting all nested routes might be too time-consuming, so we only count the first level
+        topLevelRoutesCount: rootRoute.routes?.length.toString() ?? '0',
+      });
 
-    return result;
-  }, []);
+      return result;
+    },
+    []
+  );
 
-  const matchInstancesToRoute = useCallback(async (rootRoute: RouteWithID, instancesToMatch: Labels[]) => {
-    validateWorker(routeMatcher);
+  const matchInstancesToRoute = useCallback(
+    async (rootRoute: RouteWithID, instancesToMatch: Labels[], options?: MatchOptions) => {
+      validateWorker(routeMatcher);
 
-    const startTime = performance.now();
+      const startTime = performance.now();
 
-    const result = await routeMatcher.matchInstancesToRoute(rootRoute, instancesToMatch);
+      const result = await routeMatcher.matchInstancesToRoute(rootRoute, instancesToMatch, options);
 
-    const timeSpent = performance.now() - startTime;
+      const timeSpent = performance.now() - startTime;
 
-    logInfo(`Instances Matched in  ${timeSpent} ms`, {
-      matchingTime: timeSpent.toString(),
-      instancesToMatchCount: instancesToMatch.length.toString(),
-      // Counting all nested routes might be too time-consuming, so we only count the first level
-      topLevelRoutesCount: rootRoute.routes?.length.toString() ?? '0',
-    });
+      logInfo(`Instances Matched in  ${timeSpent} ms`, {
+        matchingTime: timeSpent.toString(),
+        instancesToMatchCount: instancesToMatch.length.toString(),
+        // Counting all nested routes might be too time-consuming, so we only count the first level
+        topLevelRoutesCount: rootRoute.routes?.length.toString() ?? '0',
+      });
 
-    return result;
-  }, []);
+      return result;
+    },
+    []
+  );
 
   return { getRouteGroupsMap, matchInstancesToRoute };
 }
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/alertmanager.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/alertmanager.ts
index e81b9195ffc..2738b703844 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/alertmanager.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/alertmanager.ts
@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@ import { Labels } from 'app/types/unified-alerting-dto';
 import { MatcherFieldValue } from '../types/silence-form';
 
 import { getAllDataSources } from './config';
-import { DataSourceType } from './datasource';
+import { DataSourceType, GRAFANA_RULES_SOURCE_NAME } from './datasource';
+import { MatcherFormatter, unquoteWithUnescape } from './matchers';
 
 export function addDefaultsToAlertmanagerConfig(config: AlertManagerCortexConfig): AlertManagerCortexConfig {
   // add default receiver if it does not exist
@@ -53,6 +54,10 @@ export function renameMuteTimings(newMuteTimingName: string, oldMuteTimingName:
   };
 }
 
+export function unescapeObjectMatchers(matchers: ObjectMatcher[]): ObjectMatcher[] {
+  return matchers.map(([name, operator, value]) => [name, operator, unquoteWithUnescape(value)]);
+}
+
 export function matcherToOperator(matcher: Matcher): MatcherOperator {
   if (matcher.isEqual) {
     if (matcher.isRegex) {
@@ -177,6 +182,10 @@ export function combineMatcherStrings(...matcherStrings: string[]): string {
   return matchersToString(uniqueMatchers);
 }
 
+export function getAmMatcherFormatter(alertmanagerSourceName?: string): MatcherFormatter {
+  return alertmanagerSourceName === GRAFANA_RULES_SOURCE_NAME ? 'default' : 'unquote';
+}
+
 export function getAllAlertmanagerDataSources() {
   return getAllDataSources().filter((ds) => ds.type === DataSourceType.Alertmanager);
 }
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/amroutes.test.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/amroutes.test.ts
index 3c66e772d0b..dbb71f012c2 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/amroutes.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/amroutes.test.ts
@@ -1,8 +1,9 @@
-import { Route } from 'app/plugins/datasource/alertmanager/types';
+import { MatcherOperator, Route } from 'app/plugins/datasource/alertmanager/types';
 
 import { FormAmRoute } from '../types/amroutes';
 
 import { amRouteToFormAmRoute, emptyRoute, formAmRouteToAmRoute } from './amroutes';
+import { GRAFANA_RULES_SOURCE_NAME } from './datasource';
 
 const emptyAmRoute: Route = {
   receiver: '',
@@ -53,6 +54,58 @@ describe('formAmRouteToAmRoute', () => {
       expect(amRoute.group_by).toStrictEqual(['SHOULD BE SET']);
     });
   });
+
+  it('should quote and escape matcher values', () => {
+    // Arrange
+    const route: FormAmRoute = buildFormAmRoute({
+      id: '1',
+      object_matchers: [
+        { name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: 'bar' },
+        { name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: 'bar"baz' },
+        { name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: 'bar\\baz' },
+        { name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: '\\bar\\baz"\\' },
+      ],
+    });
+
+    // Act
+    const amRoute = formAmRouteToAmRoute('mimir-am', route, { id: 'root' });
+
+    // Assert
+    expect(amRoute.matchers).toStrictEqual([
+      'foo="bar"',
+      'foo="bar\\"baz"',
+      'foo="bar\\\\baz"',
+      'foo="\\\\bar\\\\baz\\"\\\\"',
+    ]);
+  });
+
+  it('should allow matchers with empty values for cloud AM', () => {
+    // Arrange
+    const route: FormAmRoute = buildFormAmRoute({
+      id: '1',
+      object_matchers: [{ name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: '' }],
+    });
+
+    // Act
+    const amRoute = formAmRouteToAmRoute('mimir-am', route, { id: 'root' });
+
+    // Assert
+    expect(amRoute.matchers).toStrictEqual(['foo=""']);
+  });
+
+  it('should allow matchers with empty values for Grafana AM', () => {
+    // Arrange
+    const route: FormAmRoute = buildFormAmRoute({
+      id: '1',
+      object_matchers: [{ name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: '' }],
+    });
+
+    // Act
+    const amRoute = formAmRouteToAmRoute(GRAFANA_RULES_SOURCE_NAME, route, { id: 'root' });
+
+    // Assert
+    expect(amRoute.object_matchers).toStrictEqual([['foo', MatcherOperator.equal, '']]);
+  });
 });
 
 describe('amRouteToFormAmRoute', () => {
@@ -101,4 +154,23 @@ describe('amRouteToFormAmRoute', () => {
       expect(formRoute.overrideGrouping).toBe(true);
     });
   });
+
+  it('should unquote and unescape matchers values', () => {
+    // Arrange
+    const amRoute = buildAmRoute({
+      matchers: ['foo=bar', 'foo="bar"', 'foo="bar"baz"', 'foo="bar\\\\baz"', 'foo="\\\\bar\\\\baz"\\\\"'],
+    });
+
+    // Act
+    const formRoute = amRouteToFormAmRoute(amRoute);
+
+    // Assert
+    expect(formRoute.object_matchers).toStrictEqual([
+      { name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: 'bar' },
+      { name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: 'bar' },
+      { name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: 'bar"baz' },
+      { name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: 'bar\\baz' },
+      { name: 'foo', operator: MatcherOperator.equal, value: '\\bar\\baz"\\' },
+    ]);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/amroutes.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/amroutes.ts
index 9fc29f0c3d0..f3724401587 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/amroutes.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/amroutes.ts
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ import { MatcherFieldValue } from '../types/silence-form';
 
 import { matcherToMatcherField } from './alertmanager';
 import { GRAFANA_RULES_SOURCE_NAME } from './datasource';
-import { normalizeMatchers, parseMatcher } from './matchers';
+import { normalizeMatchers, parseMatcher, quoteWithEscape, unquoteWithUnescape } from './matchers';
 import { findExistingRoute } from './routeTree';
 import { isValidPrometheusDuration, safeParseDurationstr } from './time';
 
@@ -94,7 +94,14 @@ export const amRouteToFormAmRoute = (route: RouteWithID | Route | undefined): Fo
 
   const objectMatchers =
     route.object_matchers?.map((matcher) => ({ name: matcher[0], operator: matcher[1], value: matcher[2] })) ?? [];
-  const matchers = route.matchers?.map((matcher) => matcherToMatcherField(parseMatcher(matcher))) ?? [];
+  const matchers =
+    route.matchers
+      ?.map((matcher) => matcherToMatcherField(parseMatcher(matcher)))
+      .map(({ name, operator, value }) => ({
+        name,
+        operator,
+        value: unquoteWithUnescape(value),
+      })) ?? [];
 
   return {
     id,
@@ -149,8 +156,10 @@ export const formAmRouteToAmRoute = (
 
   const overrideRepeatInterval = overrideTimings && repeatIntervalValue;
   const repeat_interval = overrideRepeatInterval ? repeatIntervalValue : INHERIT_FROM_PARENT;
+
+  // Empty matcher values are valid. Such matchers require specified label to not exists
   const object_matchers: ObjectMatcher[] | undefined = formAmRoute.object_matchers
-    ?.filter((route) => route.name && route.value && route.operator)
+    ?.filter((route) => route.name && route.operator && route.value !== null && route.value !== undefined)
     .map(({ name, operator, value }) => [name, operator, value]);
 
   const routes = formAmRoute.routes?.map((subRoute) =>
@@ -176,7 +185,9 @@ export const formAmRouteToAmRoute = (
   // Grafana maintains a fork of AM to support all utf-8 characters in the "object_matchers" property values but this
   // does not exist in upstream AlertManager
   if (alertManagerSourceName !== GRAFANA_RULES_SOURCE_NAME) {
-    amRoute.matchers = formAmRoute.object_matchers?.map(({ name, operator, value }) => `${name}${operator}${value}`);
+    amRoute.matchers = formAmRoute.object_matchers?.map(
+      ({ name, operator, value }) => `${name}${operator}${quoteWithEscape(value)}`
+    );
     amRoute.object_matchers = undefined;
   } else {
     amRoute.object_matchers = normalizeMatchers(amRoute);
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/matchers.test.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/matchers.test.ts
index 43b3cbc2320..9f879789a22 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/matchers.test.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/matchers.test.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 import { MatcherOperator, Route } from '../../../../plugins/datasource/alertmanager/types';
 
-import { getMatcherQueryParams, normalizeMatchers, parseQueryParamMatchers } from './matchers';
+import {
+  getMatcherQueryParams,
+  normalizeMatchers,
+  parseQueryParamMatchers,
+  quoteWithEscape,
+  unquoteWithUnescape,
+} from './matchers';
 
 describe('Unified Alerting matchers', () => {
   describe('getMatcherQueryParams tests', () => {
@@ -61,3 +67,37 @@ describe('Unified Alerting matchers', () => {
     });
   });
 });
+
+describe('quoteWithEscape', () => {
+  const samples: string[][] = [
+    ['bar', '"bar"'],
+    ['b"ar"', '"b\\"ar\\""'],
+    ['b\\ar\\', '"b\\\\ar\\\\"'],
+    ['wa{r}ni$ng!', '"wa{r}ni$ng!"'],
+  ];
+
+  it.each(samples)('should escape and quote %s to %s', (raw, quoted) => {
+    const quotedMatcher = quoteWithEscape(raw);
+    expect(quotedMatcher).toBe(quoted);
+  });
+});
+
+describe('unquoteWithUnescape', () => {
+  const samples: string[][] = [
+    ['bar', 'bar'],
+    ['"bar"', 'bar'],
+    ['"b\\"ar\\""', 'b"ar"'],
+    ['"b\\\\ar\\\\"', 'b\\ar\\'],
+    ['"wa{r}ni$ng!"', 'wa{r}ni$ng!'],
+  ];
+
+  it.each(samples)('should unquote and unescape %s to %s', (quoted, raw) => {
+    const unquotedMatcher = unquoteWithUnescape(quoted);
+    expect(unquotedMatcher).toBe(raw);
+  });
+
+  it('should not unescape unquoted string', () => {
+    const unquoted = unquoteWithUnescape('un\\"quo\\\\ted');
+    expect(unquoted).toBe('un\\"quo\\\\ted');
+  });
+});
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/matchers.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/matchers.ts
index aa1b7187f85..7b8c7ef4a05 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/matchers.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/matchers.ts
@@ -108,4 +108,41 @@ export const normalizeMatchers = (route: Route): ObjectMatcher[] => {
   return matchers;
 };
 
+/**
+ * Quotes string and escapes double quote and backslash characters
+ */
+export function quoteWithEscape(input: string) {
+  const escaped = input.replace(/[\\"]/g, (c) => `\\${c}`);
+  return `"${escaped}"`;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Unquotes and unescapes a string **if it has been quoted**
+ */
+export function unquoteWithUnescape(input: string) {
+  if (!/^"(.*)"$/.test(input)) {
+    return input;
+  }
+
+  return input
+    .replace(/^"(.*)"$/, '$1')
+    .replace(/\\"/g, '"')
+    .replace(/\\\\/g, '\\');
+}
+
+export const matcherFormatter = {
+  default: ([name, operator, value]: ObjectMatcher): string => {
+    // Value can be an empty string which we want to display as ""
+    const formattedValue = value || '';
+    return `${name} ${operator} ${formattedValue}`;
+  },
+  unquote: ([name, operator, value]: ObjectMatcher): string => {
+    // Unquoted value can be an empty string which we want to display as ""
+    const unquotedValue = unquoteWithUnescape(value) || '""';
+    return `${name} ${operator} ${unquotedValue}`;
+  },
+} as const;
+
+export type MatcherFormatter = keyof typeof matcherFormatter;
+
 export type Label = [string, string];
diff --git a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/notification-policies.ts b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/notification-policies.ts
index d25de2728fa..a0fed72bd66 100644
--- a/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/notification-policies.ts
+++ b/public/app/features/alerting/unified/utils/notification-policies.ts
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ import {
 } from 'app/plugins/datasource/alertmanager/types';
 import { Labels } from 'app/types/unified-alerting-dto';
 
-import { Label, normalizeMatchers } from './matchers';
+import { Label, normalizeMatchers, unquoteWithUnescape } from './matchers';
 
 // If a policy has no matchers it still can be a match, hence matchers can be empty and match can be true
 // So we cannot use null as an indicator of no match
@@ -124,6 +124,20 @@ export function normalizeRoute(rootRoute: RouteWithID): RouteWithID {
   return normalizedRootRoute;
 }
 
+export function unquoteRouteMatchers(route: RouteWithID): RouteWithID {
+  function unquoteRoute(route: RouteWithID) {
+    route.object_matchers = route.object_matchers?.map(([name, operator, value]) => {
+      return [name, operator, unquoteWithUnescape(value)];
+    });
+    route.routes?.forEach(unquoteRoute);
+  }
+
+  const unwrappedRootRoute = structuredClone(route);
+  unquoteRoute(unwrappedRootRoute);
+
+  return unwrappedRootRoute;
+}
+
 /**
  * find all of the groups that have instances that match the route, thay way we can find all instances
  * (and their grouping) for the given route