diff --git a/cylc/flow/cfgspec/globalcfg.py b/cylc/flow/cfgspec/globalcfg.py
index d395f9ed3cc..57b7e0ce4e8 100644
--- a/cylc/flow/cfgspec/globalcfg.py
+++ b/cylc/flow/cfgspec/globalcfg.py
@@ -101,6 +101,14 @@
              desc='''
             The number of old run directory trees to retain at start-up.
         ''')
+        Conf('auto restart delay', VDR.V_INTERVAL, desc='''
+            Relates to Cylc's auto stop-restart mechanism (see
+            :ref:`auto-stop-restart`).  When a host is set to automatically
+            shutdown/restart it will first wait a random period of time
+            between zero and ``auto restart delay`` seconds before
+            beginning the process. This is to prevent large numbers of
+            suites from restarting simultaneously.
+        ''')
         with Conf('run hosts', desc='''
             Configure allowed suite hosts and ports for starting up (running or
             restarting) suites. Additionally configure host selection settings
@@ -122,14 +130,6 @@
                 ``condemned hosts`` they will be automatically shutdown and
                 restarted (see:ref:`auto-stop-restart`).
             ''')
-            Conf('auto restart delay', VDR.V_INTERVAL, desc='''
-                Relates to Cylc's auto stop-restart mechanism (see
-                :ref:`auto-stop-restart`).  When a host is set to automatically
-                shutdown/restart it will first wait a random period of time
-                between zero and ``auto restart delay`` seconds before
-                beginning the process. This is to prevent large numbers of
-                suites from restarting simultaneously.
-            ''')
             Conf('ranking', VDR.V_STRING, desc='''
                 A multiline string containing Python expressions to filter
                 and/or rank hosts. For example:
diff --git a/cylc/flow/main_loop/auto_restart.py b/cylc/flow/main_loop/auto_restart.py
index 811f5bab99e..141255f01b4 100644
--- a/cylc/flow/main_loop/auto_restart.py
+++ b/cylc/flow/main_loop/auto_restart.py
@@ -27,8 +27,8 @@
 .. cylc-scope:: global.cylc
 
 - :cylc:conf:`[scheduler]auto restart delay`
-- :cylc:conf:`[scheduler]condemned hosts`
-- :cylc:conf:`[scheduler]run hosts`
+- :cylc:conf:`[scheduler][run hosts]condemned`
+- :cylc:conf:`[scheduler][run hosts]available`
 
 .. cylc-scope:: global.cylc[scheduler]
 
@@ -57,8 +57,9 @@
 .. code-block:: cylc
 
    [scheduler]
-       run hosts = pub
-       condemned hosts = foo, bar!
+        [[run hosts]]
+       available = pub
+       condemned = foo, bar!
 
 .. warning::
 
@@ -67,9 +68,11 @@
    are evaluated on the suite host server.
 
 To prevent large numbers of suites attempting to restart simultaneously the
-:cylc:conf:`auto restart delay` setting defines a period of time in seconds.
+:cylc:conf:`[scheduler]auto restart delay` setting defines a period of time in
+seconds.
 Suites will wait for a random period of time between zero and
-:cylc:conf:`auto restart delay` seconds before attempting to stop and restart.
+:cylc:conf:`[scheduler]auto restart delay` seconds before attempting to stop
+and restart.
 
 Suites that are started up in no-detach mode cannot auto stop-restart on a
 different host - as it will still end up attached to the condemned host.
diff --git a/tests/functional/restart/37-auto-restart-delay.t b/tests/functional/restart/37-auto-restart-delay.t
index e3bd0b65571..c51bda701b1 100644
--- a/tests/functional/restart/37-auto-restart-delay.t
+++ b/tests/functional/restart/37-auto-restart-delay.t
@@ -54,9 +54,9 @@ MAX_RESTART_DELAY=30
 create_test_global_config '' "
 ${BASE_GLOBAL_CONFIG}
 [scheduler]
+    auto restart delay = PT${MAX_RESTART_DELAY}S
     [[run hosts]]
         available = localhost
-        auto restart delay = PT${MAX_RESTART_DELAY}S
 "
 
 # Run suite.
@@ -67,10 +67,10 @@ poll_suite_running
 create_test_global_config '' "
 ${BASE_GLOBAL_CONFIG}
 [scheduler]
+    auto restart delay = PT20S
     [[run hosts]]
         available = ${CYLC_TEST_HOST}
         condemned = $(hostname)
-        auto restart delay = PT20S
 "
 
 # Check stop-restart working.
diff --git a/tests/functional/restart/43-auto-restart-force-override-normal.t b/tests/functional/restart/43-auto-restart-force-override-normal.t
index 4299e245075..cfe1feab43f 100644
--- a/tests/functional/restart/43-auto-restart-force-override-normal.t
+++ b/tests/functional/restart/43-auto-restart-force-override-normal.t
@@ -63,10 +63,10 @@ FILE=$(cylc cat-log "${SUITE_NAME}" -m p |xargs readlink -f)
 create_test_global_config '' "
 ${BASE_GLOBAL_CONFIG}
 [scheduler]
+    auto restart delay = -PT60S  # results in +PT60S delay
     [[run hosts]]
         available = ${CYLC_TEST_HOST_1}, ${CYLC_TEST_HOST_2}
         condemned = ${CYLC_TEST_HOST_1}
-        auto restart delay = -PT60S  # results in +PT60S delay
 "
 log_scan "${TEST_NAME_BASE}-stop" "${FILE}" 40 1 \
     'The Cylc suite host will soon become un-available' \